"People regularly make vocational inquiries to our office and we look forward with hope to the future of the diocesan priesthood in Ireland” - Fr Willie Purcell.

National Vocations Office marks its first anniversary with a national ‘Come and See’ vocations retreat on 23 and 24 November.

Describing prayer as the wellspring of all Christian life, Bishop Kelly said this was the example Jesus showed and priests' whole being and every utterance must be founded on prayer.

Ordination of two new deacons will be followed in July by the ordination of two Pallottines to the priesthood.

Youth 2000 and Medjugorje played a part in vocation stories of Rev Brendan McCarrick sac and Rev Jaimie Twohig sac.

ACP's Fr Brendan Hoban warns, it is “now mathematically certain that Irish priests are an endangered species."

Cohort of new students at Maynooth includes one missionary priest.