29.08.2016
Tom O’Brien – Excited to See What God Will Do With Him as Deacon Intern in Howth
On Sunday September 18 Archbishop Michael Jackson will preside at the ordination of four new Deacons in Christ Church Cathedral. Following their ordination to the diaconate they will serve as Intern Deacons in parishes in Dublin and Glendalough. Tom O’Brien will serve in St Mary’s Parish in Howth, Rebecca Guildea will serve in Zion Parish in Rathgar, Stuart Moles will serve in St Patrick’s Parish in Greystones and Anne Lodge will serve in Raheny Parish. This week they introduce themselves in their own words, starting with Tom O’Brien.
I am looking forward to serving as a deacon in St Mary’s Parish Howth where I will begin my placement in September 2016. It has been a long journey to get to this point but I am sure that God has blessed me and my family along the way. I am currently working in a full time capacity in the HSE. Over the years I have worked with asylum seekers, loan parents, drug user’s and other vulnerable groups. For many years we have worked with churches in various ways, leading summer Bible camps, puppet ministry, Sunday School teaching and active retirement groups. I had felt that these activities combined with the work I was doing in the Health Service would be fulfilling, but the more I matured, the more I wanted to get involved in God’s work.
In 2010, while I was completing my Master’s Degree in Palliative Care with St. Francis Hospice and Trinity College, I completed a placement in St Frances’s Hospice in Raheny and met such wonderful people. While there I was overwhelmed with a renewed sense of calling. I spoke with the Revd Ted Woods and Canon Cecil Hyland and in 2012 was accepted by the Bishop’s Selection Conference to join the Church of Ireland Theological Institute and begin a part time Master’s Degree in Theology. During my time in College I have learned much about theology and even more about myself. I have studied with the most fantastic bunch from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland. I have completed placements in DCM Methodist Church, Zion Church, St Mary’s Julianstown and most recently, ICM Immanuel Church Dublin. I am so grateful to all of the parishioners and clergy who have helped to make the work experience so rewarding and enriching for me and my family. We have benefitted and we have changed for the better because of this journey so far and we are so excited to see what God will do with our lives next.
We are now looking forward to working in St Mary’s Parish Howth. I am particularly happy to work with the Revd Kevin Brew as I already know that he will be a great mentor. I am also thankful to the congregation who are so willing to accept the O’Brien family into their parish! We are all so excited to see what God will do with us in Howth and we anticipate great things if previous placements are anything to go by. The only sadness will be that we will not see as much of our church family in Balbriggan, Skerries and Rush as we would like during the next two years. We have been recipients of great support, prayer and friendship throughout our 10 years in the parish of Holmpatrick. While this is not goodbye I wish to acknowledge the immense support received from the Revd Anthony Kelly, the select vestry members and the vibrant, diverse and cheerful congregation of Balbriggan.