09.07.2024
‘Privileged to Join Vibrant, Vital and Progressive Parish’ – Meet the New Curate of Rathfarnham
The Revd Mike Buchanan was ordained to the Priesthood in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Sunday 23 June 2024 by Archbishop Michael Jackson. Here, he writes about his experience as an Intern Deacon in Navan Union in the Diocese of Meath and Kildare and his hopes for his Curacy in Rathfarnham Parish.
My personal journey towards ministry has been a circuitous one. Early on I had heard the call to the priesthood but, as is quite often the case, I found myself pursuing a very different career, one which would span 31 years of public service as a member of An Garda Siochana.
With hindsight I now realise that at that point in my life, I was certainly not ready to accept the weighty responsibility that ministry would have demanded of me, and that a certain amount of life experience would further shape and define me. The experience of working on the front lines of policing provided me with a set of skills and a level of maturity that no amount of education could.
So, it was with a certain amount of healthy trepidation, mixed with the excitement of being able to answer God’s call, that led me to finally accept that invitation. Thus, I began the journey which would lead me through theological formation and into parish ministry, initially as a deacon in the Diocese of Meath & Kildare.
The charges we accept in the ordination rite are tempered by the caveat that it is with God’s help that we will fulfil our calling. It is with this in mind, and with the promise of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, that I prepared for ordination as a Priest. My deacon internship has been inspirational, and the guidance, advice, and support I received from Bishop Pat, Canon Clarke, and the wider community in Navan Union has been both an incredible blessing, and affirmation of my decision to place myself at God’s service.
At the end of each short placement among the communities with which I have served, there has been a sadness in moving on, despite the obvious need to progress. This I see as a positive reflection of where we are as a church community, and an endorsement of the character, enthusiasm, and affirmation of each of those Rectors who welcomed us, formed us, and guided us at each step of our journey.
Before my ordination I spent time on retreat at Holy Cross Abbey reflecting upon and considering in depth those charges and promises we made before Archbishop Michael on 23rd June. Although those responsibilities are onerous, they are tempered by the knowledge that it is not in our own power that we seek to fulfil them, but rather with the tremendous help of God, His Son Jesus Christ, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit; ‘You did not choose me…’ (Jn. 15:16)
As I begin my curacy, my family and I are incredibly excited and energised to be moving to Dublin. For me, the prospect of working closely with Canon Adrienne and the ministry team in the vibrant, vital, and progressive parish of Rathfarnham is a deeply humbling privilege, and I daily remember the words of St. Teresa of Avila:
‘Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.’