Twelve Perth clergy have last week celebrated their anniversary in 2024 with a combined total of more than 450 years of priestly service.
Leading the jubilarians was Servite priest Fr Chris Ross OSM, who marked his Platinum 70th anniversary.
Joining Fr Chris Ross in celebrating their priestly jubilee was Fr Chien Nguyen, Fr Ihor Holovoko and Fr Remi Asnabun marking their 25th anniversary, Fr Marian Brzozowski SDS and Fr Terry Raj Chinnapappan marking their 40th anniversary, Mgr Brian O’Loughlin, Fr Brian McKenna, Fr John Jegorow and Fr Peter Bianchini marking their 50th anniversary, and Right Rev Abbott Emeritus Bernard Rooney OSB and Fr Anscar McPhee OSB marking their 60th anniversary.
More than 140 clergy came together for the special occasion, which commenced with Mass on Wednesday 13 November lead by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB at Trinity College Chapel followed by a celebratory dinner.
Archbishop Costelloe was joined in particular by concelebrants Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, Vicar General, the Very Rev Fr Vincent Glynn and Episcopal Vicar for Clergy, the Very Rev Fr Minh-Thuy Nguyen, with Deacon Marco Ferraioli assisting, in addition to the 140 clergy present.
Speaking in his homily for the occasion, Archbishop Costelloe invited the clergy to reflect on all the ways in which God fills their lives with good things.
“And perhaps, in a special way, to reflect on how God, in calling us to the ordained ministry, makes use of our gifts, our energy, our commitment and our faith, to bring joy and hope, forgiveness and peace, into the lives of so many people,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“It is good for us, from time to time, to let our minds run over the years of our ministry, recalling those people who in one way or another have allowed us into their lives, who opened their hearts to us, and whom we have been able to help, through God’s grace at work in us.
“The truth is, of course, that in calling us to this ministry God has enriched our lives for more than we have been able, through God‘s grace, to enrich the lives of others,” he said.
Fr Chris Ross celebrates Platinum Jubilee
As one of the currently longest serving clergy of the diocese, Fr Chris Ross OSM entered the Servite Order at St Philip’s seminary in Milwaukee Wisconsin in September 1944.
It was the beginning of his third year of high school and despite being in the throes of World War II, seminarians were exempt from military service.
After four years, Fr Chris took his first vows and from there went to the major seminary called Stonebridge Priory.
He was ordained on 16 May 1954, before Vatican II had even commenced.
After three years as novice master at Stonebridge, Fr Chris was sent to join the pioneering group of Servites in Perth.
“I told my elderly parents that if I were asked to go any further, I would be coming back towards home,” Fr Chris said, in an article with Profiles in Catholicism, in 2021.
“Here I fell in love with Perth and the Australian People and have never looked back.
“I have served multiple commitments, including several times as local Australian superior, succeeding Fra Joseph Loftus who went on to become USA provincial and then Prior General.
“I have been a ‘factotum’, serving as Parish Priest of Joondanna, Chaplain at Servite College, Director of some of the few candidates we have welcomed, as well as tasks’ around the house like treasurer and/or sacristan.
“Besides that, I can boast of having been chairperson of the West Australian Liturgical Commission, which included leading the preparation of the visit in 1984 of the now St Pope John Paul II.
More to come