A NEW Port Glasgow priest is on a high after an 'incredible weekend' celebrating his ordination.

Father Ryan Black, the newest priest of the Paisley Diocese, was ordained by Bishop John Keenan after years of training in Rome in the Pontifical Scots College.

Along with proud parents Joan and Norrie another 800 people watched the service - 50 in St Mirin's Cathedral in Paisley and another 750 other people online across the globe via live-stream.

Ryan, whose local parish is St Francis' in Port Glasgow, has been inundated with messages of congratulations and is looking forward to embarking on his calling.

Fr Black said: "I am so grateful to so many people for their love, support and prayers.

"I have been blown away by the number of messages I have received.

"In a special way, I want to thank Bishop Keenan for ordaining me to the priesthood, and my family for their unconditional love and patience.

"I look forward to serving God’s people as His priest."

The Port DJ turned churchman completed the final semester of his studies from home due to Covid-19.

His ordination was originally scheduled for June, but the unusual circumstances worked in his favour by allowing him to spend more time with family and friends before the big day.

As well as hundreds of well wishes flooding in via social media, Bishop Keenan welcomed Ryan into the priesthood.

He said: "Ryan’s an Inverclyde man through and through.

"He’s a real people person and I’m sure he’ll live out his priesthood in the thick of our people’s lives.

"He’s down to earth, approachable and has a zest for life.

"At the same time the church is at the heart of who he is.

"He just wants to bring as much faith, hope and love as he can to ordinary folk and I’m sure they’ll love having him as their parish priest.

"Ryan and his mum and dad, Joan and Norrie, had to prepare for his ordination in the middle of the coronavirus and every announcement from the Scottish Government meant another change to their plans, whether it was postponing the day by three months, to changing the venue from the Port to the Cathedral, or reducing the guest list from 600 down to 50.

"At every stage they found the bright side.

"All that mattered to Ryan was to be a priest and start serving our people and you couldn’t have found a happier guy than him when the day finally arrived.

"The ordination mass was much smaller and simpler with no hymns or processions but maybe it was even more special for all that.

"As well as the 50 congregation in the Cathedral, 750 watched it live-streamed across Inverclyde and the globe, with tissues in their hands and tears in their eyes, even as far as Australia, and it was the same for his first mass in St Francis'.

"For one afternoon the Port was the centre of the world."