Click on the arrows to go through some photos Gratitude was the theme of the evening in St Johnston on Friday as Fr Oliver McCrossan celebrated 50 years since his priestly ordination. A large congregation of family, neighbours and friends turned out at St Baithin’s Church to mark the golden jubilee of the Columban Missionary. Fr Oliver, born and reared on the Main Street in St Johnston, was joined by Bishop Niall Coll, Bishop of Ossory and a native of St Johnston, concelebrated the Mass alongside Pastor Emeritus Monsignor Dan Carr and Fr Philip Kemmy, one of the administrators of the parish. Fr Oliver said the occasion was “a Mass of thanksgiving and gratitude for the life I have received and the gift of your prayers”. In preparing for the occasion, his mind wandered back to that word: gratitude. For his late parents, Tom and Ruby, and his extended family members. “To this community in St Johnston where I grew up with kind neighbours and kind people,” he said. “They taught me and showed me Christian values and helped me all through my life. “To the people and friends in parishes of the Philippines where I worked for many years. To the Columban Fathers, the priests who worked with me and the Sisters and lay missionaries who have helped and guided me along the way in my journey of life.” Gratitude, too, for the gift of faith he received. Fr Oliver was ordained on Easter Sunday 1975 at St Columban’s College, Navan by Bishop John McCormack, Bishop of Meath, having previously been educated at St Baithin’s NS in St Johnston and St Columb’s College in Derry. He joined the Society of St Columban and moved to the Philippines as a missionary priest in 1976. He spent a large portion of his priestly life there and recently returned for a period at the end of 2024. He said: “I am proud of my culture, proud of my country and how well respected our people are wherever they go. We are right to be proud of our people.” He paid a special tribute to his sisters Gay - who sadly died in 2013 -
Golden jubilee of Fr Oliver McCrossan celebrated in St Johnston
Bishop Niall Coll was among those in attendance as his fellow St Johnston native Fr Oliver McCrossan, a Columban Missionary, celebrated the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood at St Baithin's Church
