One of the best known priests to have ever ministered in Limerick has just celebrated the 50th anniversary of his Ordination.
September 15, 2005 (Press Release) --
Now based in Esker in County Galway, Redemptorist pirest, Fr Vincent Kavanagh, ministered for many years in the city where he proved most popular but also ruffled a few feathers of those in authority with his outspoken comments on social issues.
The son of a Wicklow publican, Fr Kavanagh was educated at the Redemptorist College beside the Redemptorist Church.
While based here he became Director of the Archconfraterntiy when it was in its heyday.
Subsequently, he was put in charge of the annual novena to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help at a time when attendances were flagging.
But with his tremendous enthusiasm, he built what became known as the Festival Of Faith into the biggest religious event of its kind in the country.
So great were the crowds attending that it was necessary to erect a huge marquee in the monastery grounds.
City bands used to parade through the city streets to the church and would perform during the novena sessions and afterwards in the Church grounds.
Always prepared to get involved with social issues of the day Fr Kavanagh once felt so badly about the rising crime situation in the city that he mounted a picket in support of his demand for extra gardai to be placed in the city when the then Minister for Justice, Paddy Cooney, came to officially open Henry Street garda station.
When Limerick won the All Ireland hurling title in 1973 he had the Liam McCarthy cup placed on the altar for novena sessions at which members of the team attended.
Fr Kavanagh also launched the annual Christmas poor campaign which continues to this day under the guidance of Fr Gerry Daly.
On one occasion he was sent a plane load of new toys from Chicago after he had visited the Windy City to attend the annual Limerickmen’s dinner there.
Never far removed from controversy, he frequently fell foul of politicians. Fr Kavanagh was controversially transferred to Esker 20 years ago.
A major protest against the transfer was mounted with many of the leading personalities in the city and county demanding that the decision be reversed, but to no avail.
Fr Kavanagh to this day is remembered by thousands of individuals whom he helped in a private capacity through his counselling skills. This is especially true of those troubled by addiction, hundreds of whom were successful in turning away from their addiction following meetings with Fr Kavanagh.
In 1984, Fr Kavanagh brought the famous American recovering alcoholic, Fr Joseph Martin, to conduct sessions of the Limerick novena. Fr Martin has made several films and written numerous books on alcoholism. http://www.limerick.com
The son of a Wicklow publican, Fr Kavanagh was educated at the Redemptorist College beside the Redemptorist Church.
While based here he became Director of the Archconfraterntiy when it was in its heyday.
Subsequently, he was put in charge of the annual novena to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help at a time when attendances were flagging.
But with his tremendous enthusiasm, he built what became known as the Festival Of Faith into the biggest religious event of its kind in the country.
So great were the crowds attending that it was necessary to erect a huge marquee in the monastery grounds.
City bands used to parade through the city streets to the church and would perform during the novena sessions and afterwards in the Church grounds.
Always prepared to get involved with social issues of the day Fr Kavanagh once felt so badly about the rising crime situation in the city that he mounted a picket in support of his demand for extra gardai to be placed in the city when the then Minister for Justice, Paddy Cooney, came to officially open Henry Street garda station.
When Limerick won the All Ireland hurling title in 1973 he had the Liam McCarthy cup placed on the altar for novena sessions at which members of the team attended.
Fr Kavanagh also launched the annual Christmas poor campaign which continues to this day under the guidance of Fr Gerry Daly.
On one occasion he was sent a plane load of new toys from Chicago after he had visited the Windy City to attend the annual Limerickmen’s dinner there.
Never far removed from controversy, he frequently fell foul of politicians. Fr Kavanagh was controversially transferred to Esker 20 years ago.
A major protest against the transfer was mounted with many of the leading personalities in the city and county demanding that the decision be reversed, but to no avail.
Fr Kavanagh to this day is remembered by thousands of individuals whom he helped in a private capacity through his counselling skills. This is especially true of those troubled by addiction, hundreds of whom were successful in turning away from their addiction following meetings with Fr Kavanagh.
In 1984, Fr Kavanagh brought the famous American recovering alcoholic, Fr Joseph Martin, to conduct sessions of the Limerick novena. Fr Martin has made several films and written numerous books on alcoholism. http://www.limerick.com
Email
Print
SPAM
