Year for Priests at Maynooth College

Annus Sacerdotalis or the Year for Priests has been inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI from 19th June 2009 - 11th June 2010.

The following are some of the Maynooth College events taking place to celebrate the year:

• 11th & 12th March 2010
  
  The President, Monsignor Hugh Connolly will attend an international convention under the auspices of the Congregation of the Clergy, on 11th & 12th March in Rome marking the Year for Priests.
  
  
• March 2010
  Rev Professor Brendan Leahy launches his book on Priesthood:
  Priests Today: Reflections on Identity, Life and Ministry, Hyde Park: New City Press, 2010
  
  
  
• 31 March 2010
  The Easter Retreat will be directed by Father Ronald Rolheiser OMI. Ron Rolheiser's weekly column appears in more than 65 Catholic newspapers worldwide, reaching a million and a half readers each week. He began writing his column in 1982 under the title "In Exile". Rolheiser says he chose this title because "all of us live in exile in a real way. As St. Paul puts it, we see as 'through a glass darkly', through an enigma, separated always partially from God and each other".
  
  
• The First Year Seminarians are undertaking a project whereby each seminarian will take photographs of priests working in their home parishes and dioceses.  These will be displayed on the Cloister after Easter.

  Source: Clipart.com   

• 25 April 2010: Seminary Open Day
  St Patrick's College, Maynooth hosted an OPEN DAY on Vocation Sunday last year. This was a very successful event where men were able to meet with seminarains and College staff. We are happy to announce that this year's Open Day will take place on Vocation Sunday, 25th April 2010. All men discerning a vocation to the Catholic Priesthood are welcome
  
  
• 26 April 2010: Private Visit of the relics of St John Vianney.
  St John Vianney (1786-1859) is more commonly known as the Cure of Ars and is the patron of priests.

  Ordained in 1815, he was assigned to Ars, a small town in France, and as parish priest there, he gained a reputation as a mystic and confessor. His life and ministry was an example of selfless dedication to the service of God’s people through the priesthood. 
  Picture Source: marypages.com
  
  

• 27th May 2010
  Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York will address a day-long seminar in Maynooth College, jointly hosted by St Patrick’s College and the Irish Episcopal Conference on 27th May 2010.
  
  
  


• 15th June 2010
  
  
  
  
  
  His Eminence Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, will address priests gathered for the Maynooth Union on 15th June 2010.