WelCom February 2022
Last year’s annual Mass for clergy celebrating their Jubilees of Ordination in the Diocese of Palmerston North, was held at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit on 30 November 2021.
Bishop Peter Cullinane presided over the Mass with Cardinal John Dew, Bishop Owen Dolan, Fr Craig Butler, Monsignor Brian Walsh and several other clergy from the diocese concelebrating.
The five jubilarians celebrated were Bishop Peter Cullinane, 60 years; Fr David Moore sm, 60 years; Fr Arthur Toothill sm, 50 years; Fr Marcus Francis, 20 years; and Fr Manoj Mathew ic, 10 years. Not all of last year’s jubilarians were able to attend the Mass.
Br Kevin Dobbyn fms, who celebrated 50 years of religious profession, was also present for the celebration.
During his homily, Bishop Peter said, ‘Jubilees of Ordination are times for remembering’.
Bishop Peter shared two stories from his own life, which he said highlighted for him the giftedness of God’s presence in our lives.
One story was about a visit he made as a bishop to St Joseph’s School in Dannevirke – the school he had attended as a child. He described to the students gathered how his grandmother had made it possible for him to attend school, despite the long journey required every day. Bishop Peter said, ‘the lesson in this story for all of us is to listen to our grandparents because we never quite know what God might be wanting to say’.
Bishop Peter explained how, that many years after his ordination, he was told by a friend who had been visiting his grandmother when she was unwell, that she had been certain Peter would become a priest.
Bishop Peter said the communion of saints is where we go for our remembering. ‘Our personal histories are in them, our belonging is in them, our identity is in them.’
Bishop Peter spoke on behalf of all the priests, especially those celebrating Jubilees, when he said, ‘What has enabled us to carry on…and empowered us in our ministry…is the people we serve in the parishes. It is in their faith and hopes and love and sacrifices and joys and sorrows and struggles we meet our own calling and find ourselves lifted up, as if on eagles’ wings.
‘The occasion of Jubilee is an occasion of remembering and therefore a time of giving thanks.’
Bishop Peter concluded by asking all the priests gathered to join him in acknowledging their indebtedness to the people to whom they have served and by whom they have been nurtured.
‘I refer therefore to the whole consecrated, saintly, motley, lovely People of God.’
Article by Diocese of Palmerston North Communications Team.