Special weekend for Navan as Anthony Kerr to be ordained

Sunday next will be a special day for St Mary's Parish, Navan, as Rev Anthony Kerr celebrates his first Mass following his ordination to the priesthood in Mullingar Cathedral on Saturday.

Anthony, from Proudstown, is a former secondary school teacher who entered the Pontifical Beda College in Rome in September 2020. He was ordained a deacon in January of last year, and has been working in Navan parish on placement since June.

“I am nervous but it will be a great day of celebration for the parish and the diocese, and everybody is welcome to the ordination and first Mass,” Anthony said this week.

The 49 year-old worked in Monkstown Christian Brothers College in Monkstown before moving to Dunshaughlin Community College for period. It was Fr David Jones, who lives as a hermit near Duleek, who first encouraged Anthony's vocation.

“He set that ball rolling, and suggested it in the first place, and I am especially grateful for his inspiration and encouragement to help me take the leap of faith.”

Anthony is also very grateful to Fr Tony Gonoude, then diocesan vocations director, Fr Philip Gillespie, the rector, and the academic staff of the Beda Pontifical College, and the people and priests of St Mary's in Drogheda where he was ordained a deacon while on a pastoral year at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.

He also thanks Fr Paul Crosbie and the parishioners of Trim and Boardsmill who facilitated a summer pastoral placement in the parish; the parishioners and priests of St Mary’s Parish Navan; Rev Dr Tomás Surlis, Rector of the National Seminary, Maynooth; and Bishop Tom Deenihan, who has facilitated, supported and directed his journey of priestly formation.

Anthony initially spent three years studying in Rome, followed by a pastoral hospital chaplaincy through Maynooth, and a final year in Rome. He is son of Esther and Patrick Kerr of Proudstown, with a brother, Niall, and sisters, Louise and Alyson. He felt drawn to the priesthood from his early twenties.

In his recent Pastoral Letter on 'The Future of Our Parishes – Communities of Belonging and Evangelisation', the Bishop of Meath, Tom Deenihan, said that as well as the ordination in the Diocese this year; there are three candidates for priesthood for the Diocese of Meath in seminary formation, while two more are exploring the possibility of a vocation to priesthood in a Propaedeutic Year in Rome.

Deacon Kerr's ordination to priesthood will take place in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, at 2pm on Saturday 29th November. The new Fr Anthony will celebrate a First Mass of Thanksgiving in St Mary’s Church, Navan, on Sunday at 3pm. All are invited along to the parish celebration which will be followed by a reception in the community centre.