Three seminarians at the Irish College in Rome have been ordained deacons by Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin.
Two of the ordinations, which took place in the Redemptorists Church of St Alphonsus Liguori on Via Merulana in Rome, were for the Dublin archdiocese. They are Rev James Daly (57), originally from Midleton, Co Cork, who is a former parish pastoral worker and teacher, and Rev Robert Smyth (32) from Knocklyon in Dublin, who is a former management consultant.
Rev Seán Mulligan (46) from Knockatallon, Co Monaghan, a former intellectual disabilities nurse, was ordained for the Diocese of Clogher.
All three are transitional deacons, meaning they are due to be ordained to the priesthood at a later stage. Deacons carry out most of the functions of a priest apart from celebrating the Eucharist.
Family members and friends of the new deacons travelled from Ireland to attend the ceremony.
The Irish College in Rome was founded in 1628 and has been educating candidates for the priesthood in Ireland for almost 400 years. Currently, there are 14 seminarians from Irish dioceses at the college.
The former papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown expressed alarm at the lack of vocations in Ireland and at the age profile of existing priests before his recent departure.
