Fr Eugene McGillycuddy’s Golden Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood fell on 2 June. The Canon celebrated with Mass on the evening of Sunday 9 June at St Patrick’s Church in Leeds, which was packed with parishioners – past and present.
Over the past fifty years Fr Eugene’s priestly journey has taken him to many different parts of the diocese. He began in 1974 as a curate at St Patrick’s, Sheffield, when it was still part of the Leeds Diocese. From there he went to St Theresa’s, Cross Gates; St Patrick, Huddersfield and then to St Patrick, Leeds. He became a Parish Priest in 1987 when Bishop Konstant appointed him to St Columba’s, Bradford. He has also been PP at St Patrick, Birstall, St Patrick, Huddersfield, Blessed Edmund Sykes, Leeds and, of course, at St Patrick’s, Leeds. So, hardly surprising that the church was packed with parishioners, both past and present!
Bishop Marcus came to celebrate Fr Eugene’s 50 years of priesthood, together with more than 20 of his brother priests – including his own brother, Fr Denis McGillycuddy, from the Archdiocese of Birmingham, who preached the homily and who has also celebrated a half century of priestly ministry in recent years. After the Mass the Bishop joined Fr Eugene and his other guests at a reception held ‘over the road’ at the Leeds Irish Centre.
Ad multos annos!
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