Ordination a sign of hope, said Bishop Deeniahn when he ordained Reverend Anthony Kerr to priesthood

An Ordination is a sign of hope, said Bishop Tom Deeniahn when he ordaining to the priesthood Reverend Anthony Kerr, a native of Navan, in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar yesterday.

“An Ordination is also a reminder to pray for, encourage, support and motivate those who may be considering a vocation to priesthood. We need more. Perhaps there are some here today who have heard that whisper? If you have, have courage!”

Fr Anthony received his early education at St Oliver Plunkett NS and then at St Patrick’s Classical School, Navan. He later pursued a degree at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. A post primary teacher by profession, Fr Anthony taught Religion and Irish, sharing his faith and love of language with his students.

During his years in education, Fr Anthony became increasingly aware of a call to priesthood. Encouraged and supported by Fr David Jones, he discerned this vocation and went on to begin his formation at the Beda Pontifical College in Rome. Anthony is the eldest of the Kerr Family, son of Esther and Patrick, and brother to Niall, Louise and Alyson.

The Diocese of Meath has a further three students in Seminary formation and two more undertaking a Propaedeutic experience. Bishop Deenihan, in congratulating Anthony and in thanking the Vocations Team for their work and encouragement, said, “It is my hope that Anthony’s ordination would give confidence to other men in the diocese who may have a calling to priesthood.”

In his homily at the Ordination, Bishop Deenihan welcome Fr Anthony’s family and friends from Navan and his formators and colleagues from the Beda College in Rome, and from St Parick’s College in Maynooth.

“I want to congratulate Anthony on his Ordination and I want to say how delighted that we all are that he has accepted the call of Christ to follow him in the Priesthood. That generosity and determination are sources of joy and hope for the diocese as a whole and, particularly, for us, priests of the diocese.

“An Ordination is a sign of hope. It means that Christ is still calling men to the ministerial priesthood, it means that some of those who hear that call have the faith to respond to it and, for us priests, it means fellow workers, new colleagues and, to some extent, a validation of our work and proof, despite all the prophets of doom and our own efforts at times, that Priesthood is still a valid and valued calling.

“For those in the Parishes of this Diocese, it means another priest who will work with and for the people in those parishes, who will celebrate the Sacraments with, and for them, and who will become a member of their faith community. “In the years ahead, we will have parishes in this diocese where people will fear the loss of their resident priests. That was the context of my recent Pastoral Letter, and was to the fore in the Synodal discussions in the diocese a while ago. Anthony’s ordination is welcome and good news for them in particular.

“An Ordination is also a reminder to pray for, encourage, support and motivate those who may be considering a vocation to priesthood. Thankfully, after Anthony’s ordination today, we have three more seminarians in the Diocese at various stages of formation, and two more in their pre-seminary or Propaedeutic year. We need more. Perhaps there are some here today who have heard that whisper? If you have, have courage!

“Today is the last day of the liturgical year and, tomorrow, we begin to celebrate the season of Advent, a period of joyful waiting. Anthony’s waiting, be it joyful, anxious or impatient, ends today and we share the joy of an Ordination with him.”

In Anthony’s Ordination, we are celebrating active self-sacrifice of Anthony in the service of the People of God, the Church and his future parishioners, Bishop Deenihan told the congregation.

“It is not an easy task and I hope, Anthony, that the memory of your Ordination today, which Pope Francis has often referred to as ‘a sweet memory’, will give you strength and renew your courage and commitment in the years ahead.

“For those of us in ministry, we rejoice that the Lord has called you into his harvest, we assure you of our welcome, support and prayers and, like you, we appreciate and marvel at the Lord’s generosity to both you and ourselves in entrusting this task to ourselves.

“May God give all of us who are Ordained the courage to reciprocate and reflect that generosity in our own lives, in our ministry and through our own commitment to our priesthood and, through God’s endless mercy, may we be counted among the blessed who yield a harvest and gain the reward promised to good servants.

“Let me conclude, as I did at your Diaconal Ordination in Drogheda, ‘May your ministry be effective, rewarding and joyful and may you give long and joyful service of the Gospel in the Diocese of Meath’.”