Growing up during the turbulent “Troubles” in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Dermot longed to immigrate to the USA where he could be free to study, grow and mature away from British Army harassment and sectarian violence. He got his chance in 1980, and at the age of 17 moved to Cleveland, Ohio.

Always a deeply religious young man, Dermot found work at St. John Cathedral, taking care of the retired Ordinary, Bishop Clarence G. Issenmann and working alongside the newly established Brothers of St. Joseph the Worker, of the Third Order of St. Francis. It was there that he acknowledged his vocation to ministry and joined the Capuchin Franciscan Order where he professed his first vows in 1986.

As a friar, Br. Dermot never forgot his immigrant beginnings and found himself constantly attracted to ministries among the poor immigrant communities of Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. He became fluent in Spanish and was sent to work in parishes in Puerto Rico and Honduras.

In 1991, having earned an M. Div and an MA in Theology, Dermot was ordained to the priesthood by the Ordinary of Pittsburgh, Bishop Donald Wuerl. He served as parochial vicar in several parishes in Ohio, Puerto Rico, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts until he made the decision to finally “come out of the closet” preferring to be an openly gay lay person than a closeted priest. Dermot made the decision to follow a long held dream and move to California to begin a new life. He sold his home, packed up his beat up 1998 Hyundai and drove across country in late January, 2007 to begin a new life in San Diego.

While volunteering as an English teacher at Bienestar, a LGBT Center for Latinos, Dermot noticed the banner announcing the celebration of Mass at St. John the Beloved Cathedral in Hillcrest. After several weeks of walking past, noting the Mass times etc., Dermot decided to go to Church one Sunday and was immediately embraced as a human being, a gay man and a priest - Happy Days!

While still pursuing incardination to the American Catholic Church Diocese of California, Fr. Dermot was invited by Bishop Abel to initiate the Spanish Language mass on September 16, 2007. Fr. Dermot noted the Divine Hand at work since it was on that day in 1810 a Mexican priest by the name of Padre Miguel Hidalgo, tired of Spanish colonial rule and tyranny cried out to his people: “Mexicanos, viva Mexico!” and so led the nation to self rule and Independence from Spain.

Fr. Dermot hopes to serve all the People of God, but holds a special place in his heart for those who feel neglected, unwanted, unloved and disenfranchised by the larger institutions of Church or State: “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Fr. Dermot was incardinated into the American Catholic Church Diocese of California on October 7, 2007 and is assigned as Associate Rector of Saint John the Beloved Cathedral. Knowing Fr. Dermot’s with plans to minister to the Latino community in the context of his parish work at Saint John's. Father Dermot is currently on Sabbatical.