Admission to Candidacy 2011
for Ordination as Deacon and Priest

Seven seminarians representing the four provinces of Ireland were admitted to Cancidacy for Ordination as Deacons and Priests at St Patrick's College, Maynooth

27 February 2011

Back row (l-r) Kevin Heery (Meath), Thomas McHugh (Armagh), Damien Lynch (Cloyne),
Paul Ludden (Dublin), Sean McGuire (Kilmore), James Cullen (Ferns)
Front row (l-r) Msgr Hugh Connolly (President), Rev Anthony Buckley (Deacon, Cork & Ross),
Most Rev Denis Brennan (Bishop of Ferns), Rev Dónal O’Neill (Director of Formation),
Eugene O’Boyle (Tuam)

“Admission to Candidacy for Ordination as Deacons and Priests is the final preparatory step in the journey towards ordination. It is the Church’s acceptance of the public expression of the intention to receive orders by the candidates, likened to the response of Isaiah to the vision of the Holy of Holies (Is. 6:8) “Here am I, send me”.

The seven men took their places with their brothers in formation in Saint Mary’s Oratory on Sunday 27 February 2011, and were examined by Bishop Brennan after the homily. Bishop Brennan asked “Are you resolved to complete your preparation for ordained ministry, and that that preparation of mind and heart be ready to give faithful service to Christ and his Church?”. The Candidates answered “I am”, and an echo of the ordination rite itself was heard with Bishop Brennan accepting the declaration with the words “May God who has begun this good work in you bring it to fulfilment”.

It was a moment of great joy for the whole community here in Maynooth, as attested by the congratulations of the brother seminarians and formation staff to the new candidates afterwards. There was a sense of pride in being part of their journey to this day and, God willing, to ordination.

KH