Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

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Fr Francis Daniel OMI
Celebrating 50 Years of Priesthood

Children and staff from English Martyrs’ Primary School helped lead the celebrations

Golden Jubilee Celebrations

 
On Friday 5th October 2018, the school community – children and staff from English Martyrs’ Primary school here in Tower Hill, London, led the celebrations of the golden jubilee of our Parish Priest Fr. Francis Daniel , otherwise known as Fr Danny.
 
The jubilee mass at midday, took place fifty years, to the day, after Fr Danny’s ordination at St Mary’s Cathedral, Jaffna, Sri Lanka.

Cutting the cake

 
Mass was concelebrated by four priests from other local parishes here in Tower Hamlets Deanery as well as by Bishop Nicholas Hudson who has pastoral responsibility for East London.
 
During the mass, it was wonderful to hear from Fr Danny share about his personal journey to the priesthood which started at a very young age.
 
He told us about the three people who influenced that journey – his mother, his auntie and his then Oblate Parish Priest at his home parish in Jaffna.
 
On the Sunday, there was the chance for the wider Tower Hill parish to celebrate Fr Danny’s jubilee along with his ten years’ service that he has given us as our Parish Priest.
 

The church was packed and it was a joyous occasion with lots of singing and applause

 

The church was packed and it was a joyous occasion with lots of singing and applause.

Afterwards, everyone enjoyed some wonderful home-made food and refreshments which reflected the great diversity of this small but thriving community.

 
Lots of Fr Danny’s Sri Lankan friends and relatives also came to join him in this special celebration and one of them presented him with a colourful decorated green shawl.
 
 
In Sri Lankan tradition, a shawl is given to people on special occasions to the person in order to honour the person and thank them for their generous self-giving to the wider community.
 
 
We have been enriched and privileged to have had this “Priest with a Cross” as our Shepherd and we wish him well in his retirement.
 
 
 
– Eileen McLaughlin
Friends of St. Eugene member at English Martyrs, Tower Hill.

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