At Mass on Sunday, July 13, Father Martin Plunkett concelebrated with Father Boniface Hill, OSB in the monastery chapel.
Father Plunkett, pastor of a parish in the diocese of Westminster in England, is a relative of the 17th century Irish martyr St. Oliver Plunkett, who was Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and whose feast day is celebrated on July 1, the anniversary of his death in 1681.
Some interesting facts about St. Oliver, according to a biography on the Galway Cathedral website: he established a Jesuit College in Drogheda in 1670 and the following year 150 students attended, 40 of whom were Protestants. This would have been the first integrated school in Ireland. He is said to have confirmed 48,000 Catholics over a four-year period. St. Oliver lived during a time of persecution of Catholics, and was falsely accused of high treason, found guilty in a sham trial and executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered.
