Derry Diocese’s newest priest, Fr Baxter, has strong Inishowen connections
Fr Stephen set to say his first Inishowen Mass at Cockhill Chapel on Friday, June 19
The newest priest to be ordained in the Derry Diocese has strong Inishowen connections.
Fr Stephen Baxter was ordained at a ceremony led by Bishop Donal McKeown in St Columb’s Church in Derry’s Waterside on Sunday, June 14.
His proud parents are Charlie and Sadie Baxter, from Newtowncunningham, and Fr Stephen has an aunt and uncle living in Burt.
The former bus driver turned cleric is currently in Rome, but he’ll be back home on Friday evening, June 19, when he’s due to say his first Inishowen Mass at Cockhill Chapel (7pm).
Mr Baxter (47), who was ordained a deacon in June of last year, has followed a long and varied road to the priesthood, including almost two decades of work in public transport before entering seminary formation.
Born in Shantallow in 1979, he was baptised in Steelstown. He received his primary education at Dungiven Road Primary School, now known as Good Shepherd Primary School in Derry, and served as an altar boy from 1987 to 1990. He later attended St Columb’s College in Derry from 1990 to 1997.
Following his education, Mr Baxter worked with Translink for 19 years, initially as a driver and later as an inspector. It was during this time that he began to discern a vocation to the priesthood.
He was accepted as a seminarian for the Diocese of Derry in the summer of 2019 and began a period of formation, including a propedeutic course of study at the Scots College in Salamanca, Spain, in January 2020.
His studies were shortly interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with students advised to return home and continue their formation through distance learning.
He later graduated from St Patrick’s Seminary, Maynooth, in 2022 with a Diploma in Philosophy. Over the past four years he has continued his theological studies at the Pontifical Beda College in Rome. During his formation he also gained pastoral experience in a number of parishes across the Diocese of Derry during holidays and breaks from study.
A Diocese of Derry spokesperson said: “We give thanks to God for Stephen's generous response to the Lord's call and ask your prayers for him as he begins his priestly ministry.”