Celebrations at ordination of Fr Billy Caulfield
HORESWOOD native Billy Caulfield was ordained a priest for ministry in the Diocese of Ferns by Bishop Denis Brennan on Sunday in the village.
He is the first priest to be ordained in St James’s Church in Horeswood since Shem Doyle 32 years ago in 1985.
At the ordination ceremony Bishop Brennan told Fr Caulfield that at times he will feel the animosity and hostility people feel for the church. Bishop Brennan said there is a lot of concern about the future of the church, adding that this is understandable given the volume of negativity towards the church in these times.
Since the beginning of the year the Parish of Horeswood have been busy in preparation for this seminal event. Fr Gerald O’Leary PP said: ‘ The members of our choir have been learning new hymns and honing their talents with Fr Tomás Kehoe since January. Their commitment and dedication is a testament to their admiration and support of Billy’s decision to enter into priesthood and many have fond memories of him as a child.’
The pastoral council have also been busy with many other preparations.
Fr Caulfield was ordained in the parish where he lived and grew up, and where, as a young boy, he served Mass with now retired Parish Priest Father John French.
The eldest son of Liam and Anne he grew up alongside his three brothers Martin, Brian and Padraig.
Fr Caulfield said: ‘As a young boy I was always felt drawn towards the Church. It felt like home and often found myself looking forward to going to the devotions and Mass.’
On Sunday, Fr Caulfield was surrounded by family and friends, along with members of clergy, and was ordained in front of a crowd of parishioners. Everyone enjoyed refreshments afterwards in Campile Hall.
At 35, he has come to priesthood a little later in life than many.
A quiet, shy and reserved child, he is the first to admit that it has taken him a while to take the path that he believes he was now always meant to follow.
‘I’ve always been more of a practical person than an academic and it took me sometime to have the courage and to find the belief in myself needed to become a priest.’
After school, Fr Caulfield followed his mother’s footsteps into the hospitality industry and worked as a chef for over a decade.
His life began to change after a trip to Medjugorje in 2006 in the company of Msgr Don Kenny, (who was the first person to invite him to consider becoming a priest); and then attending World Youth Day in 2008 in Sydney, Australia, with the diocese of Ferns the diocesan group spent a week in the parish of Glenhuntly in Melbourne.
Fr Caulfield took the decision to return back to Glenhuntly for an extended stay, and found himself working in the parish amongst the elderly and needy.
It was there, when helping and talking to the people as he worked serving food, he felt he finally started to understand his true vocation and shortly afterwards returned to Ireland and began to take the first steps towards joining the priesthood.
After many further discussions with Fr O’Leary and Fr Jim Finn, Vocational Director for the Diocese of Ferns, he decided to move forward and finally entered St Patrick’s Seminary in Maynooth in August 2011, at 30 years of age.
Following the ordination ceremony on Monday, parishioners witnessed Billy celebrate his first Mass and impart his first blessing.
Everyone enjoyed refreshments in Campile Hall afterwards.