A SEMINARY REUNION OF, "EMINENCE" @ ST. KIERAN'S IN KILKENNY..........

Twenty eight years ago today, August 17, 1982, St. Kieran's Seminary, in Kilkenny, Ireland commemorated its Bicentenary, the 200th Anniversary of St. Kieran's College being founded as a Catholic educational institution.  The founding of St. Kieran's College, as a secondary school and a seminary, came just two years after the abolition of the English Penal Laws, which had outlawed the public practice of Catholicism for nearly two centuries.  On that Bicentenary Day in 1982, 400 priests from around the World returned to Kilkenny, to celebrate the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, and their ties to having undergone seminary formation at St. Kieran's.  More than two dozen of those priests were ordained between 1894 - 1992, to serve the Diocese of Sacramento.  Today, is the annual Priests' Reunion at St. Kieran's Seminary in Kilkenny, where the 25, 50, 60, years plus priests alumni Jubilarians will be feted.  It is also a major Day of Recollection for Kieransmen, being presented and keynoted by His Eminence, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminister, England, +Cormac Murphy O'Connor.  Msgr. Kavanagh and I were to be in attendance, but are not given our change in traveling schedule, due to Msgr. Andrew Coffey's Funeral this Thursday and Friday.  Alas, for the second time in twenty eight years on August 17, I missed being at a milestone St. Kieran's Reunion.  The Bicentenary Reunion, which was held just twenty seven days before I entered St. Kieran's as a seminarian in 1982, I was not at, because of a pre-seminarian diocesan appointment in Sacramento.  This one I am missing due to a priest's funeral in Sacramento.  So both for very good reasons, even though it is disappointing not to be able to be there to take part.  Like all the Irish seminaries, except for Maynooth, St. Kieran's Seminary is closed.  But the memories, fraternal friendships, and bonds of affection that knit me and my fellow alumni to St. Kieran's live on in spirit and truth.  Thank You priests ordained from St. Kieran's Seminary, Kilkenny, especially you who were ordained for the Sacramento Diocese.  It is a pleasure and a privilege for me, a native Sacramentan to be counted among you..........In The Words That Are The Motto Of St. Kieran's Founding In 1782, "WINTER IS PAST",   Fr. Troy David Poweres