New to the Parish – WELCOME
The Spirit of connecting with each other is always changing in our lives. That is true of parish life. The Spirit of our parish website is to connect with one and all within the parish and community of Haggardstown & Blackrock. A Céad Míle Fáilte to all who have recently put down roots within our community, uniting with all those who have lived their entire family life within the parish and those who are residing here for a short while.
Within our parish we strive to live as our motto our Parish Pastoral Council Mission statement.
The purpose of the Parish Pastoral Council plan and vision is to focus its energies on the following areas:
- Reaching Out
- Community Building
- Faith Formation
- Liturgy
Fr Pádraig Keenan is the Parish Priest, a native of Spellick, Riverstown, Pádraig was born on the 19th of May 1962 to Peadar and Rose Keenan and is the eldest of a family of eight.
Pádraig was educated at Aghameen National School and at Lotrdship National School, later attending St Michael’s Secondary College, Omeath. Between 1980 and 1984 Pádraig studied and practiced Spiritual Formation in Nursing, working with children and adults with special needs. In 1984 Pádraig entered St. Peters Seminary, Wexford.
Having studied for five years there, he completed his final year, from September 1989 to May 1990, in All Hallows College, Dromcondra, obtaining diplomas in Pastoral Leadership, Philosophy, Theology and Psychology. Pádraig was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Armagh on 19th June 1990 by the late Bishop Gerard Brooks of Dromore Diocese, as Bishop Lennon and Cardinal O’Fiaich had by then sadly passed away.
Pádraig‘s first appointment was to the parish of Upper Killeavy in July 1990, a post in which he served for four years, during which time he also served as chaplain to Daisy Hill Hospital. In September 1994 he was appointed C.C. to St Patrick’s Parish, Dundalk, where he served as chaplain to Louth County Hospital. Fr Pádraig served in St Patrick’s Parish until September 2004, a post in which he applied himself with his customary dedication and in which he co-ordinated the fundraising drive for the renovations of St. Patrick’s and St. Nicholas’s Churche, and which successfully raised a sum of two to three million euro for the successful completion of both projects. In recognition of his successes , Fr Pádraig was appointed as Administrator to the Holy Redeemer Parish in September 2004, where he undertook the renovation of the Church of the Holy Redeemer at a cost of €440k which was raised in an eighteen month period.
In August 2010, Fr Pádraig was appointed P.P. to the parish of Haggardstown and Blackrock , with Fr Brian White being simultaneously installed there as C.C. Both priests quickly formed a bond and sought to make everybody inclusive, enabling a true-team ministry to apply itself to the many challenges of the time in the Spirit of Jesus Christ within our church.
In 2019 Fr Brian White was appointed to the parish of Keady and Derrynoose.
The spirit of parish life continues to flourish.
We Acknowledge all who have enabled many to be nourished and strengthened by the good news of Jesus in our Parish, past, present and in the future.
We are proud of our Parish and strive to be welcoming and encouraging to all.
Reverened Dermot Clarke (Deacon) A native of Funshog, Collon, Dermot is the eldest member of his family. Dermot is married to Julie and the couple have one child, Emma. A keen Gaelic footballer, Dermot played with both Mattock Rangers and St. Kevins G.F.C. He now serves as secretary to Seán McDermotts G.F.C. in his home parish of Tallanstown.
Ordained in September 2014, Rev. Dermot was assigned to the parish of and Blackrock by Archbishop Eamon Martin. Rev. Dermot greatly enjoys his ministry here and is getting to know the people. Rev. Dermott’s day job is quite different from his as he is a lecturer in the Dundalk Institute of Technology in the Department and Mechanical Engineering and really enjoys working there.
