Historic Ordination in Oranmore Sunday, July 23rd, 2017
Declan Lohan from the Coast Road in Oranmore is to be ordained to the priesthood, for service in his home diocese (Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora) on Sunday, July 23rd in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Oranmore.
This is the first time that an ordination has taken pace in the parish of Oranmore.
The ceremony will take place at 3pm.
Since, at present, there is no bishop in the diocese, Bishop Brendan Kelly from Achonry, who is a native of Craughwell, has been invited to be the principal celebrant.
Canon Michael McLoughlin, the Diocesan Administrator, together with approximately sixty priests will also participate.
The Choir, under the leadership of Ms. AnnMarie McGreevy, has been specially drawn from both Oranmore and from Maree for the occasion.
The newly ordained Fr. Declan will offer his First Mass in Oranmore Church on the following evening – Monday, July 24th at 7pm.
All are welcome both to the Ordination and the First Mass.
After his ordination Fr. Declan will await his first appointment as a priest of the diocese which he will take up in late August.
Some biographical notes:
Declan Lohan is the son of Matt and Mary Lohan, from the Coast Road in Oranmore. The family run a woodwork and joinery company at Carnmore.
Declan attended Scoil Iósaif Naofa Primary School and Calasanctius College in Oranmore. Immediately after secondary school Declan attended NUI, Galway, completing degrees in both Arts and Law.
After a gap year teaching English in China Declan studied law at King’s Inns, Dublin and qualified as a barrister in 2008, going on to practice in both criminal and civil law at the Four Courts in Dublin and on the Western Circuit.
In his spare time Prior to entering seminary he worked as a volunteer with the Legion of Mary and with Youth 2000 in Dublin, Galway and on missions in England and France.
Declan began his training for the priesthood in 2011 in Toulon, France, returning to complete his studies at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
In prepararing for his big day, Declan gives much of the credit for his vocation to the witness and example of many significant people he has encountered in his life including his family, his teachers, his neighbours and his friends. “God put many good, virtuous, prayerful people in my path. They have helped me to know God and choosing the path to priesthood has made me deepy happy.”
Canon Michael McLoughlin, the Diocesan Administrator, said
“this is a hugely important day for Declan, for his family, for Oranmore, for the Diocese and for the Church. We rejoice and we are glad. I pray that Declan will find joy and fulfillment in the service of God and the service of the people of God. I ask that they would embrace him, make him welcome and keep him in their prayers’.
Canon Ian O’Neill, the Diocesan Vocations Director, said
“this ordination gladdens the hearts of all people of goodwill. I am so pleased to welcome Declan as a brother priest and I know he will use his considerable gifts and abilities to serve the people of God who are to be entrusted to his pastoral care in the weeks ahead. I hope too that such good news will inspire others to consider the diocesan priesthood as a treasured opportunity to give real and valuable service to God and others. God calls us to be happy. For some, serving as a priest is the way to that happiness” !
Fr. Diarmuid Hogan, the Parish Priest of Oranmore, said
“over the past few weeks the entire community here has rallied in support and preparation for this great day. We are well aware that it is an historic one for our parish and for our diocese. We are proud of our neighbour and friend Declan and we will forever keep him in our prayers. We also offer him the traditional blessing given to a newly ordained priest – “ad moltus annos” – which means “may you have many happy years”.
May Fr. Declan Lohan from Oranmore have many happy years ahead of him.