A former Knockbeg College student was ordained a priest at a ceremony in Dublin on Tuesday.
Fr Bill O’Shaughnessy from Mullnaghcreed Woods near Castledermot in Co Kildare graduated from Knockbeg in 2006 and will now serve in Springfield and Jobstown Parishes in Tallaght.
O’Shaughnessy studied History and Theology in the Pontifical University Maynooth, and graduated with a Baccalaureate in Arts in 2009.
He continued his studies and graduated in 2011 with a Masters in Dogmatic Theology. He entered the Seminary in 2012 and completed a two-year Higher Diploma in Philosophy from NUI Maynooth.
In August of 2013, Bill joined the Irish College Community in Rome, earning a BA in Divinity from the Gregorian University.
He was ordained a Deacon in St Mark’s Basilica in Rome in March 2016, after which he completed a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology, again in the Gregorian University.
On his return to Ireland in September of last year, he spent a year as a Deacon in St. Matthews Parish, Ballyfermot ministering alongside Parish Priest Fr. Joe McDonald.
The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, ordained Bill O’Shaughnessy at the Pro Cathedral in Dublin, in front of family and friends.
There was also representation from Knockbeg as teachers Chris Conway and John Behan made the trip as well as former rectors Fr Dan Dunne and Fr Micheal Murphy.
Explaining why he chose Tuesday for the ordinations, which usually take place in June, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said: “Laurence O’Toole was born in 1128 – in Castledermot from where Bill O’Shaughnessy hails – and I believe that the life of this 12th century priest and bishop in many ways can serve as a model of priestly ministry for our 21st century times.”
In his homily at the ordination Mass the Archbishop said: “The Christian life is not about blindly following a pre-established rulebook or imposing rules on others.
“It involves attaining the freedom to renounce prosperity and security for ourselves in order to live for others as Jesus did and then finding joy and fulfilment in living the Gospel.”
Fr O’Shaughnessy will say his first mass in Castledermot tonight at 7pm.
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