Tenth Anniversary of Priesthood (12/11/1997-12/11/2007- )

Hi everyone,

I am off on retreat tomorrow to Assisi for the five days of the weekday. They have certainly left the 'best wine for last' (Jn) on this sabbatical. What an extraordinary place to celebrate and pray and reflect on the ten years of Priesthood I have just completed and launch off into the next ten years, (with the grace of God) and beyond.

It is hard to believe that ten years ago tomorrow, Anthony Mellor and myself rushed into a side door of the Cathedral well after the entrance procession of Priests and Archbishop had gone into the church (they had forgot to call us and had hilariously left us who were to be ordained, waiting in a side room until we realised they had started already and rushed all confused and frazzled into the side door to the amazement and confusion of those around us!!!).  It was a boiling Thursday night on the 12th November 1997 and here I am ten years later celebrating in Assisi (it will be FREEZING). Ah the contrasts!

Last night we had a wonderful blessing. I met up with Fr Anthony Mellor, my fellow classmant and tenth year ordination priest too, and Fr Anthony Randazzo, and Fr Michael McKeaten (all of us Brisbane Archdiocese priests and in Rome) and another priest from South Australia and had a wonderful celebration dinner at the Casa del Clero house for priests in Rome. We talked and enjoyed the meal together and when someone looked at the watch we realised that four and a half hours had just flown by and i had to rush out of the house before the guards had locked me in for the night!  It was a wonderful night to celebrate Anthony and my 10th anniversary. FR Randazzo had even organised a cake with candles for us. What a wonderful gracious kindness.

We all thought of family and friends back home and the parishes and people we have been blessed to serve. In some ways ten years has flown and at the same time I look back and think of all that has happened at that time and the wonderful parishes I have been in.

I pray that God bless us all and our parishes and family and friends with every good grace and blessing on this occasion.

I will be out of contact for the next five days as I go on this pilgrimage retreat at Assisi. Be assured of my thoughts, prayers and complete thankfulness for all the graces we have received and for family, friends and parishioners at home.

God bless you always,


Here's to God's gracious, guiding companionship and love for us always!

Paul