Ordination in Liverpool

The Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly is to ordain Sean Patrick Riley to the Priesthood this evening. The Mass of Ordination is to be celebrated by the Archbishop at St Clare's church, Arundel Avenue, Sefton Park, Liverpool at 5.30 pm.

Born in Liverpool Sean attended St Anthony of Padua Junior School and Liverpool College before studying at the University of Manchester. After leaving University he studied for the priesthood at St Mary's College, Oscott, Birmingham.

Prior to ordination he has worked in the parishes of St Monica and St Robert Bellarmine, Bootle and in St Luke the Evangelist parish, Whiston. He has also gained pastoral experience at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital Chaplaincy and through work with seafarers at Stella Maris, Bootle.

As he approaches ordination Sean said: 'I thank God for the many and wonderful ways in which he has blessed and graced my life and I thank so very many people for the love and support they have given to me and for the prayers offered for me. As I begin my new ministry in the Church I ask for continued support and prayer, and promise my prayers for you and your life in God.'

Archbishop Kelly said: 'The ordination of Sean Riley will be celebrated on the Feast of St Benedict who is recognised as a Patron of Europe because of the way, as his name means, he was both blessed himself and a blessing for others. This is an appropriate day for ordination in this particular year in Liverpool's story. The prayers of all of us who surround Sean this day will be that the Lord will bless him and through him bless others abundantly.'

Sean's Mass of Ordination will be celebrated at 5.30 pm in St Clare's church, Sefton Park, Liverpool on Friday 11 July 2008.

He will celebrate his first Mass, again at St Clare's, at 11.30 am on Saturday 12 July 2008.