Scottish Catholic Observer

Passionist priest Fr Antony Connelly CP was ordained in the freshly renovated St Mungo’s Church in Townhead on Saturday December 21, before a congregation of friends, family, clergy and representatives from the two places of education for which he is chaplain.

Fr Connelly, who has been a Passionist for five years, was ordained by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia of Glasgow in his Order’s church, and was joined by parish priest Fr Frank Keevins CP and Fr Jim Sweeney, provincial of the Passionists in Britain.

Joyful celebration

Following his ordination, Fr Connelly told the SCO: “It was a very beautiful Mass. St Mungo’s was full of people, the archbishop spoke very well and people have told me they were deeply moved by the rite of ordination, so it was a very happy day for me and my family, I saw some tears running down people’s cheeks!”

Also present was Canon Robert Hill, parish priest of St Matthew’s Church, Bishopbriggs, Fr Connelly’s home parish, as were a number of Passionists from Ireland including Fr Pat Duffy, who was the provincial when Fr Connelly first joined.

Fr Connelly was also joined by representatives of Glasgow Caledonian University and City of Glasgow College, the institutions at which he is chaplain.

A religious brother for the Passionists, he was also previously a religious for the Missionaries of Charity for seven years, travelling around the world to places such as Mexico, Kenya and Rome.

St Mungo’s had been undergoing renovations throughout 2019, which were finished just in time for the ordination.

Renovation

“We had always planned for it all to be finished before the ordination,” Fr Connelly said. “We’ve got our new floor which was finished a couple of weeks before. Lots of people were commenting on how beautiful the church was looking. The following day, on Sunday December 22, Fr Connelly celebrated his first Mass as a priest.

“It was very different from being in the pew!” he laughed.

“Fr Pat Duffy gave the homily that day though, so it took a bit of the pressure off me.

“There was a good turn out, not quite as busy as the ordination, but it was a great weekend for me, for my family, the parish and for the Passionists themselves.”

Ministry

The newly ordained Fr Connelly will now assist the parish priest during Mass at St Mungo’s, and will continue his chaplaincy at Glasgow Caledonian University and the City of Glasgow College.

Offering advice to anyone considering a vocation in the Church, he said: “Keep on praying, and keep close to God.” The Passionists were founded by St Paul of the Cross in 1720, with members of the Order expressing special devotion to the Passion of Our Lord.

They take four vows, including to keep alive the memory of the Passion, poverty, chastity and obedience.

Welcoming their newest priest, a spokesman for Glasgow Archdiocese said: “Fr Antony’s ordination was the best gift we could hope for at the archdiocese and the Passionist Order. The people of St Mungo’s are delighted with their new priest.”

Following the ordination Mass, Fr Antony was joined in the church hall by family, friends and parishioners, for some food and drink to celebrate the occasion.