14/07/2025
34 years ago today, I was Ordained to the Sacred Priesthood by Bishop Patrick Kelly in St. Joseph's Church, Reddish.
They say ignorance is bliss, well, I didn't realise the challenges I would face in the years ahead, and maybe that was for the best. I have great joy in my life, not least in the people I meet - I look forward to celebrating Holy Mass this evening, offered for all those who have helped me on what appeared the long journey to Ordination, but now seems like far too fleeting a time - my family, my fellow students, our professors, the saintly Msgr Michael Kirkham who, when I went for my first end of term Rector's meeting in seminary, made reference to 'a certain loudness'. To the parishes where I was on placement (Our Lady and St. Paul's, Darn Hill, St. Vincent de Paul, Norden, St. Nicholas, Boldmere, St. Mary's, Eccles). Also the Monks and residents of Caldey Island, where I worked for 5 summers.
I thank God for the confidence He has in me, more than I ever had in myself, for all the Baptisms, Weddings ( Jo-Anne & Raymond Bayliss, Angela & Gaz etc.), Requiems, Confirmations, Anointings of the sick, God's forgiveness shared in the Sacrament of Confession so many thousands of times, Celebrations of First Communions, the people I have received into the Church. For my time as a School Chaplain in St. Cuthbert's, Rochdale, as Curate at St. Patrick's, Rochdale, Curate then Parish Priest in the Byzantine joy which is St. John the Baptist's, Rochdale, my short but busy (with Millenial marriages) time as PP in St. Joseph's, Accrington, the 12 remarkable years as a Prison Chaplain in HMP Durham (2001-2004) and HMP Full Sutton (2004-2013), the 12 years since I returned to the Diocese here in Holy Family and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour parishes, Blackburn, with 4 years as RBH Chaplain (then a return for 2 years during lockdown).
I wish to thank God for the priests I served with - Fr. Joseph Francis Sweeney and Fr. Martin Brogan, to whom I was curate, and from whom I learned so much, Fr. Frankie Mulgrew, Fr. Laurence Gambella,, Fr. Bob Heyes, Fr. Joe Gee, Fr. Frank Parkinson, Canon David Foster, Fr Samson, who were my curates, or otherwise supported my parishes whilst Hospital Chaplains.
A special mention for Fr. Christopher McGrane, who was student and deacon with me in Rochdale, then Accrington. He celebrates his 24th Anniversary of ordination today, and I was honoured to vest him as a priest at his Ordination.
Priests need priest friends and role models, and I make a particular mention of Frs. Tony Dutton, Mark Skelton, Anthony Kay, Michael Gillgan, Stephen Pearson, Frank Gallagher, Roger Reader, and Thomas Anthony McBride, David Palmer, who have played significant roles in my life and helped keep me sane and on the right path.
On the "keeping sane" front, thanks to Fr. David Yates, whom I have known since 1984, and who offered much needed friendship and support during our time sharing the considerable challenges and burdens of hospital chaplaincy during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was the most challenging time of our priesthood (and he spent 22 years as a Royal Navy Chaplain and I worked in High Security prisons for 12 years) and our socially distanced walks around the empty RBH car park as we passed on the pager and shared the remarkable challenges of the time, were very important occasions of support and friendship . Thanks to Fr. Simon Stamp who, when the pressure was getting to us, joined us to ease the burden and became part of a much-needed Catholic Chaplaincy support group.
There is one student I had who came to me unexpectedly in St. John the Baptist, Rochdale - Marek Forgáč from Kočise in Slovakia. I attended his Diaconal and Priestly ordinations and now he is, and has been for several years, auxiliary Bishop of the archdiocese of Košice. I am offically old.
I owe much to religious orders and congregations: I thank the Redemptorists for forming my vocation over 5 years. I thank the Sisters of Thicket Priory for giving me support and a home for 9 years, the Franciscan Missionaries of St. Joseph, Sisters of Mercy ,and Teaching Sisters of St. Dorothy, Daughters of the Sacred Hearts, for the support I have received from their sisters in both parish and prison ministry. St. Carmel of the Presentation Sisters for her work with the Travelling community.
I thank Bishop Kelly for, in the summer of 1994, unexpectedly (for both of us) appointing me as Chaplain to the Travelling Community.
31 years later, here I still am, Diocesan Traveller's Chaplain, having also been an advocate for Travellers' whilst working in the Prison Service. I thank God for Declan O'Loughlin, Siobhan Oloughlin, Sarges Pa Del, Johnny Casey, Paddy John Reynolds, Mairtín Mac An Bhaird Eileen GD Eileen Doherty , Cat Ward Edwardjordanxjohnnyissac Reilly, Tommy Landscape Tommy Cash, Raymond Ward, Rockykathleen Wardand the many, many other Travelling People I know, have known, and am honoured to be their priest.
I thank my Mum and my late Dad, and all my siblings, without whom nothing would be possible.
Today I am grateful for the friendships I have made, the lives that have touched mine, and those I have touched (hopefully for the better), for the wonderful support of my family, my parishioners, my brother priests and the bishops under whom I have served (Bishop Patrick Kelly, Bishop Terence Brain, Bishop John Arnold and, whilst in HMPS, Bishop Ambrose Griffiths, Bishop John Crowley and our own Salford brother, Bishop Terry Drainey).
So many wonderful memories, so many remarkable graces, over the past 34 years.
Thank you to everybody, please keep me, and all priests, in your prayers.
St. Camillis De Lellis, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Anthony, pray for us.
St. Therese, pray for us.
St. Gerard Majella, pray for us.
Blessed Ceferino Gimenez Malla, pray for us.
St. John Vianney, pray for us.
St. Alphonsus de Ligouri, pray for us
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, pray for us.
