The Elphin Diocese has a new priest. To the delight of family, friends and priests Fr. John Coughlan was ordained by Bishop Christopher Jones in The Church of the Assumption, Sooey, Co. Sligo on Sunday June 15th.

John is a native of Ballygawley, Co. Sligo (Riverstown parish) where he grew up in the loving care of his parents Paul and Kathleen and with the companionship of his identical twin David, sister Sharon and younger brother Peter.

From 1993 to 1998 he attended Summerhill College after which he studied civil engineering at the Institute of Technology in Sligo (1998 – 2001).

In August 2001 he entered St. Patrick’s College Maynooth as a seminarian. In 2004 he graduated from NUI Maynooth with a BA (Hons) in Philosophy and Sociology and in 2006 graduated from St. Patrick’s College Maynooth with a diploma in Pastoral Studies. Next October he will graduate again, this time with a Bachelor of Divinity (Hons) degree.

Elphin’s new priest Fr. John Coughlan, taking a moment to pose with family members, David, Kathleen, Paul, Sharon and Peter prior to his ordination by Bishop Christopher Jones in The Church of the Assumption, Sooey, Co. Sligo on Sunday June 15th.
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