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Photo courtesy of Oldham
Chronicle |
Fr. Dolan was born in Aghyaran, County Tyrone and studied for the
priesthood at All Hallows Seminary in Dublin. He was ordained on
17th June 1962, along with forty-three other priests. He enjoyed
eight years in Salford before coming, albeit with some reluctance,
to St. Edward's with the title "Vicarious Co-Adjutor"
(curate) on 10th June 1970. He was appointed parish priest
in the summer of 1974 and in 1995 was appointed one of only ten
Canons in the Salford Diocese. Before Fr. Dolan's arrival,
the parish had been unsettled and in some disarray for many years;
under his stewardship it has developed into a lively and healthy
parish.
A continuing feature of Fr. Dolan's ministry is his desire to encourage
everyone to "get involved" whether it is by providing
refreshments after Mass, planning and building a new church, repairing
and refurbishing the old building to provide a parish centre, forming
new parish groups, reading at Mass or supporting any of the varied
activities the parish offers. We are particularly encouraged to
become involved in projects to help the underprivileged, both here
and in the "Third World" (Our Justice & Peace groups
have an enviable record in this respect) and to be aware of what
it means to belong to a Christian community. |