(25 Mar 2009)
"As
Redemptorists, this is the definitive moment of commitment," said Tony
Rice, who confirmed that all three men will go on to be ordained before
Christmas this year .
Explaining
that he had felt a sense of vocation to the religious life even as a'
teenager, he said: "When I talked it over at home, I was encouraged '
not to go in from school but to explore other possibilities that were
open to me.
"So when I
came back to my dad in my early 20s and talked about my vocation and
desire to join the Redemptorists, he was happy to support me at that
stage because I'd been working, I'd lived in my own place and had my
own car. I had all of those things and still decided it wasn't the life
for me."
The fact that
all three had worked or studied at third level - Sean Duggan had
finished his academic training as a -lawyer, while Brian Nolan worked
with an electronics company -and were into their 20s before joining the
order has enhanced their commitment, said Mr Rice, adding that he and
his colleagues had all known Redemptorists while growing up.