The Bishop of Down and Connor has encouraged priests to continue being generous with their ministry despite a brutal attack on a priest in the sacristy of a church while he was dispensing a sacrament.

Bishop McGuckian told The Irish Catholic that it was “very poignant” that Canon John Murray of Downpatrick, Co Down, had agreed before mass to hear the confession of a man who then viciously assaulted him with a wine bottle. The man is believed to have committed a homicide the night before and was seeking absolution.

“Canon Murray made himself vulnerable and invited the person aside into privacy for the sacrament, for ministry. It was then that he was attacked and I understand that priests will feel, ‘My goodness, are we all vulnerable all of the time?’  But I know that priestly sense of being there, and wanting to be available and wanting to reach out will always trump that!

“And I say to my priests as I say to everyone else. Take courage and do not be afraid.”