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Irish priest makes history by marrying own son

By
KATE HICKEY,
IrishCentral.com
Published Saturday, May 1, 2010, 12:22 AM
Updated Monday, May 3, 2010, 8:32 AM

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Priest and father of the groom, Fr.Michael Moloney, with bride Deborah Coyle and Paul Moloney


Father Michael Moloney has made theological history by presiding over his own son’s nuptials.

This is the second time Fr. Moloney has made history within the church. In 2008, he was readmitted to the priesthood after a 35-year break.

Fr Maloney was ordained a priest with the Society for African Missions in 1966, according to the Irish Times.

During his service to the church he was a missionary in Egypt, and he was also based in County Mayo. Three years later he applied to leave the priesthood.

By 1972 he was married to Marjorie Moloney with whom he had three sons and one daughter. Eventually, they settled in County Kildare where they worked as teachers.

When his wife died in 2005, Fr. Moloney decided to rejoin the priesthood, and by December 2008 he was readmitted. . Dr Jim Moriarty, Bishop of Kildare, welcomed him into a “new family”.

Fr Moloney now serves as a curate in the parishes of Daingean and Killeigh, County Offaly.

Fr Moloney’s second son, Paul, was delighted to have his father preside over his vows though he admitted,  “it feels strange.”

“With all that is happening in the church, it’s very reassuring to have someone like him as a priest … he has been through life.”

With his grandchildren staring up at him on the pulpit he said, “I’ve been able to experience life from all aspects.”

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21 Comments

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CitizenWhy | Aug 21, 2010, 12:25 PM EDT
Misleading headline. Why?

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Carroll09 | May 03, 2010, 03:40 PM EDT
It's a nice story indeed. However,regarding some comments about married priests in the Catholic Church,there are several rites which are in full communion with Rome which have married priests.Celibacy is a discipline and seminarians have 6 or 7 (or more) years to discern whether they can have a fulfilled life as a celibate man - it can hardly be called unnatural as some people claim: priests made a choice, but there are millions of people who are single and celibate NOT by choice.Celibacy does not make priests or single people dysfunctional- and it is certainly no more the cause of abuse than marriage is a guarantee against it.Certainly Fr Moloney's experience of marriage helps him to see things from a unique angle,but this does not mean that an unmarried priest has nothing to offer on the subject of marriage or family- they do not live in a vacuum as some seem to think; we don't think it odd that a counsellor could help someone through an experience which they themselves have not had first-hand experience of: sometimes the (non-)experience of an "outsider" can be the unique angle.

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olovely | May 03, 2010, 03:34 PM EDT
Wait, I thought that gay rights meant that men would now be marrying dolphin's, horses, sheep, their sisters and their dogs too. Do you mean to say that none of that has happened? I was expecting a totally different story here. Someone better warn Bill O'Reilly. He's terrified at the prospect of gay people getting their rights.

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lynchsteele | May 03, 2010, 01:00 PM EDT
Now here is a perfect example of a Holy man I can trust....He knows first hand both sides of the life.... a dedicated family man and a man who Honored his call to be a shepard of the faithful. He has expeiience to share knowing lay life and spiritual life and the realities of all life, God Bless Him and may he live long!!!!

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bdickins | May 03, 2010, 09:54 AM EDT
What a crock of a headline . . . you're trying to draw readers with titillating headlines, when you could have said, "Priest PRESIDES over son's wedding." Typical cheap headline-grabbing by this "publication." I hate Irish Central; I'm cancelling my scrip.

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tommckernan | May 03, 2010, 09:08 AM EDT
cute

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eileenkny | May 03, 2010, 09:04 AM EDT
I love it! I've wished for a long time that priests could marry. It wouldn't solve all the problems but a good portion. The Church forbade priests to marry in a time when property was a factor. It no longer is, so why not go the way of the Orthodox churches?

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chesapeake | May 03, 2010, 08:58 AM EDT
... and never molested boys, girls or farm animals. This is the type of individual the Church needs to enlist

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Bonniekara | May 03, 2010, 08:46 AM EDT
Wow- a NORMAL man as priest. Very Nice, Friends ! I'll drink ta that !!! :-)

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Watereskhill | May 02, 2010, 10:22 PM EDT
A refreshing and heartwarming story within a sound and wholesome family. I wish the newly-weds every happiness. Fr.Maloney is what true Irishmen are made of:Integrity. Committment. Generosity of spirit--either side of the altar rails. Given the several 'resignations' of disgraced Bishops of late he has my vote to be elevated to that Office in whatever Diocese now vacant. Yes. He has made history here. In my opinion on a plateau that informs The Church a married clergy is the best road ahead. He is both a lighthouse to the boat of Peter and role model of a fine father in my books. This photo is the stuff of our Catholic Faith slowly coming to fruition. And Godspeed the day. Slainte.

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Aliciarose | May 02, 2010, 06:31 PM EDT
With all that is happening in the Catholic Church, it is lovely to read a beautiful story. Pity we cannot have more stories like this. Congratulations.

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jacersisityourself | May 02, 2010, 04:55 PM EDT
DeaconJack, that’s great! - God be with you, your son and his family. Praise be in deed and in spirit.

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jacersisityourself | May 02, 2010, 04:51 PM EDT
irishahthens pointed out not long ago that the son of a Greek priest (named say, Andreo, as in Andrew) is known by the prefix Papa as in Papandreo; what would that make Deborah? Mamamichaelo? That could get confusing!

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jacersisityourself | May 02, 2010, 04:49 PM EDT
On the topic, I think it’s a lovely story. The idea of a natural father, being an anointed Christian spiritual father as well, performing Christ’s Sacrament of Marriage upon his own natural-born son and the son’s wife is terrific. It’s nearer to what I think Christ intended. More, more please... unfortunately, many are called but few are chosen (yeah, we know, that bit was gotten wrong too by some priest teachers, so no need for smartie-asses to harp on about it). God bless Fr. Moloney, his son and new daughter-in-law-in-Christ (geeze, how my language develops!)

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jacersisityourself | May 02, 2010, 04:17 PM EDT
I agree w/ you Monsoonman – With the quality of editors ICentral have, we readers of ICentral will suffer more and more: misleading headlines, claiming privilege of scoops where none is due (they ‘sweep’ Irish media sites for news and publish it as their own – the pluddy blagging plagiarists!). And ya know what gets me most? – Kelly Fincham is one of ICentral’s chief editors and is teaching journalism in NYC? JMJ! – what influence will future NYC journos be under with her teachings? GHT...!

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