A COMMUNITY IN Limerick is so fond of its local priest it has started a petition to stop him from moving to Dublin.

Coordinator of the Diocese of Limerick’s Youth Ministry, Fr Chris O’Donnell is planning to move to Dublin for a year to write a textbook for primary school children.

The Archbishop of Dublin asked Fr O’Donnell to write the textbook – but he’s so loved in his community that locals are calling for him to stay.

So far, the petition to keep Fr O’Donnell in his Limerick parish has almost 1,500 signatures.

It reads:

The Limerick Priest and The Coordinator of the Limerick Youth Ministry, Fr. Chris O’Donnell is set to be facing relocation out of the Diocese of Limerick.

Fr Chris has touched the lives of many young people and has been an integral part of youth development in Limerick and is known for bringing different branches and sections of the youth together in the most amazing and multiple ways.

“Limerick can not afford to lose this amazing man and we must petition together and try to keep him.”

Speaking to Muireann O’Connell, who’s standing in for Dermot and Dave on Today FM, Fr O’Donnell said that he is touched by the reaction to his move to Dublin.

“If anything … it shows us young people who are very passionate, good and willing to have our backs if we needed it,” he said.

Fr O’Donnell said that people have even tweeted the Pope asking to keep him in the parish.

“The pope is probably quite busy at the best of times, I’m not really sure how much of it really gets it him,” he said.

He assured listeners that the move to Dublin wouldn’t be permanent and that he would still keep ties with his current parish.

“I would be there for a year but I’d still be connected to the Youth Ministry in Limerick. I’ll be largely between the two,” he said.

It is a challenge but we have to remember it’s the life of a priest, it might seem drastic to the people but it’s the nature of what we do to be moved and to thrive to serve generously wherever we’re asked to move.

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