On Friday 2nd February 2024, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Fr Adrian, our parish priest, celebrated fifty years of priesthood. Fr Adrian had some special guests: his brother, Professor Julian Graffy, Archbishop Carlos Castillo of Lima, Peru, who has been a friend for over forty years, and Professor Nuria Calduch-Benages, Secretary of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, on which he has served since 2014. As well as a large number of parishioners there was also a good number of priest friends from the diocese and beyond, especially those who worked with Fr Adrian during his time teaching at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh, from 1983 to 2005. At the end of the Mass Canon Victor Darlington, episcopal vicar in Southwark diocese, and also a biblical scholar, gave a spirited appreciation of Fr Adrian. Many parishioners attended the Mass and laid on a sumptuous international lunch in the hall after the Mass. It was a lovely day for the parish, celebrating the golden jubilee of Fr Adrian during the jubilee year of the church, which was opened in March 1974. On the following day Fr Adrian held a ‘conversation’ with Carlos, Nuria, Dr Sean Ryan, and Fr Javier Ruiz-Ortiz, a recording of which can be viewed by going to www.whatgoodnews.org
