A very special visit for the parish of Moycarkey-Borris
Fr. Joseph, known locally as Larry, was recently at home for a week's holiday with his sister Margaret and brother Peter at Thurles Rd. Littleton.
On Thursday, August 25 last, he celebrated morning mass with family and friends at St Kevin's Church.
Since 2017 he has been in Norway where with three other members of the Cistercian Order have built a new monastery with a modern guest house which is nearing completion.
They continue making cheese with milk sourced from local farmers.
The cheese is sold to neighbours and to restaurants.
Before entering the Cistercian Monastery at Mellifont, Co Louth,where he spent 25 years, Fr Joseph worked as a fitter-mechanic and spent four years in South Africa working as a steeplejack repairing and painting high-rise chimneys.
Working with the homeless at the Legion of Mary, Morning Star Hostel in Dublin he got to know the monks at Mellifont where he received his new calling.
Before returning to Norway he was presented with two pots of homemade blackcurrant jam, which is his favourite, from locally grown fruit.
Now that the new guest house is nearing completion he invites anyone with an interest in spending a few days retreat com holiday in Norway to contact him.
As the parish of Moycarkey-Borris is surrounded by the early monastic sites of Liathmore, Derryvella, Derrynaflan and the later ones of Kilcooley and Holycross the mission undertaken by Fr Joseph in rekindling the faith in Norway might be seen as a continuation of this ancient monastic tradition, which at times brought Christianity to Ireland and in later centuries set up monasteries all over Europe.
He sends his best wishes to his classmates at Littleton National School, his former workmates at Keenahan's Mitchel St, Thurles, his social group at "Benny's" now run by the Darmody family and all his neighbours and many many friends.
His postal address is
Fr Joseph, Munkeby, Mariakloster, Munkebyveger 310,Levanger, 7608, Norway.