Bishop Browne expressed his hope that the “seeds sown through the years” would “flourish afresh through the graduates of this course”.
Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne presented certificates to graduates of the Diocesan Youth Ministry Studies programme at a celebration ceremony held on Thursday the 27th of February in the Kerry Diocesan Youth Service (KDYS) centre in Killarney. In all twenty eight adults completed the two-year course which started in February 2012.
The course was developed by the Centre for Ministry Development in the United States and is sponsored and delivered in Ireland by the Redemptorists. It is also accredited by St Mary’s University College Belfast (a college of Queen’s University). The teaching faculty, co-ordinated by Fr Noel Kehoe CSsR, included priests, religious and lay people, all with a wealth of youth ministry experience.
The aim of the course was to equip voluntary and professional leaders with the knowledge, skills, practical tools and techniques needed for creative and comprehensive ministry with youth in parish, school, college, diocesan and other settings.
Bishop Browne expressed his hope that the “seeds sown through the years” would “flourish afresh through the graduates of this course”.
The Youth Ministry Studies course has been conducted in Ireland for almost twelve years and is currently running in Tuam Archdiocese and in Ballyfermot Pastoral Area, Dublin.