14 Feb 2025, 14:31
Pastor Tony O’Rourke Retires From Pastoral Ministry
Pastor Tony O’Rourke began his pastoral ministry in 2008. Along with his wife Betty, he served the Irish Mission for 16 years, concluding their ministry in December 2024. They left behind a legacy of compassion, faith and community service, offering not just spiritual guidance but also a listening ear and a helping hand. As Pastor Tony steps down from his role, the churches he was pastoring — Newmarket-on-Fergus, Longford and Galway Seventh-day Adventist Churches — celebrated his remarkable journey, sharing stories of how his kindness and dedication have touched their lives.
Though he is retiring from his official duties, Pastor Tony assures everyone that he will remain an active member, continuing to support and uplift those around him. He also continues serving as the Prayer Ministries Sponsor for the Irish Mission. In his farewell speech, he expresses gratitude for the love and support he has received over the years.
As Pastor Tony O’Rourke embarks on a new chapter, we pray that God will continue to guide his life and that his legacy will continue to thrive in the hearts of those he has touched.
Pastor Tony O’Rourke: A Life of Faith, Family, and Service
Tony O’Rourke grew up on a farm in East Galway, Ireland. He comes from a large family of four brothers and five sisters, being the second eldest. Having grown up close to the River Suck, he developed a love of fishing and the outdoor life. He often rowed a boat to the nearest town, collected groceries for the family, and rowed home again. Raised in a Catholic household, he has fond memories of Christmas, particularly because his father would give handmade Christmas presents during a time when money was scarce.
As a teenager, he attended a boarding school in the Midlands, administered by the Franciscan Order. He found this to be a positive experience as the curriculum included sports, horticulture, agriculture, and drama. During his childhood and early teenage years, his grandmother, a retired nurse, had a lasting influence on him due to her kindness and deep spiritual outlook on life. In his late teens, he travelled to Portlaoise, where he met his future wife, Betty, who was undergoing Nurse training at the time. They are now the parents of four adult children and five grandchildren.
For several years, his career was in construction, but he was always seeking and searching for biblical truths. With great joy, he discovered the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Galway in the early 1990s, and following a Daniel and Revelation Seminar Series, both he and his wife were baptized. Since joining the Church, he has held positions as a Deacon, an Elder, and Head Elder, but never envisioned himself having the opportunity to study as a pastor. This opportunity arose in 2008 when the Irish Mission President at the time, Pastor David Neal, invited him to be the pastor of Cork and Newmarket Seventh-day Adventist Churches, as their pastor was terminally ill. He subsequently began pastoral studies at Newbold College and Weimar Institute in California.
He shares, “My passion in ministry is connecting with people from all cultures, helping them to have a balanced lifestyle — physically, mentally, and spiritually. To achieve this, I find myself trusting in God’s Word, which I study daily, along with prayer and devotional reading. When it comes to my favourite text, Proverbs 3:5-6 holds dearly in my heart. My favourite hymn has always been No. 569, ‘Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour.’ I have been very blessed to travel this journey in life, knowing that God has allowed me the privilege to minister to His people and to empower them to fulfil His commission as given in Matthew 5:13-16.”
IM Communications and Media
Pastor Tony O’Rourke began his pastoral ministry in 2008. Along with his wife Betty, he served the Irish Mission for 16 years, concluding their ministry in December 2024. They left behind a legacy of compassion, faith and community service, offering not just spiritual guidance but also a listening ear and a helping hand. As Pastor Tony steps down from his role, the churches he was pastoring — Newmarket-on-Fergus, Longford and Galway Seventh-day Adventist Churches — celebrated his remarkable journey, sharing stories of how his kindness and dedication have touched their lives.
Though he is retiring from his official duties, Pastor Tony assures everyone that he will remain an active member, continuing to support and uplift those around him. He also continues serving as the Prayer Ministries Sponsor for the Irish Mission. In his farewell speech, he expresses gratitude for the love and support he has received over the years.
As Pastor Tony O’Rourke embarks on a new chapter, we pray that God will continue to guide his life and that his legacy will continue to thrive in the hearts of those he has touched.
Pastor Tony O’Rourke: A Life of Faith, Family, and Service
Tony O’Rourke grew up on a farm in East Galway, Ireland. He comes from a large family of four brothers and five sisters, being the second eldest. Having grown up close to the River Suck, he developed a love of fishing and the outdoor life. He often rowed a boat to the nearest town, collected groceries for the family, and rowed home again. Raised in a Catholic household, he has fond memories of Christmas, particularly because his father would give handmade Christmas presents during a time when money was scarce.
As a teenager, he attended a boarding school in the Midlands, administered by the Franciscan Order. He found this to be a positive experience as the curriculum included sports, horticulture, agriculture, and drama. During his childhood and early teenage years, his grandmother, a retired nurse, had a lasting influence on him due to her kindness and deep spiritual outlook on life. In his late teens, he travelled to Portlaoise, where he met his future wife, Betty, who was undergoing Nurse training at the time. They are now the parents of four adult children and five grandchildren.
For several years, his career was in construction, but he was always seeking and searching for biblical truths. With great joy, he discovered the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Galway in the early 1990s, and following a Daniel and Revelation Seminar Series, both he and his wife were baptized. Since joining the Church, he has held positions as a Deacon, an Elder, and Head Elder, but never envisioned himself having the opportunity to study as a pastor. This opportunity arose in 2008 when the Irish Mission President at the time, Pastor David Neal, invited him to be the pastor of Cork and Newmarket Seventh-day Adventist Churches, as their pastor was terminally ill. He subsequently began pastoral studies at Newbold College and Weimar Institute in California.
He shares, “My passion in ministry is connecting with people from all cultures, helping them to have a balanced lifestyle — physically, mentally, and spiritually. To achieve this, I find myself trusting in God’s Word, which I study daily, along with prayer and devotional reading. When it comes to my favourite text, Proverbs 3:5-6 holds dearly in my heart. My favourite hymn has always been No. 569, ‘Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour.’ I have been very blessed to travel this journey in life, knowing that God has allowed me the privilege to minister to His people and to empower them to fulfil His commission as given in Matthew 5:13-16.”
IM Communications and Media
