WelCom September 2018:
Sue Seconi
Thirty St Mary’s parishioners from Whanganui travelled to the South Taranaki town of Patea to join St Patrick’s parishioners to celebrate with Fr John Roberts his 40th ordination anniversary to the day. Fr John was rostered on the 9.30am Mass on Sunday 19 August 2018.
‘If given the choice to do this all over again, I most certainly would,’ Fr John said after the opening blessing. ‘I just marvel at being chosen – the least – to become a priest and to serve and nourish others.’
Before the final hymn Marie Dwyer of the Parish leadership team invited everyone to come forward to gathering around Fr John for a prayer of thanksgiving and blessing over him.
At morning tea concluded Fr John cut his Jubilee cake made by parish secretary Linda Towers.
Fr John was ordained in St Joseph’s Church in Upper Hutt by Bishop Owen Snedden (Cardinal Delargey was unwell at the time). His Mass of Thanksgiving was at St Francis Xavier Church in Stokes Valley where he had ministered as a Deacon. Fr John presently serves in the Catholic Parish of Whanganui – Te Parihi Katorika Ki Whanganui and is chaplain to St John Ambulance.
‘Latterly, I do a little work preparing the Ordo, the annual calendar that tells people which feasts are celebrated and when,’ Fr John said.
Fr John, centre, is joined by parishioners from South Taranaki and Whanganui to celebrate his 40th jubilee as a priest. Photo: Supplied.