Archbishop Eamon Martin opens major new seminary extension in Dundalk
Archbishop dedicated new seminary church in Dundalk
On Sunday, Archbishop Eamon Martin dedicated the new seminary church at the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary in Dundalk, and also marked the inauguration of the new seminary extension.
The Archdiocesan Missionary Seminary is located in the heart of Dundalk on De La Salle Terrace. The seminary was established in 2012 as an initiative of the Archdiocese of Armagh to form priests for the ‘New Evangelization’. The priests formed in the seminary come from families of the neo-catechumenal way, and serve both in the Archdiocese of Armagh and also in missionary placements assigned by the Archbishop.
To date, eleven priests have been ordained and incardinated in the Archdiocese from the Dundalk seminary. They receive their human, pastoral and spiritual formation in Dundalk and their academic formation in Philosophy and Theology at Saint Patrick’s Pontifical University at Maynooth. During their formation the students avail of missionary placements in various parts of the world and in parishes of the archdiocese.
The original building of the seminary was renovated and officially opened in November 2016. In February 2022, the foundation stone was laid for the new extension works for the housing and formation of seminarians, and for the mission of the seminary itself in hosting and welcoming visitors.
Of the eleven priests formed and ordained from 2012 to 2026, ten were ordained over the last five years. Currently there are fifteen seminarians in formation, and the new building’s capacity can provide accommodation for up to eighteen.
Archbishop Eamon Martin said the opening of the new extension at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Dundalk marks a major moment for the Archdiocese of Armagh and the wider Church, describing the project as part of the ongoing mission to proclaim the Gospel in modern Ireland.
In his homily, Archbishop Martin said seminarians are being formed for a life rooted in prayer, Scripture and the Eucharist, but also one that may involve hardship and missionary work at home and abroad.
He praised those involved in developing the seminary over the past 15 years and highlighted the international background of many of its students.
He also said Ireland, once a country of missionaries, now “needs mission herself”, adding that the new facilities in Dundalk would serve as a beacon of faith and renewal for future generations.