Longford man to become the first Permanent Deacon in his diocese

A 2009 memory of a priest witnessing St Mel’s Cathedral burning down was the start of Steven Donohoe’s journey. Happily married and a father-of-three, he is going to Maynooth in September to study to become a Permanent Deacon. The course is three years and covers everything from pastoral, sacraments and testaments.

“I was never too far away from the faith,” he said. “I thought I was away from the church but I’d bless myself when passing a church, abroad or in Ireland–I’d walk into any church. The architecture is unique and beautiful.”

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With help from close friends, as well as an inspiring religion teacher during his schooldays, Steven said that the overall community has been very supportive of his path. Initially, he said that some had questions, and few knew what the role was.

“Thankfully, my whole family has been very supportive. As have friends. The members of the parish have found out and it just seems that people are delighted that someone is going forward.”

The course will be over twelve weekends of the year plus every Wednesday, and Steven has a job in a boarding school.

“It’s like a normal degree. You would be doing assessments. It’d be a lot of writing and reports to do. You could feel it’s not for you and pull out. Up to the moment you’re ordained by the bishop, you’ve still time. I’ve still got it burning inside me to do more and more.”

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“It’ll be an intense three years but will be worth it. You have to do your own work on it.

“People are wondering how I could juggle of it; work, family life. But the grace of God the main thing of anything is organisation. It is just to be organised,” he concluded.