During the summer of 2025, in a ceremony marked by reverence and joy, Br Anthony Kurian, a member of the Capuchin Franciscan Order, was ordained a priest at the Capuchin Friary on Church Street in Dublin.
It was a milestone not only in his life but for the Irish Capuchins, an increasingly rare moment in a vocation that takes more than a decade to fully unfold.
The Capuchin Franciscans belong to the larger Franciscan Order founded by St Francis of Assisi in 1209. Unlike diocesan priests, who may complete their formation in six or seven years, Capuchin training typically takes 10 to 11 years.
Brother Anthony’s path has been unique. Originally from Kerala, India, he is a qualified engineer who came to Ireland to study and work. During his time here, he encountered the Capuchins and began to discern a calling to their life. Though he completed his Novitiate in India, he felt strongly called to serve the Irish Church. He went on to study theology in Maynooth and at Blackfriars College in Oxford. Alongside academic work, he trained in clinical pastoral education and ministered in various Irish parishes and the Capuchin Day Centre for the homeless in Dublin.
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His ordination to the priesthood was presided over by Bishop Donal Roche, his first time performing an ordination.
During the vesting, Anthony’s sister came forward to help him into his priestly robes, an act acknowledging the vital role family plays in nurturing vocation. Another poignant moment came after the anointing of his hands, when the anointed cloth was presented to his parents, a traditional gesture recognising their sacrifice and support. The cloth is often buried with the parents as a testament to their role in bringing a priest into the world.
Family members travelled from India, the US, and the UK. The chapel was filled with Capuchin friars from across Ireland, Britain, Africa, India, and Indonesia, along with clergy and friends who had guided Anthony throughout his journey.
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Vocations among the Capuchins in Ireland remain small but steady. With just 65 brothers across the country, ordinations like Anthony’s are rare, perhaps one per decade.
For Br Anthony, it is the culmination of a long, prayerful path and the beginning of a life of service in a country he now calls home.
