Scottish Catholic Observer

Cardinal Seán Brady (above), Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, described the ordination of five men into the ministry of the permanent diaconate as an occasion of ‘great joy.’

Speaking at Sunday’s Mass, Coadjutor Archbishop Éamon Martin of Armagh described the five men, who are all married with children, as ‘bridge builders between the laity, priests and bishops.’

Archbishop Martin added that, as married fathers and grandfathers, the newly ordained deacons ‘will continue as ordained men to make a living in the world,’ and said they were in a ‘unique position’ as ‘a particular point of contact with the lay Faithful in your workplaces and in the community.’

The Church in Ireland ordained its first permanent deacons—lay single or married men, who assist with the Liturgy, take on administrative roles in the Church, and assist at funerals and Baptisms—in Dublin Archdiocese two years ago.

One of the new deacons for the Irish Church, 46-year-old John Taaffe from Drogheda, has three children ranging in age from 9 to 21, and he is also a grandfather. He said that he had re-found his faith in 1999 after being a non-practising Catholic for years.

Deacon Taaffe currently works as the co-ordinator of the Irish Bishops’ Drug Initiative. He became an addiction counsellor after his conversion and sold his sales and marketing business to pursue his Faith journey.

Another of the new deacons, Martin Barlow, said that although he was drawn to the priesthood while at school, he opted to go to art college and trained as a graphic designer. Marriage then followed. He said that, in 2006, he experienced ‘a renewal of Faith.’

“I made a promise to God that I would no longer be [just] a Sunday Catholic but I didn’t realise that it would lead to ministry seven years later,” he said.

Like their counterparts in the Scottish Church, the Irish permanent deacons begin their ministry having completed a four-year study programme.