Tullycorbet native, Stephen Sherry is set to be ordained as a deacon later this afternoon.
Stephen is a seminarian at St Patrick’s College Maynooth, where he has completed his studies for the Priesthood in the diocese.
The ordination mass will be celebrated in St Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan at 3pm this afternoon.
The Bishop of Clogher, Bishop Larry Duffy, will be the ordaining prelate and he will be joined by priests and deacons from across the diocese and from Maynooth and across the country. They will be joined by members of Stephen’s family, his classmates and friends.
As Stephen continues his formation for priestly ordination, he will work in ministry in the diocese as a transitionary deacon ahead of his future ordination.
The ministry of deacon is one of service and charity, especially to those in particular need or on the margins of the church and society. There are two forms of the ministry today – transitionary deacons who are en route to priestly ordination and permanent deacons who serve in a permanent capacity in parishes and diocese.
All are welcome to the Mass on Sunday afternoon.
Stephen comes from the Parish of Tullycorbet, outside of Ballybay and his proud parents are Gerard and Laura Sherry and his siblings are Mark, Christina and Andrea.
Stephen began to discern his vocation in 2014 as he prepared for his Leaving Cert exams. After prayer and consultation with the diocesan vocation’s director, he realised that he may be called to the priesthood. However, needing to take time in discerning this call, he decided to study English and History at the University of Limerick.
After graduating in 2018, and following further consultation with the diocese, Stephen made the first step in the formation process, entering the propaedeutic seminary year at the Royal English College in Valladolid, Spain. This provided him with a good introduction to seminary life and formation, and also a wonderful cultural experience with Irish, English, Welsh, and Norwegian seminarians in Spain.
Following the successful completion of that year, Stephen joined the seminary in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth in September 2019, beginning the study of philosophy in first year. However, in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic meant that he and his class had to continue their studies online. They reconvened in Maynooth as a seminary community in September 2020, amidst restrictions and online study. In September 2021, Stephen began the study of theology, which he completed this past semester.
During his time in seminary, Stephen had the opportunity for many pastoral placements, including in the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin, Clongowes Wood College and an extended placement year in the diocese where he served in the parish of Monaghan and Rackwallace.
Stephen is thankful to God for the journey. “As I prepare for my diaconate ordination, I look back fondly on my time of discernment and formation and look forward to my time as a deacon and please God as a priest in the near future in service of the Church in the Diocese of Clogher”, he says.
