
CV NEWS FEED // The Diocese of Clogher is set to welcome its first new seminarian in six years, according to local reports, which note a slight rise in vocations across Northern Ireland.
According to a recent report from The Irish News, the new seminarian is a former teacher in his 20s who will enter the diocesan seminary in September. Clogher currently has one existing seminarian.
“Vocations are particularly welcome during a time when it is increasingly challenging to meet the pastoral and sacramental needs within parishes across the Diocese,” Diocesan Communications Officer Fr Eddie Magee said in the report.
“As a Diocese, we ask God’s blessing on all those who are responding to the call to ministry in the priesthood, diaconate, and religious life and encourage all to continue to pray for vocations,” he added.
While the local outlet notes that Belfast’s city center parish of St Patrick’s is down to one priest for the first time in its 200-year history, recent years have seen “a slight uptick” in vocations.
“At present, there are at least 26 seminarians from dioceses in the north studying to become Catholic Priests,” the report stated: “including 16 from the Archdiocese of Armagh, two from the Dromore Diocese, four from the Derry Diocese and three from Down and Connor Diocese.”
Notably, the Diocese of Down and Connor will soon welcome six new candidates for the priesthood—its largest group of new seminarians in three years.
As CatholicVote previously reported, the Diocese of Clogher has just 44 priests and two deacons in active ministry.
The current crisis of priest shortages across Ireland at large has been prominently displayed in recent years, with Dublin’s seminary having just one student.
