The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) is undertaking a review of the Safeguarding Practices of St Patrick’s Missionary Society in 2013. The review is ongoing and the report will be published later in the year.
The Society Leader of St Patrick’s Missionary Society invites anyone who may have concerns about safeguarding issues involving members of St Patrick’s Missionary Society to make contact with
the National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSCCCI) at +353 (0)1 505 3124
or directly with St. Patrick’s Designated Officer, Mr Geoff Costello +353 (0)86 4658263.
Kiltegan, the headquarters of St Patrick's Missionary Society, is in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin. We were very happy therefore when the news came on Tuesday 7th May of the appointment of a new bishop. We wish to congratulate Fr Denis Nulty on his appointment and to add to the welcome he has already received from people in the diocese. We look forward to meeting him soon.
Bishop-Elect Denis Nulty greeting the people outside Carlow Cathedral on 7th May. On his left in the picture is our neighbour and great friend Monsignor Brendan Byrne, who has been administrator of the diocese since 2010. We thank him for all his work in those years. We wish them both Ad multos annos!
Your Prayer Requests
For some time now our prayer request link has not been working, but we are happy to say it is now functioning again. It allows you to submit a request for your intention to be added to the list of those remembered at Mass twice daily here in Kiltegan, and also in our Holy Hour each evening. Our priests and students all over the world pray daily for all our friends and benefactors.
Rev Emmanuel Obi, from the Diocese of Warri, in Nigeria, was ordained to the priesthood, as a member of St Patrick's Missionary, on Saturday 13th April.
It was a day of great celebration, when many people came together to pray with and for him. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.
You can see more details of the day by clicking on his photo.
Jubilee of Priestly Ordination
For many years, members of the Society were ordained to the priesthood on Easter Sunday. Every year here in Kiltegan we begin the annual celebration of jubilees on Easter Sunday with the celebration of the jubilees of those living here in the house. Later in the year all jubilarians gather in Kiltegan,coming from elsewhere in Ireland and from the missions, to celebrate together.
Our mass on Easter Sunday was celebrated by Father Tom O'Connor centre below. The jubilarians are, from left to right, Fr Sean McTiernan (1963), Fr Joe Rabbitt (1963), Fr Alphie Byrne (1953) and Fr Des McKeever (1963). We wish them all Ad Multos Annos!
Ordination to Priesthood
Rev Patrick Esekon, from the Diocese of Lodwar was ordained to the priesthood on March 16th, in Turkwell Parish, in the Diocese of Lodwar, in northern Kenya. It was a day of great excitement and celebration, as well as of great solemnity. It was a very important day for this young man as he furthered his commitment to follow and serve the Lord.
Please keep him and his familiy in your prayers. Click on his photo to read the full story.
St Patrick's Day
Read about events on St Patrick's Day in Kiltegan here.
The above image photo of St Patrick was painted by Sister Aloysius McVeigh, (1923-2008). She described the meaning of the painting as follows: "I wanted to depict him as a man in his prime, a man of zeal and courage faced with the conflicting forces of the paganism of his time. These (represented by three converging arcs in the painting) are not annihilated by the saint: instead as far as they can serve, even enhance his design for Christianity; he weaves them into a fabric of the Celtic Church. Patrick's faith in Christ lights the way for a never-ending line of missionaries who up to the present have not ceased to preach Christ."
Habemus Papam
We are delighted to welcome the Holy Father, our new Pope Francis. Join us in praying for him as he takes up his new role in God's service.
You can read a brief account of the life of recently deceased members of the Society here.
Renewable Energy
Conscious of the growing awareness that care for the earth is an essential part of any involvement in work for justice and peace, at our headquarters, in Kiltegan in Co Wicklow, St Patrick's Missionary Society has installed a wind turbine, which should supply all our needs for electricity on the compound. After a number of hurdles to be cleard along the way it began generating for the first time on Friday 4th January, to much excitement amongst the community. We look forward to an especially green new year.
For those who know the compound, the camera pans around and shows a view of the bell tower of the College.
Justice and Peace
SACA
You can read something of the work of one of our priests, Fr Kevin O'Hara, who has worked for many years in Nigeria in ministry for Justice and Peace. He works with the Shareholders Alliance for Corporate Accountability which is concerned with the wellbeing of those affected by the work of multinational oil corporations.
Our September-October issue of the Africa magazine gives prominence to the fight against the evil of trafficking of human persons.
October 18th is designated as European Anti-trafficking Day.
Read more on our site and follow the links if you wish to get involved.
Read our headline article Trafficking: Today's Slavery by John Cassidy, who gives a report of a recent international conference at the Vatican and highlights the work of the Medaille trust in the UK.
To read more about organizations involved click here to go to a links page.
