Anthony Hartnett will be taking one step closer to the priesthood this month.
The 28-year-old seminarian will be ordained a Deacon by Bishop Alan McGuckian, Bishop of Raphoe, on Sunday, 24th September at 3pm in the Church of Mary Immaculate.
It’s believed that the ceremony will be the first Diaconate Ordination to take place within the parish.
A native of Co. Wicklow, Anthony has lived in Donegal with his family for the past decade. He began to study for the priesthood in Maynooth in 2016.
Looking ahead to the significant day of his Diaconate Ordination, Anthony shared his story of his life as a member of the Stranorlar Parish:
“Our family moved up to Glebe Hollow 10 years ago from Bray in Co. Wicklow after my parents retired from their work as secondary school teachers. Since I was 18 at the time, the second youngest of 8 children, I moved with them and began to settle in this parish. The welcome of everyone here has always stayed with me and made it much easier to begin to call Stanorlar “home”, and so I am happy to say that today that I feel very much at home here.
“We have been so blessed, so much so that my other sisters (and their families) have moved up here too!
“Not too long after moving to Stranorlar, I began to meet many inspiring priests in Donegal. After 2 years volunteering with NET Ministries, I began college and, at the same time, began to open my heart to being called to serve God as an ordained priest.
“In 2016 I began seminary in Maynooth and every summer I had the opportunity to work in a different parish in the diocese. Each new experience helped me to see if, on the one hand, God was actually calling me to priesthood and if, on the other hand, it was for me.
“Among my pastoral placements, my most significant was in the Cathedral parish in Letterkenny and in the Mater Hospital as a trainee chaplain.
“The Holy Spirit truly speaks in the Church, in prayer and through Her members, through people like yourself who is reading! The Holy Spirit gave me the courage in the end to decide to respond to what I believe is a call from God. But that was made possible thanks to the support and help of everyone I have met on the way.
“Now I am working with Fr Gerard Cunningham and based in Fintown parish. Not too far from home! It has been wonderful so far. If you can make it, I look forward to seeing you on 24th!”
All are welcome to join Anthony and his family as he commences this final stage in preparation for his Ordination to Priesthood.
There will be refreshments after the Ordination Mass in the Parish Centre.
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