Deacon Ronan Sheehan recently completed his time at Saint Benedict Parish, so we wanted to follow up with him on his experience here. He wrote his responses below while travelling back home to Ireland.

How was your time at Saint Benedict Parish different from what you had expected?
DEACON RONAN: I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I first came to Saint Benedict; I just came with an open mind and an eagerness to learn. What struck me was the number of people for whom their faith was not a small segment of their life, where Sunday Mass was an obligation. So many
people were ‘switched on’, they were active and intentional about their discipleship. There was a great joy to their faith lives which greatly impressed upon me. That doesn’t happen easily in a parish but when it does, great things follow.

Are you now an expert in all things Canadian?
I’ve certainly grown in my knowledge of all things Nova Scotia and the East Coast Lifestyle! I found my time in Canada very enjoyable. It has great diversity and inclusion. The reputation Canadians have for friendliness certainly lived up to the hype. I didn’t quite have as much maple syrup as I had anticipated and I never had a donair so I can’t claim I’m an expert in all things Canadian just yet. That just means I’ll have to return.

Your bishop visited us recently. Did he have any takeaways from his time with us?
I think it was an informative and formative time for him. I suspect the visit helped give clarity on the direction we’re heading in for my diocese. He seemed quite enthused about his meetings with staff and parishioners. I think it gave him much food for thought that will help him going ahead.

Can you share a way that you saw God at work in our parish? 
The most profound way I saw God at work was through people who had such a profound experience at Mass, the Alpha weekend, or Proclaim that they were moved to tears. It always touched my own heart and reminded me that God is always at work in people’s lives.

What is the biggest lesson you’re taking away from your time at Saint Benedict Parish?
I think it’s something that Saint Benedict has been doing well for years: being intentional about evangelization. Our mission must always be to make new disciples by creating a culture that is welcoming and pitched at the right level, and by empowering men and women to become missionary disciples themselves. This isn’t to forget our care of those further along the path of their walk with Jesus, but it does influence where we invest a disproportionate amount of our energy.

What was the most important thing you learned from Fr. Simon and Fr. Alex? 
I greatly admired Fr. Simon’s leadership skills. He was always eager to raise up others and ‘unleash’ them. In the Parish Leadership Team meetings, I witnessed a man who had a great combination of teamwork and executive leadership. Fr. Alex has a great mind that can process and envision. I was in awe of his ability to solve problems and cast vision. Both Fr. Simon
and Fr. Alex are men of deep faith, fun, and courage, and are exemplary homilists. It’s clear from the moment you meet them that these men love Jesus and the Church. I will add, however, that Fr. Alex and I take the edge over Fr. Simon and Eran in shuffleboard!

How are you feeling about your impending ordination to the priesthood?
I’m greatly excited and a bit daunted that this moment has arrived. I have lots to plan and prepare but I’m looking forward to it all. The people of my home parish of Murragh and Templemartin are very excited, too! I can’t wait to begin in a parish as an associate in September.

Can we expect to have Fr. Ronan Sheehan visit the parish sometime in the future?
That’s a promise I have made from the pulpit and one that I will most definitely live up to. I hope to visit for a weekend next summer. In the meantime, I look forward to welcoming some of my Saint Benedict Parish family to Ireland!

Do you have any advice or final thoughts to share with parishioners?
What I’d like to say mostly is a big ‘thank you’ to everyone for their welcome and encouragement. I felt I quickly became part of the Saint Benedict family and I’m so glad for these past six months. You are an example and provide hope and encouragement to many other parishes around the world. You are a witness to the fact that God can do amazing things in our lives if only we have the courage to let Him in!

I will say, though, that I hope that by Summer 2023, 50% of the congregation will be wondering who I am (“Deacon Who?”) because the parish will have grown so much! After all, we have a bold new vision that God is inviting us to embrace.

Until we meet again.

Thank you Deacon Ronan! We look forward to having you back with us sometime, and we’ll make sure you get plenty of maple syrup and extra large donair.