By Jamie O’Brien
With more than 700 years of faithful service between them, several retired clergy from across the Archdiocese came together this week for a Mass and lunch with Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.
Clergy present for the occasion included Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, Mgr Tim Corcoran, Mgr Michael Keating, Fr Laurence Murphy SDS, Fr Maurice Toop, Fr Henry Byrne, Fr Jim Corcoran, Fr Ken Keating, Fr Geoff Beyer, Fr Michael Casey and Fr Tim Foster.
The clergy were joined for the occasion by Vicar for Clergy, Fr Brian McKenna, Clergy Support and Liaison Officer Brian Bonser, new Director for the Office of the Archbishop, Daniel Lynch and Archdiocesan Communications Manager and Editor for The Record, Jamie O’Brien.
Celebrating Mass on the feast of St Josephat and drawing on the Gospel reading, Archbishop Costelloe reflected on the importance of being a servant and thanked the clergy present for their continued dedication and years of service.
“The Gospel has some very interesting points for reflection – especially for you here today who are our retired priests – the question that it is asking is must the master be grateful because the servants have done just what they were asked to do?” Archbishop Costelloe noted.
“We might think, must the Lord be grateful to us for doing what we’ve been asked to do, what we promised on the day of our ordination?” he continued.
Reflecting on the impact of clericalism, Archbishop Costelloe went on to say that Jesus is reminding us that we are indeed servants, not masters.
“The thing about being a servant is that the whole life and ministry of Jesus reminds us that in God’s kingdom, being a servant is actually an honourable thing.”
“It is a real place of honour, if you’re a servant, in the kingdom of God.”
Emeritus Archbishop Hickey also greeted the clergy for the occasion, encouraging them to pray for vocations.