Plymouth: Bishop Nicholas Hudson and Jubilarian Priests mark significant Ordination anniversaries

l-r: Fr Gerard Wilberforce, Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Fr Anthony O'Gorman and Canon John Webb. Image: ben@nativemultimedia

Source: CBCEW

Priests celebrating significant anniversaries of ordination - Golden, Ruby, and Silver Jubilarians - were remembered today at a Jubilarians' Mass in the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface in Plymouth marking decades of priestly service and ministry.

Bishop Nicholas Hudson, who is celebrating his Ruby anniversary, began the Mass by sharing: "I am deeply moved to come alongside Fr Gerard Wilberforce, Canon John Webb and Fr Anthony O'Gorman today as they celebrate their Golden, Ruby and Silver Jubilees respectively; and I celebrate my Ruby Jubilee of priestly ordination too."

In his homily, Bishop Nicholas shared a personal story from Rome: walking through the city with an old university friend, Philip, and his four children, they met a young British diplomat, Nicholas, and his four children. Bishop Nicholas found himself saying that he had baptised seven of these eight children.

When asked by Nicholas whether baptism gave him "some kind of proprietary rights" over the children, he reflected that what he really meant was that he holds them "in his heart" - that line which "captures so much of what it means to be a priest: 'I will hold your people in my heart'."

He described this as capturing "both what we do and are": the sacraments administered, the couples married, and especially "the sick and housebound" accompanied "through illness into death" over a lifetime of ministry - people he said priests "hold in our hearts forever... right up into eternity."

Quoting his former seminary Rector, Monsignor Jack Kennedy, on the occasion of his own Ruby Jubilee he recalled the words: "The priest needs to be a disciple of Christ. A disciple does not need to be a priest, but a priest needs to be a disciple."

Remembering Cardinal Hume's prayer before the cross, Bishop Nicholas repeated his words: "If ever you can't pray, just look at the cross." He also spoke of Saint Mother Teresa's challenge and wisdom that "The Holy Hour before the Eucharist should lead us to the Holy Hour with the poor," and her encouragement to priests to "celebrate every Mass as if it were your first."

Bishop Nicholas also spoke of attending an early morning Mass with Pope St John Paul II, finding him already "praying before the Blessed Sacrament." As he prayed, the Pope passed "between his fingers, every minute or so, another piece of paper," each one carrying an intention brought to him for prayer. Bishop Nicholas reflected that both Pope and Cardinal alike had taught priests "to hold in our hearts the people who had asked our prayers and to ask Jesus to hold each one of them in his Sacred Heart too."

Recalling Saint Francis's words when he was very close to death: "We have scarcely begun to love the Lord." Bishop Nicholas suggested that every Jubilarian, regardless of how many years they have served, "can all surely say the same."

The bishop ended his homily by reflecting on Cardinal Hume's own insights into his life of prayer: "I may not have been successful. But I have been faithful." Bishop Nicholas suggested "that is surely all that will matter ultimately."