Fr Fergal Cummins (29) was ordained a priest by Bishop Tom Deenihan on Sunday 30 September at 3pm in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Ashbourne. Among those present were his parents JJ and Frances Cummins, his sister Marie, Bishop Michael Smith, priests from the Diocese of Meath and elsewhere, friends from college, seminary and work, and many parishioners from Ashbourne.
The new priest celebrated Mass of Thanksgiving in his home parish, Saint Brigid’s Church, Rolestown on Monday 1 October at 7pm.
Fr Fergal graduated from DIT Bolton Street in 2011 with a BSc in Environmental Management, and worked for a year in human resources at the Mater Private Hospital. During his college years at DIT, Fr Fergal’s faith was nurtured by two prayer groups (Youth 2000 and Pure in Heart) and through spiritual direction in his last year of study at DIT. Fr Fergal entered Maynooth seminary in August 2012.
During his pastoral year, Fr Fergal spent six months in Trim parish and 3 months as a trainee hospital chaplain at the Cleveland Clinic, USA. He was ordained a deacon on the 28 May this year by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and has been working alongside Fr Phil Gaffney in Saint Mary’s Parish, Drogheda since the 1 July.
A keen cyclist, Fr Fergal enjoys reading, gardening and travel. Please keep him in your prayers at this time. You are also asked to pray for our three seminarians in Rome and for an increase in vocations for the Diocese of Meath.
