The annual Mass celebrating priestly jubilees of ordination took place at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North, on Thursday 15 October 2026 at 12.05 pm, with Bishop John Adams presiding.
The jubilarians were Bishop Peter Cullinane, marking 65 years of priesthood; Fr Tom Sherry and Fr David Gledhill SM, each celebrating 60 years; Fr Marcus Francis, marking 25 years; and Fr Ambrose Maliakkal IC and Fr Vijay Dung Dung, each celebrating 20 years.
In his homily, Bishop John described the occasion as a “double joy”, bringing together the ordination anniversaries and the feast of Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church. He connected her life with the priestly vocation through two themes: friendship with Christ the Good Shepherd and dedication to building up the unity of the body of Christ.
Reflecting on the Gospel image of the Good Shepherd, Bishop John said: “These words are not about status, are not about privilege or a distance from others.” Instead, he spoke of closeness to the people of God and the sacrifices involved in priestly ministry.
Addressing the jubilarians, he thanked them for remaining with the communities entrusted to their care through changing times, weariness, joys and sorrows, and for carrying people’s lives in prayer.
Prayer was central to his reflection. Drawing on Teresa of Avila’s teaching, he described prayer as “an intimate sharing between friends” and “really allowing God to love us”. He said a priest must return continually to friendship with Christ, with the interior life sustaining preaching, the sacraments, visits to the sick, comfort for the grieving and guidance of communities.
Turning to Saint Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Bishop John emphasised the purpose of ministry in strengthening the whole Church. “The priest is not ordained for his own sake,” he said. “He is ordained that the whole people of God may become more fully alive in Christ.” He described the fruits of ministry in terms of strengthening the baptised, encouraging families, remembering the poor and communicating the Gospel to the young.
He also presented Teresa’s work of reform as an example of renewal from within the Church. “Her life reminds us that renewal of the church begins not with a complaint, but with conversion, not with noise, but with holiness, not with despair, but with trust in God.”
As the altar was prepared, Bishop John asked the congregation to pray for the jubilarians. He concluded by extending the call to service to everyone present, speaking of feeding the poor, comforting the grieving, teaching the young and visiting the lonely: “And may all of us, called and gifted by the Holy Spirit, build up the one body of Christ in faith, hope, and love.”
