Carmelite Friary - Kinsale

Fr Frank McAleese, O.Carm

I was born in Airdrie in Scotland in 1955. Following studies in business and management in Hamilton, I worked as a management trainee with St. Cuthbert’s Co-op in Edinburgh and later continued the same kind of work in Glasgow. I spent twelve years as a Local Government Official in the Housing Department of Glasgow City Council. I came to know the Carmelites through the parish of St. Mary’s in Abercrombie Street, then under the care of the Carmelite Order which led in 1989 to my entering the novitiate in Kinsale. On completing my initial studies for the priesthood I obtained a Masters Degree in Ecumenics at the Irish School of Ecumenics in the year prior to my ordination to the priesthood in 1997. Since that time I have worked in hospital ministry, prison ministry and parish ministry before coming to Kinsale in 2006. I was appointed Prior of the Community here in Kinsale in April 2011.

Fr Stan Hession O.Carm

I am the son of a Tuam, Co. Galway father and a Blessington, Co.Wicklow mother. I grew up in Blessington Village where our family lived after my father's premature death. I attended the local National School for my first level education. I completed my second level education in Terenure College Dublin. I entered the Carmelite Novitiate in Kinsale in 1954 and made my first profession of vows in 1955. My third level education was completed in U.C.D and in the Jesuit Theologate in Milltown Park prior to priestly ordination in 1963. My first assignment in priestly ministry was to Mutare Diocesis in Zimbabwe in 1964. There I was engaged in second level education and Seminary Formation while at the same time engaging in the pastoral care of God's people in the southern end of the eastern Highlands. I took a sabbatical year in 1975 to study science education in the West London University, Chelsea where I also assisted in the chaplaincy ministry. The Zimbabwean War of Independence necessitated the closure of the Mission station and the evacuation of manpower into Mutare and I was requested to remain at home where I was engaged in the Gort Muire Conference Centre administration. Then followed a period as Chaplain in St. James' Hospital. I was then assigned for three years as Parish Priest to St. Mary's Calton, Glasgow. On completion of this assignment I spent time again in our Harare Student House, Zimbabwe and then back to Whitefriar's Street Dublin for friary ministry. In 1994 I was transferred to Kinsale.

Fr Mariusz Placek, O.Carm

I was born in Poland on the 4th of November 1973 in the town of Pilzno in the Southern part of our country. It is approximately 100 kilometers from the city of Krakow. There is a Carmelite Friary in my home town with a little shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation. It was here that I learned about Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This was the beginning of my journey into the Carmelite Order. I joined the Order in 1996 and was professed in 1997. I was ordained to the priesthood in 2002. Since then I worked for two years in a rural parish in Eastern Poland with a Marian shrine which attracted large crowds in summer. Here I taught religion in school and worked with young people. During this time I also studied Spirituality on a part-time basis at the Catholic University of Lublin. Afterwards I worked in the Carmelite parish of Baborow in Silesia in Western Poland for three years doing similar work. Here I continued my studies, specialising in religious formation. After this, I was asked to go to our main Carmelite house in Krakow, where I worked with local families.In February 2008 I came to Ireland, probably because as a Carmelite student I spent three years learning English.