NEW DIOCESAN MINISTERS SET OUT

DIOCESE CONFERS NEW YOUTH AND PASTORAL MINISTERS IN CEREMONY

A total of 55 people from eight parishes of the Diocese of Kerry set out this week on a mission to take an even more active role within the life of the Catholic church as new Pastoral and Youth Ministers.

Their certification at a special ceremony attended by Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne at the Earl of Desmond Hotel in Tralee on Wednesday marked the culmination of 20 weeks’ study in courses in both Pastoral and Youth Ministry.

The aim of the course in pastoral ministry was to “support all those who are involved in parish life, and to enable them to share their talents and gifts more effectively”, Diocese Spokesperson Mary Fagan said.

Those certified were already very active in Church life, involved in different Ministries from Parish Pastoral Councils to Liturgy groups, finance committees, children’s Liturgy, Ministry of the Word or as Eucharistic Ministers. More than 350 people from 50 parishes in the diocese have now completed the course. The course in

Youth Ministry, meanwhile, was aimed ‘at adults interested in working with young people in a parish, school, youth service or other setting.’

“The course helped to nurture the personal and spiritual growth of the participants as well as develop confidence and competence for effective ministry with young people,”

Ms Fagan said.

Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne with the newly conferred pastoral ministers of the Diocese of Kerry at the ceremony in the Earl of Desmond in Tralee on Wednesday of last week.

The new Youth ministers of the Diocese with their certificates at the Earl of Desmond Hotel on Wednesday.

ABOVE, FRONT: LEFT: BACK, FROM LEFT: Denis BACK, FROM LEFT: Marion Mary O’Sullivan, Celine O’Callaghan and Norma Foley. Maguire, Sheila Looney, Mairead O’Sullivan and Bill Looney. Patricia Murphy, Bishop Ray Browne and Anne Daughton in front. O’Shea,Dermot Crowley,Fr Pat Crean Lynch and Mary O’Connor.

Máire Nic Ghiolla Rua, Brian Caball and Jackie Gavaghan receiving certificates in pastoral ministry at the Diocese of Kerry ceremony in the Earl of Desmond Hotel.

FRONT, FROM LEFT: Conor Fitzgerald, Aileen Kelleher and Grace Condra. Back, from left: Margaret O’Grady,Bernadette Fitzgerald, Angela Walsh, Jackie Gavaghan and Betty Hoare at the ceremony.