Ahead of his ordination in St. Eugene's Cathedral this Sunday - the only ordination in the Derry Diocese this year - the former joiner and banqueting manager from Iskaheen said that, far from feeling nervous or excited, he had a great sense of peace.

For the 33 year-old has harboured a strong attraction to the priesthood from as far back as he can remember.

"I had always thought of the priesthood," he said, "right back to when I served Mass in Iskaheen with Fr Mc Shane in the 1980s."
On his decision to enter the priesthood, he said the real question was not why he followed his vocation but why it took him so long to respond to his calling.

First steps

"I suppose I can trace my first steps to the priesthood to my time in the Search group in Culmore."I told Fr Seamus Kelly in 1999 that I wanted to be a priest. He asked me to call and see him but I had not the courage to go. I spoke to him a second time about a year later and I called to see him on the first Sunday in January 2001. It was around the time Fr Adrian Porter was killed.

"Fr Kelly has supported me ever since. I have met him every two weeks for prayer and reflection. Shortly after that I had a meeting with Fr Paul Farren, the Vocations Director and I also spoke to Monsignor Donnelly, the then Parish Priest in Iskaheen. Following an interview with the Bishop I was invited to study for the diocese."
Daniel headed to Maynooth on August 26, 2001 and will never forget his arrival. "It was very emotional. I had never seen the college until I arrived there. I simply couldn't believe that I was there."

Daniel was never disheartened by scandal in the church. He recalls that some of the most shocking revelations were under public scrutiny when he first attended Maynooth in 2001. He feels that he was "sustained and nurtured by a great community" in the Kildare seminary.

"I experienced great support, great love and great kindness from the whole community in Maynooth and I am very grateful for that," he said.

On November 26, 2006 Daniel was ordained a deacon and went on to complete his Bachelor of Divinity in May 2007.

A past pupil of Scoil Naomh Brid in Muff and Buncrana Technical College (now Crana College), Daniel was born in Iskaheen and lives in the townland of Drumskellan with his parents, James and Eileen. He has one younger sister, Donna Marie and an older brother Michael.

On Sunday afternoon, watched by family, friends, neighbours, priests, and parishioners from all over the diocese beyond, Daniel will receive the signs of his ordination - the anointing of hands and the laying on of hands in St Eugene's Cathedral - from Bishop Seamus Hegarty.

'So happy'

Speaking ahead of her son's ordination proud mother Eileen, said: "I am so thankful to God that Daniel is so happy. I feel that it is a real blessing in our lives."

Muff's Parish Priest, Fr. John Farren, who helped support Daniel during his studies, added: "Everyone is looking forward to Sunday. It is a very joyful occasion for the McFaul family and for the whole parish. On behalf of everyone I want to wish Daniel every happiness for his life in the priesthood."

Looking forward to the ceremony, Daniel acknowledged the "enormous" support he received from family and friends but, in particular from the priests of the parish of Iskaheen including the late Fr. Willie McShane,the late Fr. Lawrence Keaveney, and the late Fr. Eddie McColgan.

He said that many local people had compared his ordination to that Fr Eddie McColgan - also from Iskaheen - 56 years ago.

Fr. Eddie, a Columban priest who was ordained in Dalgan in 1952 and worked in the Missions in the South Pacific island of Fiji for more than 40 years, was very much looking forward to Daniel's ordination but sadly died in January this year.

Close connections

Daniel further acknowledged the support of former Muff Parish Priest Monsignor Joseph Donnelly and the current priests of the parish, Fr. John Farren, Fr. Colm Morris, Fr. Tony Mailey, Fr. Martin and Fr. Ryder, who have close connections with Iskaheen, and Fr. Seamus Kelly.

He has also paid tribute to the support received from Bishop Hegarty, Bishop Lagan and Bishop Daly, Vocations Directors Fr. Paul Farren and Fr. Colm O'Doherty.

The ordination takes place this Sunday at 3pm in St Eugene's Cathedral and Daniel is expected to arrive back in his home parish of Iskaheen around 10.30pm on Sunday.

He will say his first Mass in the Sacred Heart Church in Muff on Monday at 7.30pm and his first Mass in his home chapel at St Patrick's Iskaheen on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

Everyone is invited to the ordination and the homecoming Masses.