On Friday 5th September, in St Michael’s Church, Annyalla, the Bishop of Clogher, Bishop Larry Duffy ordained Gary Carville as a Permanent Deacon. This was the first ordination to ever be held in St Michael’s Church and it was packed to capacity. Bishop Duffy was joined by some of his fellow bishops from around Ireland, by priests and deacons from across the Diocese of Clogher and elsewhere and by clergy from other Christian Churches. The attendance included Gary’s wife Kathleen, his sisters Ann, Audrey and Eleanor and the wider Carville and Marron families, work colleagues, classmates from the Diaconate class at St Patrick’s College Maynooth, members of the Permanent Diaconate formation team, including Gary’s spiritual director, and a large congregation of locals, GAA colleagues, former colleagues from public life and many well wishers.
The music for the occasion was one of the major highlights of the event. It was provided by a combined choir formed by the choirs of the five churches in Muckno and Clontibret parishes, plus some members from the choir of St Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan and some from the Columba Centre Chorale from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. A traditional Irish Instrumental group under the direction of Catherine Ruddin added immensely to the music and the occasion. The organist was Deirdre Macklin, St Macartan’s Cathedral, the conductor was Collete Gallen , Castleblayney and the cantors were Gary’s sister Eleanor Sullivan (Psalm) and diaconate classmate Niall O’Hara from Loughinisland, Co Down and Karolina Kiecke from Castleblayney (litany of the saints). The Mass Settings for the Eucharistic Prayer were from the Mass of St Columba, composed by Monsignor Joseph McGuiness. In addition, the Lisnagrieve Pipe Band provided musical entertainment following the Mass outside the church.
Ahead of the Penitential Rite, water from Holy Wells across the diocese and beyond was taken to the sanctuary and then blessed by Bishop Duffy before being sprinkled on all.
The readers were Barry Tomany and Aoife McCooey while gift bearers were Darren Bishop and Kate O’Reilly (representing Catholic education), Charlene Tate and Stephen Mooney (representing GAA at club and county level), Mary McCrystal and Sandra Garry (work colleagues of Gary) and his two sisters Ann and Audrey.
Following his ordination, Deacon Gary exchanged the sign of peace with Bishop Duffy and other deacons present, as well as with Rev David Hagan, Minister of First Castleblayney Presbyterian Church and Rev Elaine Dunne, Church of Ireland Rector of Muckno, Clontibret and Ballybay.
Bishop Duffy was assisted in the sanctuary by Canon Adrian Walshe PP, Clontibret, Muckno and Aughnamullen East, Monsignor Shane McCaughey PP VG, Carrickmacross and Monsignor Joseph McGuinness, Executive Secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The visiting bishops were Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick; Bishop Niall Coll, Bishop of Ossory, Bishop Michael Router, Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh and Bishop Martin Hayes, Bishop of Kilmore.
The Deacons assisting were Deacon Martin Donnelly, Enniskillen and Deacon Stephen Sherrym, recently ordained. The Master of Ceremonies was Fr Stephen Duffy, assisted by Fr Kevin Connolly and Danny Tracey, Seminarian for Clogher diocese.
In his homily, Bishop Duffy highlighted the immense contribution that deacons make in terms of outreach to families and people on the margins of society and the church. He cited the experience and contribution which Gary has made and continues to make to Church and Community life and that these would be of great value in his new ministry. He was also very fulsome in his praise of Gary’s wife Kathleen and the support she has given to his new calling.
Deacon Gary was vested by his two godchildren Aoife Callan and Jack Sullivan and his wife Kathleen.
Following the ordination, everyone was welcomed to the Cremartin Shamrocks GAA Club for refreshments where everything was organised superbly by the club.
On Sunday last, Deacon Gary ministered as Deacon for the first time at the 11.30am Mass in St Mary’s Church, Castleblayney where the celebrant was Canon Walshe. Before the end of Mass, a presentation was made to Gary and Kathleen by Sean Mulligan, Clontibret and Colette Gallen, Castleblayney, on behalf of the parishioners of Muckno and Clontibret parishes.
About the new Deacon:
Gary Carville is a native of Annyalla, Castleblayney, son of the late Arthur and Carmel Carville. Educated at Annyalla NS, St Mary’s CBS, Monaghan and the College of Commerce Rathmines he worked for a number of years as an accountant in industry and the retail business. Returning to college in 2006, he obtained a BA in Theology and Irish Studies at the Mater Dei Institute of Education, Dublin. He then earned a PhD in Historical Theology and Modern Irish History from Dublin City University in 2019. His thesis, by research, was based on the reception of the Second Vatican Council in Ireland.
Since 2021, Dr Carville has worked with the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference where he is the Coordinator of the Council for Migrants, Refugees and Justice and Peace and Executive Secretary for the Commission for Social Issues & International Affairs and the Council for Ecumenism and Dialogue. He also sits on the Brussels-based Social Affairs Commission of COMECE – the Catholic Church in the European Union. In addition, he is also the Communications Officer and Diocesan Archivist for the Catholic Diocese of Clogher.
Gary is a very active member of the GAA at a number of levels. He is a former Cathaoirleach and Communications Officer of Monaghan County Board of the GAA. In addition, he served at different times as Chair, Treasurer and PRO of his native Cremartin Shamrocks GFC. He was also a Director of the GAA Museum in Croke Park for nine years.
In addition, Gary was a member of Monaghan County Council from 1999 until he stepped down in 2014. He served as Cathaoirleach of the Council in 2007-2008. He was also a member of Castleblayney Town Council from 2004 until 2014 and held the post of Mayor of the town on two occasions.
Dr Carville is a keen local historian, focussing on church history, the history of education and local government in the 19th and 20th centuries. He is author of a history of the Parish of Muckno (2011) and of several articles.
Gary and his wife Kathleen live in Castleblayney.
Gary’s studies for the Permanent Diaconate have taken three years to complete, preceded by a propaedeutic year of discernment. This was the first time that a single national programme has been undertaken through St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Maynooth. He was one of a class of almost thirty men preparing for this ministry of service.
The Permanent Deacon is an ordained minister of the Church, whose principal focus is outreach to people at all levels through service of the Word of God, service at the altar and the ministry of charity. The Deacon can celebrate baptism, officiate at the celebration of Marriage, lead funerals outside of Mass, as well as preach, visit the sick, be a chaplain to schools and hospitals and assist in the administration of parishes and the diocese. The ministry in its permanent form was re-introduced by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s and it began again in Ireland in the years following 2010. There are presently two Permanent Deacons and a Transitional Deacon (en route to priesthood) in the Diocese of Clogher.
