By Diarmaid Doherty
FORMER Highland Radio presenter Shaun Doherty will complete his journey to the priesthood with his ordination tomorrow.
Family members, parishioners and friends will attend the ordination ceremony at St. Eugene’s Cathedral in Derry.
The newly ordained Fr Shaun will then celebrate his first Mass in St. Columb’s Church in Derry on Monday evening.
This weekend’s celebrations come just six years after Shaun hung up his mic at Highland Radio following his shock announcement that he was to step away from his popular morning programme and move to pastures new.
After taking some time to himself, Shaun began studying for the priesthood and this time last year he was ordained a Deacon in St Paul’s Basilica in Rome.
Since last June, he has been based in Rome and has continued with his studies.
However, it’s expected that he will be based in the Derry Diocese once ordained a priest.
Speaking around the time of his ordination as a Deacon, Shaun explained why he wanted to embrace a life in the priesthood.
“I’ve come to a stage in my life where I feel God has brought me to this place and I think he has used all my good and bad experiences and mistakes I’ve made to help me to be a better person and to be able to use the gifts that he has given me, which were communication, and being able to listen to people and empathise with people,” he said.
“I have a special interest in people who are suffering from addiction and people who have issues with anxiety, depression, loneliness, and all of these issues.
“I like to think maybe I will be helpful in the future to people who are in need of somebody to listen because that is what you do as a broadcaster.”
Sunday’s ordination ceremony in St Eugene’s Cathedral is at 3pm and it will be celebrated by the Most Rev Donal McKeown D.D., Bishop of Derry.
A reception will follow in The Iosas Centre and Celtic Prayer Garden in Derryvane near Muff.
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