Priests celebrate more than 500 collective years of service at jubilee mass in Portsmouth church
A GROUP of priests are celebrating a collective total of 535 years in service to God have taken part in a special mass.
The Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth yesterday celebrated a Jubilarian Mass to mark the jubilees of ordination, led by Bishop Philip Egan at St John’s Cathedral.
Bishop Philip said: ‘My prayers and congratulations go to this cohort of priests, who have made this personal commitment and sacrifice on accepting a life of vocation.
‘The obstacles that each of them has faced in their vocational journeys are an example to us all of resilience and perseverance.
‘Ad multos annos! May they be blessed to see many more years to celebrate the liturgy in all its many aspects.’
The Jubilarians are: Fr Brian Coogan (75 years), Rev David Quarmby (Diamond Jubilee, 60 years), Rev David Forrester, Rev Paul Lyons, and Rev Antony Pennicott (all Golden Jubilee, 50 years), Rev James Carling, Rev Dermot Fenlon, Rev Jamie McGrath, Rev Andrew Moore, and Rev Patrick Tansey (all Ruby Jubilee, 40 years), and Rev John Humphreys and Rev Bruce Barnes (Silver Jubilee, 25 years).