THE BURNING QUESTION: Janet Stafford asked soon-to-be-ordained seminarians from St Patrick's College, Maynooth
John Joe Duffy:
Maybe I'm seen as mad. My ordination's the same day as the World Cup final - luckily not at the same time. I was doing parish work and came back a few days after the press conference. I'm horrified to see the damage done to abuse victims. On the ground in Donegal, people are hugely supportive of me. We have to show the Church holds values and shows compassion.
Darragh Connolly:
Towards the end of school I felt I had to try this - it was a case of vocation. Some guys in school thought I was mad, but others who I thought would make fun were supportive. During the 1990s, and with the scandals now breaking, I was saddened, angered and disappointed. It has knocked my confidence even, but not my decision. I've no doubts about God.
David Bracken:
I met a guy I knew on my first break back home - when I told him what I was doing, he thought I must have had a gun held at my head. You can't run away from this - I left and spent time in Kells and Paris. I had to come back. It felt like being swallowed by a terrible darkness when the Brendan Smith scandal broke. It's important to get everything out in the open.
Martin Henry:
I'm a very ordinary person - I just want to spread the message of the gospel. Prayer is important to me and it's out of that that I operate. I didn't tell many friends I was joining the seminary, those I did were surprised. I am a normal person; I wanted to be a priest since I was a small child. I'm very happy with the choice I've made in life. I hope I can bring my gifts to pastoral work.
Richard Keane:
I've great support from friends and family. I felt called to be a priest when I was young, but I've questioned it at times - at horrible times like this. We're bad at communicating that the church is more than these horrible stories - there's justifiable anger and we need transparency. When I worked in Mountjoy, the lads didn't laugh at me, they're glad of someone who'd listen.
