The Redemptorist preachers profiled here are:
Michael Dempsey CSsR
I was born in Belfast on the 12 July 1968 to William and Bernadette (both now deceased). I have two brothers, Seamus and Liam both who are still living in Belfast. My primary and secondary school education occurred in various countries and in different schools over a twelve-year period. All I can say about it was that it was a difficult, yet interesting adventure. I trained and worked for eight years in the nursing profession beginning in 1989. I qualified as an RGN (Registered General Nurse) and RSCN (Registered Sick Children’s Nurse) in 1993 and worked as a Staff Nurse in the Accident and Emergency Dept of the RBHSC (Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children) to 1997. Over that time and before I had been grappling and struggling with the idea about joining the priesthood.
Unlike some confreres, I did not have a close link with the Redemptorists. I didn’t even know who they were even though I had been doing the Clonard Novena since 1981. I really took notice of them when they came to my parish in 1988 to complete the third year of a three-year mission. I noticed how their different their preaching was, their way in communicating with people. It was very attractive and I started thinking maybe I could do that. Also during that mission the CSsR vocations director appeared and that is when I made my first contact, much to the annoyance of my Parish Priest! However despite my interest in joining the CSsR in the 1980s, other interests and ambitions were becoming more important, so I faded from contact until 1996, when during the Clonard Solemn Novena of that year, I felt compelled to contact the vocations director again. It happened after one of the preachers at a penitential service emphasised in a very real way the love of God. That sermon inspired me to go confession soon after and I went to another Redemptorist priest to have it heard. It was a memorable experience and one that had a profound effect on my life. The priest was so compassionate and understanding, I knew I was in the presence of God and remember on leaving the confession box, saying to myself, “maybe I could do that someday.”
That ‘maybe’ became a reality in September 1997 and was ordained in a priest in March 2007. Those two priests will remain forever etched in my memory because through their own imperfections, convictions and identification with Christ they gave me a glimpse of who God is. To me proclaiming God’s word is being convinced by it, speaking the truth of God and identifying with Christ through obeying his commands. It is much more than good reading, good preaching and good presiding, proclaiming involves living out the gospel message by our own example and carrying that message to others in the way we lead our lives. I am a member of the Dundalk Redemptorist Community.
Contact Information:
Phone: +353 42 933 4042
Email: Michael Dempsey CSsR
Fonsie Doran CSsR
I am a native of Hospital, Co. Limerick. Since ordination in June 1971 until 1990 I have been involved in youth ministry, retreats to religious, parish missions in Ireland and I was also chaplain in St. Clement’s College, Limerick. In 1971 I co-founded the Irish Pilgrimage Trust of which I was chaplain until 1979. During the last eighteen years I have worked with American Redemptorists in setting up the Vice-Province of Nigeria. While in Nigeria I worked in two parishes in Lagos and was director of formation in Ibadan, Nigeria. During his last three years in Nigeria I was director of the Redemptorist Centre of Spirituality in Ibadan, and I conducted retreats for priests, religious and laity. I am now co-ordinator of Esker Retreat House, Athenry, Co. Galway.
Contact Information:
Phone: +353 91 844007
Email: Fonsie Doran CSsR
Gerry Moloney CSsR
Since ordination in 1988, my main work has been in Redemptorist Communications. I am editor of Reality and Face Up magazines, among other publications. The writing apostolate is an important means of preaching the Good News, and something in which the Irish Redemptorists have invested a lot. I see it as going hand-in-hand with our main work of preaching parish missions and novenas. Even though my primary ministry is in Communications, I have continued to preach parish missions and novenas, and love it. It is a way of celebrating the faith we possess, of informing that faith and building it up. It is a celebration of community, and strengthening that. I also see it as a way to give people a boost in the difficult economic situation in which so many find themselves today. This year I am very conscious of how much things have changed since 2008. I hope that the Redemptorist proclamation of God's Word in 2010 will be an opportunity for people to think about the changes that have happened and their implications for us as individuals and as a faith community.
Contact Information:
Phone: +353 1 492 2488
Email: Gerry Moloney CSsR
Brendan Mulhall CSsR
I was ordained a Redemptorist priest in November 2003. Just before ordination I was assigned to Clonard Monastery in Belfast and was involved in the parish mission apostolate there. This involved preaching missions and novenas throughout Ireland, and occasionally in England and Scotland. In between missions, I gave sisters' retreats, and worked in the Redemptorist parish in Luxemburg each summer. Last year I was appointed to St. Gerard's, a Redemptorist parish in Belfast, to participate in the work of the parish, and also continue to preach missions and retreats on a part-time basis. Being a preacher of the Gospel today means trying to help people find the way to a deeper, more fulfilling and more authentic way of life; a way of life which I believe is only possible in friendship with Jesus Christ. The Gospel has so much to say to people of our time, particularly in the current climate, as so many people are crying out for a word of comfort, advice or encouragement. Our faith has to be a proclamation of Good News, not bad news, and we need to remind people of God's presence in their lives. The Clonard Novena has been a vitally important part of the faith life of Belfast for many years. It has literally changed people's lives and helped people to experience God's abundant love and compassion. It is also a happy, joyful and uplifting event where acquaintances are renewed, people run into old friends, and connections are made. The singing, praying and writing of petitions leads to an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity, where people can encounter God in a very special way.
Contact Information:
Mobile: +44 79 7798 6272
Email: Brendan Mulhall CSsR
Gerry O'Connor CSsR
I was born in Limerick, and have worked in Sudan, Rwanda, Brazil and Ireland. I have enjoyed appointments that have included working on a parish mission team, coordinating the Redemptorists’ vocations ministry and working in Cherry Orchard parish in Ballyfermot (Dublin 10). Acting as Chairperson of SERVE, I work with a dedicated team committed to supporting development projects that tackle poverty and injustice in some of the poorest countries in the world. I am also immersed in an integrated education and care project called Saint Ultans that is imaginatively helping to break the cycle of disadvantage that is all too prevalent in the Dublin 10 area. Committed to Solidarity in Action, I draw inspiration and hope from the Scriptures, trusting that the wisdom and experiences of God’s people as expressed through the pages of the Bible, offer a wisdom and a wellspring of hope and healing and hints that can help us to live lives of joy and to also build a world of justice and fairness. Whether it is Thommond Park or Mount Saint Alphonsus, I love opportunities that give me the chance to enjoy time in Limerick, visiting my Mam and Dad and connecting with neighbours and friends. Slipping into the Redemptorist Church, often hoping that nobody would see me, was part of my teenage years, asking for inspiration and courage to invite somebody to my debs ball or to just to whisper thank you when things were going well! That’s why this church is a fond place for me.
Contact Information:
Email: Gerry O'Connor CSsR
Michael O'Flynn CSsR
Since my ordination in 1968 I have preached parish missions and solemn novenas in Ireland and in the UK. I also worked as a prison chaplain in Dartmoor Prison (England). As a preacher of God’s Word I try to read the signs of the times. I also try to ensure that I prepare well for my preaching and communicate a message that is both challenging and compassionate. A bit of humour never goes amiss too! Of all the communities where I have lived, both here in Ireland in the UK, I have a fondness for Esker.
Contact Information:
Phone: +353 91 850 358
Derek Ryan CSsR
I have been preaching Parish Missions since September 2008. I have completed my theology and philosophy studies and intend to spend two years developing the necessary skills to become a full time parish missioner. I began working with the Dundalk / Esker Mission Team in September 2008 and in September 2009 I was appointed to the Belfast Mission Team and as a member of the Clonard Redemptorist Community. The journey with these Mission Teams has taken me to almost every corner of Ireland to date and makes the work very enjoyable and varied. The type of missions we give tend to focus on the core teachings of Jesus Christ with emphasis on the Word of God and its relevance for people today. The fundamental message we bring is a message of hope inspired by the life and teachings of Jesus. It's a message we need to hear in a world that has changed so much in such a short space of time. We find that the missions we preach allow people the time and space to reflect on their lives and faith. The missions are grace-filled weeks where people are changed and burdens are lifted. It's a great privilege for me to be part of such an experience.
Contact Information:
Phone: +44 28 9044 5950