Ad Multos Annos

This evening I will be visiting the parish of Our Lady and St Joseph, Leigh on Sea. This will be to join the celebrations for the Silver Jubilee of ordination of the parish priest there. This is what Fr Kevin wrote about these celebrations in his newsletter last Sunday (I wasn't able to make the "big do" last night):

With great joy and thanksgiving to God, I hope to celebrate twenty-five years of the gift of Priesthood this Tuesday evening with a concelebrated Mass at 7.30pm I hope many of you will be able to join me. The Bishop will be present together with many of the priests I have had the privilege to work with over that time, and some of my close priest-friends. I will offer the Mass in thanksgiving for the wonderful gift that is the Catholic Priesthood; and in particular for all the graces given to and through me. I hope to welcome visitors from other Parishes where I have served together with our own Parish Family. Our Diocesan Director of Music has kindly arranged the liturgical music with some of the Cathedral Choir. On Wednesday – Solemnity of the Birth of St John the Baptist – there will be another celebration on the anniversary of my First Mass; this will be a sung Latin Mass (new rite) at which I will preach, and again I hope many of you will be able to attend.

I assume that Fr Kevin will preach in Latin - simultaneous translation available by podcast. When Fr Kevin was parish priest in Romford I fulfilled the role of parish MC - I learnt very quickly that what looks highly reverent to the congregation can, in what is not heard by the congregation at large, be full of pertinent comment - but that's letting you into the secret of why Fr Kevin does not favour the clip-on radio microphone!

Fr Tim has posted about Sr Claire's Silver Jubilee celebration at St Cecilia's: here and here. I am not very good at keeping in touch - at one time I managed to make a visit to St Claire each year - but this broke down when other things began to occupy my summer break from school. The connection goes back to university days (be polite, don't ask how long ago that was); I believe there are one or two other members of the community at St Cecilia's who I knew , but not closely, at that time.

I think these Jubilee celebrations take place at three levels. They are occasions for celebration at a human level, with family and friends; they are a great encouragement to others in their living of the Christian life. They are also spiritual occasions, in that they are occasions of prayer of thanksgiving and praise offered to God for graces that have been recieved. At a third level, they are also a celebration of the good things that the Lord has done for his people - a celebration of the Paschal mystery. We can say of them, as we do of Easter Day, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it".