Philip McMahon OFM was ordained to the priesthood last Sunday by Bishop Tom Deenihan at St Mary’s Church, Navan, surrounded by family, friars, local clergy, and parishioners.
Formerly a Tesco employee in Navan for 12 years, Fr McMahon began to discern he had a vocation during his two years travelling in Australia, where he reconnected with his faith and was inspired by the election of Pope Francis.
On returning to Ireland, he contacted Br Pat Lynch, Vocations Director for the Franciscans, and attended a ‘come and see’ weekend at the Killarney friary. “I have not looked back since,” he said.
Fr McMahon entered the novitiate in 2016 and later completed his studies in Rome, where he had the joy of meeting the recently elected Pope Leo XIV. “Becoming a Franciscan has been a great experience,” he said. “Franciscan joy means being among people, spreading the Gospel, and facing the challenges of today with fraternity and faith.”
