Profiles of first year novices 09-10
Joe Keegan, 25, Ireland
Photo and profile to be posted soon.
Ronan McCoy, 20, Ireland
My name is Ronan McCoy. I am from Co. Louth, Ireland. I went to an Irish Jesuit school and discovered some sense of vocation there from morning Masses and friendly Ignatians. After some time arguing with what seemed the crazy prospect of a religious vocation I began to question my hesitations and engage with the question. I started spiritual direction and, on leaving school, went to work in Lesotho, Southern Africa, for a year, with a school and orphanage. It was there that I decided to apply to the Society and entered the following September.
Jos Moons, 30, Netherlands
I was born in 1980 in Gouda the (Dutch) city after which the Gouda Cheese is named. From a young age onwards the mystery of God somehow touched me. Although I disliked church, like most other kids, I did like the Catholic summer camps that I attended. I remember going to the (voluntary) mass during weekdays, and I remember the atmosphere at night prayer. From 1998 to 2005 I studied at universities in Utrecht and Paris, as part my training for diocesan priesthood. During this time I became more and more interested in the Jesuits, whom I got to know through the spiritual director at the seminary. I was ordained in 2005 and worked happily in parishes in a rural area south of Amsterdam.
Hennie Barnard, 38, South Africa
I was born and raised in Namibia (Southern Africa) into a strict Calvinist family. I was fascinated by history since a very young age, and so, in the pages of old books, I became acquainted, over time, with Church history and teaching. Thus, a slow process of an inner conversion to Catholicism took place over time and at the age of seventeen, I had made up my mind to become Roman Catholic. Having seen movie The Mission at about the same time, strengthened my resolve as well as fascination with the Jesuits. I felt a call to the priesthood early on, but my journey to the Jesuits was long and eventful – fighting against the call I felt deep inside. I’m just happy that I finally heeded.
Bart Baele, 36, Belgium
My name is Bart Baele. I was born in India. Up to the age of six I lived in an orphanage in Bombay. When I was adopted by my Belgian parents, I lived more than 30 years with them in our rural village of Sint - Lievens - Houtem. After my studies I worked as a psychiatric nurse in a hospital responsible for treating drug and alcohol addicts. Then I studied Religious Studies and Pastoral Theology. When I graduated, I applied for a job in education. I taught for five years religious education in a Grammaire, in a comprehensive and in a professional school. Although I loved to work as a teacher, I missed something essential in my life. I struggled a long time to discover the sense of my life.
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