On Sunday 20 th September, Paidi Delaney was admitted to the Office of Deacon at St Nicholas Collegiate Church, Galway by the Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, The Right Rev Patrick Rooke.
The first lesson was read by Paidi’s, wife, Steffi, the epistle reading was led by the Diocesan Director of Ordinands, Canon Jen McWhirter and Paidi read the gospel.
The preacher was the Very Rev Lynda Peilow, Rector of Galway.
Music was led by a quartet from the St Nicholas Schola Cantorum led by the musical director Mr Mark Duley.
When the service was over the full choir sang for the first time outside as the bells peeled out.
Because of Covid restrictions, numbers in attendance were restricted, but Paidi’s family were there to support him, and the parishioners who have supported Paidi on his journey to ordination were in attendance. Fr Tudor representing the Romanina Orthodox Church was in attendance, along with many of Paidi’s other friends and colleagues.
Paid will serve as OLM deacon in the Galway group of parishes.
Biography
Patrick Delaney (62) was born into an Irish-Canadian/Irish-American family in Detroit, Michigan, USA. His family moved to Los Angeles, California when he was young and he was raised in the sunny diversity of the west coast. Patrick was a punk rock musician as a young man, something which often comes as a surprise.
After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles, he moved to Dublin to study at Trinity College. He moved to the GDR capital, Berlin in 1988 to work with O’Casey specialist Dr. J.B. Mitchell at the Humboldt University. After completing his Dr.phil., Patrick worked as a translator and news reader and played traditional Irish music with his future wife, Steffi.
Steffi and Paidí married and lived in Berlin with their two daughters before moving to Galway more than 25 years ago. Since moving here, Paidí, Steffi, Molly and Kay have lived on Tamhain, in the Gaeltacht, and in the suburbs of Galway. Mr Delaney has been a library worker at NUI Galway since the previous millenia.
Patrick began his Church of Ireland career ringing the bells of the Collegiate Church of St Nicholas and now heads its School of Campanology. He has also served as candle bearer and crucifer at St Nicholas, and as a Diocesan Reader here in the Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. He has been a church warden, and a member of the Select Vestry at St Nicholas, as well as a member of TKA Diocesan Council. Patrick values silence and contemplation, tries to live simply and wishes nothing more than to continue to serve Christ in the years to come in the people of the parish of St
Nicholas.