Paul Thornton

I am a Parish Pastoral Worker employed by the Dublin diocese. I have been appointed to work here in the Greystones and Kilquade Pastoral Area for the next number of years. I live in Sandyford, I am married to Catherine and I have three sons, Robert, Simon and Matthew, aged 18, the youngest who will begin his first year in college this month. I worked for 36 years in technical roles within eircom. I left there at the end of 2009. For many years I have been involved in parish work, Minister of the Word, Minister of the Eucharist and so on. In addition I was involved within the areas of Spirituality, involving prayer facilitation and adult faith formation.

Archbishop Dermot Martin introduced the role of Parish Pastoral Worker into the Dublin diocese four years ago. It is a role that answers a call from within Vatican II, for the church to utilise the many gifts of the spirit that grow out from the laity. I saw it as an opportunity to combine both my business skills and my existing activities in the church and to better use these to help in the development of the church here in Ireland. My role as a parish pastoral worker challenges me in my faith, and challenges me to look at how I support people in theirs. I endeavour to do this by showing my experience of God through what I say and do, to being open to express my beliefs, verbally and through liturgy, in the God we come together to worship in our communities.

I am delighted to have been appointed to Greystones and Kilquade. I worked for six months in Kilquade parish as part of my formation programme from September 2010 to February 2011. In that time I got to know some of the people and activities there. I look forward to building on my previous work and meeting with many of you over the coming months as we work together in evolving the faith communities in this pastoral area.

Paul Thornton is in place for the Pastoral Area of Greystones and Kilquade as a Parish Pastoral Worker. He may be contacted at paul.thornton@dublindiocese.ie.