Roscrea Cistercians celebrate solemn profession

 Br Malachy during his profession in the Cistercian monastery Roscrea

In an era when vocations to the contemplative religious orders of men in Ireland are scarce, the news that the Cistercian community at Mount Saint Joseph Abbey in Roscrea, Co Tipperary have celebrated their first solemn profession in nine years is heartening.

On Saturday last (October 15th) Br Malachy (Paul) Thompson who is originally from Finglas in Dublin made his final (solemn) profession in the presence of the Cistercian community and his family and friends. A sales manager for twenty years, Br Malachy entered the monastery in 2006 at the age of 41. Speaking after the profession ceremony, he said that despite his good career the question of vocation never left him. 'I battled it for years, but it kept coming back. It was a slow realisation that God was calling me to the monastic life.' Br Malachy's vocation story should give some encouragement to those men in their thirties and forties who feel that they have a vocation to not give up. It is clear that the Lord calls not just the young, but at various stages in life.

Irish Dominican Vocations congratulates Br Malachy and the Cistercian community at Roscrea and prays that more vocations will flow from this commitment.