“LOOKING back over the last 25 years I realise how much I owe to God, and to so very many of his priests and people, for the great blessings I have received.” Those were the opening words of thanks that Mgr Anthony Barry addressed to the huge congregation at the open-air Mass held at St Wilfrid’s secondary school in Crawley, Sussex.
The Mass, concelebrated by 40 priests of the Arundel and Brighton diocese, included the previous bishop, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor and the present Bishop Kieran Conry. In thanking Mgr Barry for his 25 years of ministry Bishop Conry said it was a pleasure to publicly praise and thank not only him but all the priests of the diocese and he thanked God for sending them.
“We should give thanks every day that our diocese has such good shepherds,” he said. Jonathan Morris, head of St Wilfrid’s school, thanked the monsignor for his great vision and work in helping bring about the new school.
He then made a presentation to him of a work of art called “The Resurrection”, which matched the Stations of the Cross that hang in the school chapel.