On a wing and a prayer

A NEW LIFE: Robert Colclough left life in the fast lane for a fulfilling role as a priest in Dublin, writes Sylvia Thompson

A NEW LIFE: Robert Colcloughleft life in the fast lane for a fulfilling role as a priest in Dublin, writes Sylvia Thompson.

THERE IS a generation of Irish people who graduated from college in the 1980s with virtually no prospect of getting a job in Ireland. Dubliner Robert Colclough is one of that generation.

"Out of our class of about 30 students graduating from structural engineering in what is now Dublin Institute of Technology in Bolton Street, about 28 of us emigrated," he says.

But, rather than take the familiar route to London, Colclough opted to do a masters in science in Blackburg, Virginia, specialising in timber construction. After that, he followed jobs in New York and California.

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"After a year working as a structural engineer in New York, an opportunity arose to work in Newport Beach in southern California, where I stayed for four years.

"Then in November 1990, the so-called Black Monday led to a slowdown in the construction industry which saw me come back east. I ended up in Boston working as a structural engineer and then decided to go back to college to study to become a software design engineer," he explains.

More of a sideways step than a career change, this move led to Colclough staying in Boston for a further eight years.

"There was a real sense of freedom, living in the US. I was very involved in rugby and judo clubs - both of which had a huge party scene, which gave me a great way of fitting in and finding new friends," he explains.

However, the pull back to Ireland was ever present. "I came back to Ireland at least once a year. I had carved out a good career for myself with no shortage of money.

"When the jobs fell through, I learned how to change plans and go where the jobs were, but I always had it in me that I was coming home. I never saw myself settling in the US," Colclough says.

The sudden death of his mother from a heart attack in 1997 prompted a shift in attitude that was to be the catalyst for further change.

"I had two weeks off work when my mother died, and that made me question how much my job kept me away from people who were important to me and how I never really had the opportunity to slow down and take a breather," he explains.

"Yet, I got back into the rat race, long hours at work and busy social life and finally asked my boss for four months' sabbatical two years later.

"I decided that I wanted to go somewhere that I'd need a whole new skill set; where my engineering skills wouldn't be required and where I could work out what to do - to gather my thoughts and work out where in life I wanted to go."

Back in Ireland, Colclough went to Donegal for a weekend and spent a day in a Francisan friary. "I realised that it would be so easy to fall back into meeting up with old friends and having a holiday, but I had to look deeper.

"I wasn't fully content as an engineer, although so many people would have given anything to have the life I had. I had girlfriends and I definitely had always wanted to marry and have children, but I was living a wild life and hanging out with guys who weren't committing to marriage either.

"Thoughts of going into the priesthood had entered my mind at crazy times in the US, but I didn't understand where they were coming from."

Although brought up in a Catholic family, Colclough said that during his time in the US, his Catholicism wasn't that important to him.

"Yes, I went to Mass at weekends, but I never really allowed the Catholic faith to challenge me or to become anything more than a Sunday event," he explains.

The idea to volunteer on a rehabilitation programme near Medjugorje in Bosnia-Hercegovina presented itself. "For three-and-a-half months, I lived in a house with 12 men who were recovering from alcohol and drug addictions. I loved it.

"It was an ideal opportunity to take me off the fast train of the material world I had got caught up in. I was with other people who needed my presence, and that allowed me to discover my faith and what was important in my life.

"I even spent the millennium in that house while my friends were doing all sorts of everything around the world. It was the most powerful and profound experience of my life and gave me a greater understanding of the presence of God in my life, the desire to explore my faith and get to know God in my life. It was a huge relief to me that there was meaning to life," he explains.

Upon his return to Ireland, Colclough made some initial enquiries about a vocation in the priesthood and then returned to the US. By June 2000, he had left his job, sold his house and moved back to Ireland. The following year, he applied to the Dublin [Catholic] Archdiocese to be considered for formation to the priesthood, was accepted and started his studies at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, later that year.

"I didn't enter the seminary to become a priest, but because it was the next step on the journey to open myself to allow God help me uncover his plan for me," he says.

Fast forward to 2008 and Colclough is almost two years working as a priest in Sandyford, Co Dublin.

Has he changed much? "Yes," he says, without hesitation. "I know myself much better now. I made and continue to make the journey inwards.

"I've learned to take each day as it comes and remain open to different challenges and opportunities - both personally, and in my priestly ministry.

"Every day, first thing in the morning, I have to slow down and get in touch with God. Once I've touched base with God at the start of the day, I remain open to various pastoral experiences.

And how do people react to him as a priest? "People in the parish have been overwhelmingly supportive to me as a new priest.

"Family members have also been very supportive. Some friends were very surprised and I've lost contact with some of them. Others were pleased and continue to be supportive.

"Financially and materially, I have far less than I did in my engineering days, but I have never been happier in my life."