Last Sunday, the 17th of September, the Franciscans Friars in Ireland celebrated the Final Profession of vows of our brother, Philip McMahon. Friars, as well as Philip’s family and friends, gathered in Killarney to celebrate Philip’s profession of vows. This was the joyful culmination of his years of formation in our way of life.
Philip, from Navan, has journeyed with the Franciscans, through the various stages of formation: from postulancy and novitiate in Killarney, through studies in Athlone and Rome and, finally, the day arrived for Philip to make his life-long commitment.
The Rule of Life which Philip professed to live last Sunday was solemnly approved by Pope Honorius III exactly eight hundred years ago, this year. But professing this Rule does not compel Philip to live a strange or antiquated life; the Rule we profess is, as St. Francis said, the ‘marrow of the Gospel’. It is a well-walked road of obedience to the Gospel, lived joyfully and generously, in brotherhood.
On the day of Profession Brother Pat, our former Vocations Director shared how Philip’s particular journey to the Franciscans began in a very simple way. Philip’s father had visited the Franciscan stall at the Divine Mercy Conference in Dublin some years ago. He took with him a simple prayer care with the name and address of our Vocations Director. That little card marked a page in a book for some months and one day as Philip was looking through the book, it fell from the pages into his lap.
In that moment Philip decided to reach out, and the rest is history.
The vocation to a particular way of life can begin in very simple or unexpected ways; a chance encounter, a visit to a church, an online search, reading a magazine article, or simply picking up a bookmark. The Lord’s call can come in any number of ways.
When such a call receives a generous response a great adventure of faith can begin. Philip’s day of Profession was the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
If you are reading this and would like to know more about our way of life, contact:
Friar Liam Kelly
087 396 0262
