Earlier this month, from 3-8 November, more than 35 priests from dioceses across England and Wales celebrated their jubilee of ordination by visiting the Eternal City. One priest was marking 70 years of priesthood while the remainder were a combination of ruby, golden and diamond jubilarians. Among them were Fr Colum Kelly and Canon Eugene McGillicuddy from the Diocese of Leeds who both marked their golden jubilees in 2024. Fr Kelly has now retired after two decades serving as the Port Chaplain at Immingham; before that he was Parish Priest of St Anthony’s, Beeston. Canon Eugene retired in the summer, having been Parish Priest of St Patrick’s, Leeds since 2018.
The priests were the guests of the Villa Palazzola, situated in the Alban Hills, south-east of Rome. From there they made visits to the Papal Palace at Castel Gandolfo, and into Rome itself where they visited the Venerable English College and the Pontifical Beda College, as well as the Basilica of St Paul’s Outside the Walls. In addition they attended Pope Francis’ weekly audience in St Peter’s Square, when Canon Eugene exchanged greetings with the Holy Father.
Our Picture shows Canon Eugene (L) and Fr Colum (R) enjoying a lunchtime aperitivo at the Beda College in the company of Rev Philip Thornley, a Leeds seminarian studying at the college, who was ordained Deacon earlier this year. To Fr Colum and Canon Eugene, Ad multos annos!
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