Joyful, golden jubilee for Fr John Curran ordination

A group of St Joseph’s parishioners attended the golden jubilee of Fr John Curran’s ordination to the priesthood at St Michael’s Church in Manilla recently.

Con-celebrated with Fr Ross O’Brien, the Mass was a joyful occasion with Fr Ross paying tribute to his fellow priest for his dedicated service in several parishes around the diocese over the past 50 years.

It was only fitting that the Aboriginal message stick from Pope Francis travelling around the diocese arrived in the parish this week, as Fr John was presented with a papal blessing. Fr John was wearing the same vestments he wore at his ordination by Bishop Henry Kennedy at St Francis Xavier’s Church, in Moree, on August 29, 1974. He came to Gunnedah in March the following year during the ministry of Fr Dick Shanahan and returned in 2006 when Fr Ron Perrett was parish priest.

During his first stint at Gunnedah, Fr John was a keen runner and he claimed victory as the first local competitor across the line in the inaugural Gunnedah Gallop of 1977, placing fifth overall. Although he politely declined a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ invitation to make a comeback in the Gallop on September 8, he still enjoys tennis each week in Manilla, where he is now parish priest and administrator of Werris Creek parish.

At the luncheon in the Services Club, representatives from other Christian churches spoke warmly of Fr John’s ecumenical approach to sharing the faith, and a presentation was made on behalf of the parish and St Michael’s School where Fr John is a popular visitor.

Drawings created by the students adorned the walls of the dining room along with a display of memorabilia and photographs from the past five decades.

Fr John was overwhelmed with the reception and expressed his gratitude to everyone. He said that overwhelmingly the Holy Spirit had kept him inspired in his ministry but also the spirit of the people.

St Joseph’s parishioners were also happy to catch up with Sr Christine Belling and Sr Coral Hedley who now live in other centres.

Meanwhile, St Joseph’s parishioners have remembered with affection former Bishop Kevin Manning, who died on July 15, 2024. The solemn Pontifical Mass of Christian Burial was held at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta, on August 2, with the burial on August 5, in his hometown of Coolah, where he was born in 1933.

In 1991, Bishop Manning was appointed the eighth Bishop of Armidale, NSW, where he served until his appointment as Bishop of Parramatta.

Bishop Michael Kennedy came to the Armidale Diocese after Bishop Manning and has just celebrated the diamond jubilee of his ordination, with a con-celebrated Mass in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Newcastle. He was Bishop of Armidale from 2012 to 2023 when he was installed as Bishop of Maitland. The Armidale Diocese is still without a Bishop, who is to be appointed by Pope Francis.

Deirdre Andren, Margaret Nott, Val McCann and Eva Grace.