Pope Francis announced that 2015 would be a year dedicated to the promotion of consecrated life.  To mark this year we  conducted a series of interviews with men and women who, having grown up in our Parish, answered the Lord’s Call and went onto become Priests and Religious Sisters.

 

Q. Can you recall your earliest memories of childhood?

I can remember many things, and particularly making the sacraments in the Church, while I was at St Columbkille’s Primary school.

Q. Had you always thought about being a priest?

Yes, while I was in primary school, I grew up with the idea. My gran had a very strong faith and she would have loved to have one of her family in the priesthood. We were all encouraged to have a strong faith, to take part in our faith.

The notion wore off though when I went to high school, in my mind life was going to be quite normal. I left school on the 30^th June, and got my first job on the 1^st of July, working in insurance, and my intention was to be like the rest of the family, I would meet someone, settle down and have a family; that would be life.   Things took a bit of a change two years later, particularly around the time of the Papal visit. The day before the Pope was to go to Murrayfield, there was a meeting held in the Parish Hall, about starting a Folk Group in the Parish. I played the guitar so I went down to the meeting to sign up. It was from that time that my life began to change, my faith began to change. It became a more active role in my life, until eventually my faith became the most important thing in my life.

Q. How old were you when you started in the Folk Group?

I would have been 17 or 18, and that was great fun, I met a nice bunch of people; seven of us started the group. We were friends for a long time, until eventually we all started to branch off and go our own ways.   It was a great bunch of people, those two years really built my faith up.

The notion of the calling, or vocation, never really leaves you, and as my faith grew stronger, so the calling became stronger. I felt that I was a stage of my life when I could do exactly what I wanted, I can either do this or not.

I went down and spoke to Fr Rooney, and he then became my Spiritual Director, for the next 8-9 years, and directed and helped me. He never told me what to do. I went to see him and said “you know why I’m here don’t you” and he said “I think I do but I want you to tell me”. He was always challenging, he always helped me to get to a decision, and to think about how I felt. I then applied for seminary and was accepted and went to Chester’s in Bearsden.

Q. Were there many influences in the church when you were growing up, Priests or good people for instance?

I think the Priests in Rutherglen when I was growing up were good, good men, and were all good examples. I remember Fr Hennessy when he was there the first time, they were all very kind. Fr Michael Sullivan was another lovely man, a very gentle person and a good example. Fr Rooney was a tremendous influence on me as well.

Q. What’s was your family’s reaction to your decision to enter Seminary?

I think they were a bit surprised, I had a great life, I liked to enjoy life, go out with my friends so they didn’t expect it.

Q. What was it like to enter seminary, especially having been in the workplace for a while?

It was fun, I really enjoyed it

Q. How many did you start with?

There were 14 of us

Q. And how many students were in the college?

In my first and second year there was about 60 men.

Q. What year did you enter Seminary?

We all got on really well as we went through our seminary careers

Q. How many years did you study Philosophy for?

Three years, it was tough, it really helped to expand your mind though, got you to look outside the box.

Q. What was the daily routine like?

For Philosophy classes we attended Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities. The Theology classes were in the College, and the Degree was affiliated to Maynooth University.

Q. What was it like going to University?

We just attended the lectures, it was good fun. We were part of the University but apart from it. We couldn’t take part in as much of the life as other students though. We had to be back for Evening Prayer, and the evening meal. Our career wasn’t University, it was Seminary.

Q. Did you have days off?

Saturday was our day off, Mass was at 9am on Saturday morning, and then it was a mass exodus to get down to the train station. I was sometimes home for 10am Mass finishing, so I could sometimes meet my Mum and Dad after mass.

Q. Did you have to be back in College at a certain time?

Midnight on Saturday night was the curfew, but I was always back on Saturday evening

Q. What were the summer vacations like, did you go home?

Yes, I spent my summers in Rutherglen, our term didn’t finish until the end of June with the Ordinations. By that time all of the summer jobs were gone, so I basically spent the summer at home, and there was always a placement from third year onwards.

Q. How long did the placements last for?

They ranged from two to six weeks, depending on your stage at Seminary. My first placement was in Newmains Pastoral Centre, which was great fun

Q. Did you get involved in parish life in St Columbkille’s over the summer?

Yes, I would read at the weekday Mass and I was still involved in the folk group.

Q. You finished Philosophy, and moved onto Theology, what was that like?

It seemed like it was what I was there for, I loved Theology.

Q. It must have been quite a change as well, not having to travel to University every day?

Yes that was great. Classes were every morning, until Lunch at 1pm. Then the afternoon were study periods. There was a great public park just beside the college, which had a path around it, and it was great for a walk, or jogging, which I used to do a bit of. During exam time the park was just full of students walking around. I really enjoyed living there

Q. Were there any classes you particularly enjoyed?

Everything was great, I really enjoyed Scripture, Fr Tom Magill was our Scripture Professor, and he just brought them to life.

Q. How many years did you study Theology for?

4 years

Q. Were you ordained for a year as a Deacon?

Yes

Q. Then you had all of the preparation for Priestly Ordination, did you have any responsibilities as a senior student in the Seminary community?

No not really, throughout Theology everyone was given a house job, you would be in charge of music, liturgy, housekeeping, guest master etc. Everyone did house work every week, laundry, things like that.

Q. It must have been exciting getting towards Ordination?

Absolutely, I have very happy memories of Chester’s, it was hard, but I enjoyed it.

Q. What was the year of preparation like for Ordination?

I was in the college until Christmas that year, and from January on I did my Pastoral placement in St Cadoc’s, Halfway where I did all of my placements. I was there with Fr Connolly and Fr Gilhooley, and both were tremendous examples to me, I became very good friends with both of them. Fr Gilhooley moved on to Craigend and Fr Niven Richardson replaced him there for his first appointment; he was the year above me in Seminary. It was a very happy time

Q. What was your day to day routine like on placement?

It was varied, I would assist at mass every day.   Was involved in visiting the sick, and really everything that was going on in the Parish. I was also very involved in the Primary School helping the children prepare for First Communion, which was a lovely experience.

Q. Were you involved in planning the Ordination?

No, Fr Higgins planned everything, which was great. Thomas Doyle, who was also being ordained, was a great support for me, and I for him. It was a privilege to be ordained with someone else in your home parish.

Q. Your family must have been delighted?

Yes, I think they were all quite pleased, it was a happy time

Q. Then you had your first Mass?

Yes, the following morning. We were both ordained on the Friday evening on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, and then I celebrated my first Mass at 11am on the Saturday Morning and Fr Thomas celebrated his at 1pm. So we both celebrated our own Mass of thanksgiving, but Thomas concelebrated mine, and I concelebrated his.

Q. What year was that?

1992

Q. It was a great time for the Parish?

Yes, it was a big event, with a lot to celebrate, especially with the Golden Jubilee of the church being celebrated around that time

Q. Did you have a holiday, were you appointed straight way?

In those days at the end of the ordination ceremony, Bishop Devine liked to announce to the Parish where he was sending you, so we found out at the same time as everyone else. Thomas was going to St Patricks in Shotts, and I was going to St Monica’s in Coatbridge. The appointments were to be taken up in August. Fr Gilhooley vested me at my ordination and preached at my Mass of thanksgiving. He then asked me to supply for him.

Q. That must have been a good experience then, on your own?

Yes, it was great, I was only there for two weeks on my own

Q. How did you enjoy St Monica’s?

I really enjoyed it, I was there for two years. The people are really lovely,

Q. Were you a chaplain to a school?

Not as such, but I spent a lot of time working with the Primary school; the kids were great.

Q. Where did you go after St Monica’s?

St Brides in East Kilbride, and I was there for 4 years, with one of the nicest men I have ever met, Fr Michael Ryan. He encouraged me so much, he was a great example, of faith and goodness.

Q. Did you work with the High school there?

Well for three years I was the curate, and the school chaplain lived with us as well, I then took over as chaplain for a year. Prior to that, when I moved to East Kilbride, I was appointed Assistant Diocesan Master of Ceremonies, with Fr Alex Stewart. I did that job for 10 years. That was a real challenge

Q. You were involved in all of the big Diocesan Masses, the confirmations etc.?

Yes

Q. Did you have lay MC’s at that time?

Not at first, Alex and I trained the first lay MC’s

In those days the Bishop did all of the Confirmations between Easter and June. That meant you were out almost every night between April and June. You would be out one night with the rehearsal and the next night would be the confirmation. I did that for 5 or 6 years.

Q. That must have been a busy time?

Yes, with the Parish work as well it was a busy time

Q. Fr Alex was always the MC?

No, I took over from him and I did it for two years, and then I handed it over to Fr Francis McGachey,

Q. You must have met a lot of people?

Yes, and that was great, and I also got to see almost every Parish in the diocese, so it was great experience

Q. Were you always in St Brides while you were MC?

No, in the meantime, in 1998, I moved to St Bernadette’s in Motherwell, where I replaced Fr Gerry Higgins. I was there until 2005 when I was appointed Parish Priest of Corpus Christi in Calderbank, and The Sacred Heart in Salsburgh. I spent 5 very happy years there.

Q. Two parishes?

Yes, I have always had two Parishes as a Parish Priest

Q. Was that a very new thing at that time then?

Yes, about a year and a half prior to me becoming a Parish Priest Parishes were beginning to be amalgamated. I replaced Fr Brian Logue, and again I really enjoyed it. Two lovely communities. Very family orientated.

Q. The people were quite happy with the idea of twinned Parishes?

They knew that was the way things were going and gradually they came to accept it.

Q. Were you involved in any school work there?

Yes, working with the Primary school

Q. Following that, where did you go?

I was appointed to Christ the King, and I lived in a flat in Carfin, because there was no Presbytery

Q. Where is Christ the King?

In Holytown, and the renovations of the church had started prior to Canon O’Mahony leaving. I then took the reins and completed the renovation work. The Bishop then asked me to take on St John Bosco in New Stevenson, and administer both Parishes.

I lived in the flat in Carfin for two years, while I was Parish Priest of Christ the King. It was a tough couple of years, it had been bought by the Diocese for a retired Priest. It was challenging to run the Parish from a flat. The old presbytery had been incorporated into the newly designed Church.

Q. You’ve had a lot of very different experiences then?

Yes, in Calderbank we did a lot of work renovating the hall, and in Holytown I had to finish off those renovations

Q. Did you manage it yourself or did you appoint a group of parishioners to manage it?

No I did it myself, but I would say that whether or not you appoint a team to manage the work depends on the size of the job.

When I moved to Christ the King, the building was literally back to the brick, so everything had to be done there. There was a committee there, and a lot of decisions had been made already, and I then adapted a few things, but it was mainly already all planed

When I took over St John Bosco I renovated the house, and then the Hall, and now church has just been finished. In the meantime the parishioners have renovated the Hall in Holytown.

Q. You’ve had real practical experience

Yes, but the clever thing would be to have a committee to manage the maintenance side of things. There’s a danger that you’ll end up with less time for the spiritual part of this job.

Q. Finally, do you have any advice for people who may be considering a life in the Priesthood or a religious order?

Just go for it. I can honestly say I would change nothing in my life. I look back with tremendous joy and thankfulness that my faith has lead me to this day, and that God has continued to strengthen my faith. Twenty tree years have flown by, the people I have had the pleasure to meet, the privilege to be part of people’s lives, and the help you can be to so many people. I get so much tremendous satisfaction out of knowing that I’m doing what I think God wants me to do. I challenge anybody to find the same satisfaction in any other job.