Fr. Michael Dempsey C.Ss.R.
Born on the 12 July 1968 in Belfast, Michael was the eldest of three sons. His family emigrated to Canada in 1973, then relocated to Peterborough, England in 1978 . In 1979, when Michael was eleven, his father Billy became seriously ill, and the family returned to settle in Belfast. Michael attended the Christian Brothers Secondary School and the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education. He qualified as a paediatric nurse and worked at both the Royal Victoria and Mater Hospitals in Belfast until 1997, when he answered God’s call to religious life with the Redemptorists.
In 2000, Michael made his first profession in Dundalk and was ordained a priest on 4 March 2007. He joined the Dundalk Community Mission Team and trained as a hospital chaplain. In 2013, he joined the Redemptorist Mission in Furancungo, Mozambique returning a year later to take up a post as part-time chaplain at the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast.
Tragically, in August 2016, Michael was suddenly stuck by an aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis. He never fully regained consciousness and remained in hospital until his passing. Michael Dempsey’s life was marked by deep compassion, spiritual dedication, and unwavering service to others.
May our dear confrere rest in peace
