Fr David Duggan marked the Diamond Jubilee of his priesthood with Mass celebrated by Bishop Philip Pargeter on May 19, writes Józef Łopuszyński.
Fr Dominic Chukka, parish priest of St Christopher’s, said: “Fr Duggan is an excellent priest and a great and trusted friend both for me and also for the parish.
“We thank him for all the work he has done – and continues to do – to me and to the parish in the service of the Lord. On behalf of myself and the parish, I offer him many congratulations and best wishes on his Diamond Jubilee.”
The celebration took place at St Christopher’s Church in Codsall, Staffordshire.
F Duggan came to England in 1945 at the invitation of Fr (later Bishop) Joseph Cleary, and trained for the priesthood at Oscott College. After being ordained by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid at Clonliffe College in Dublin in 1951, Fr Duggan started his ministry at St Gregory’s Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, before founding St Anne’s, Stafford, in 1964. He then served 12 years at St Mary’s Cannock before moving to St Bernadette’s, Wombourne, in 1981 where he remained until his retirement in 2002 when he moved to Albrighton, Shropshire.
In his homily Fr Duggan said: “The highest prayer is when the priest says: ‘This is my body, this is my blood shed for you’.
“Standing there at the altar, he lends Christ his hands and his voice, for it is Christ that changes that bread and wine into his Body and Blood.
“We share in the priesthood of Christ which is the most wonderful gift from God.”
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