Stranorlar’s Anthony Hartnett is to be ordained a deacon later this afternoon

Anthony Hartnett will be ordained a deacon by Bishop Alan McGuckian, Bishop of Raphoe, this Sunday afternoon, September 24 in the Church of Mary Immaculate, Stranorlar.

The Ordination Mass is both a parish and a diocesan event and all are welcome to join Anthony and his family as he commences this final stage in preparation for his ordination to the priesthood.

The ordination ceremony will be streamed live at:

 https://www.churchservices.tv/stranorlar

Anthony’s family moved up to Glebe Hollow, Stranorlar 10 years ago from Bray in County Wicklow after his parents retired from their work as secondary school teachers.

He was 18 years of age at the time and the second eldest of eight children when they moved to the parish.

"The welcome of everyone here has always stayed with me and made it much easier to begin to call Stanorlar home and so I am happy to say that today I feel very much at home here. We have been so blessed, so much so that my other sisters, and their families, have moved up here too," he said.

Following his move, Anthony met with priests whom he said inspired him.

"After two years volunteering with NET Ministries, I began college and, at the same time, began to open my heart to being called to serve God as an ordained priest. In 2016 I began seminary in Maynooth and every summer I had the opportunity to work in a different parish in the diocese. Each new experience helped me to see if, on the one hand, God was actually calling me to the priesthood and if, on the other hand, it was for me.

"Among my pastoral placements, my most significant was in the Cathedral parish in Letterkenny and in the Mater Hospital as a trainee chaplain. 

He has been working with Fr Gerard Cunningham and was until recently based in the Fintown parish. 

This afternoon’s ceremony begins at 3pm. There will be refreshments after the ordination Mass in the parish centre.