Celebrations mark 40th Anniversary of Canon Pat Browne's Ordination

Party takes to the floor

There was standing-room only at Holy Apostles Church in Pimlico, central London on Friday evening, for a special Mass for the 40th anniversary of the Ordination to the Priesthood of Canon Pat Browne. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor and Bishop Nicholas Hudson together with about 30 priests concelebrated. The congregation included several Peers and Members of Parliament, the Deputy Mayor of Westminster, Angela Harvey and her consort, local Anglican clergy, as well as over 500 parishioners from Pimlico and Fr Pat's earlier parishes, family and friends. Some had travelled from as far as Singapore, Italy, Spain and Ireland to join the celebrations.

After the Mass, people queued to get into the colourfully decorated hall and parish garden for the party where there was an exhibition of photographs and refreshments.

Fr Pat has touched the lives of so many people throughout his ministry, and during the evening there were many tributes paid to him. His sister Ann described him as a kind and supportive older brother that she and the rest of the family all looked up to. Dr Martin Lupton, now a consultant obstetrician and lecturer in medical ethics recalled the time he first met Fr Pat. At the age of 14 Martin had decided he wanted to be confirmed. He knocked on the door of Clergy House, which he found a rather forbidding building, but then heard someone singing as they came to meet him. It was the start of a most important and lifelong friendship, he said. A former parishioner remembered how Fr Pat had flown out to Italy to see him he was taken very seriously ill. Others recalled Fr Pat's support for them through their studies. Many spoke of his great qualities as a quiet and kind listener. Fr Pat is also much appreciated for his excellent singing voice and gift as a choir leader. One nine year old boy said: "Fr Pat is a really good friend - he brings out the best in people."

After a special cake was cut, and the buffet opened, there were performances by the Cathedral School Choir led by Diane Webster and Filipino tributes from the Young Once Dance group, and Anahaw Dance Artists - before Holy Apostles own Rising Sons band took to the stage and the dancing began.

* Instead of presents, Fr Pat asked for donations to train a priest in the diocese of Lodwar in north west Kenya. So far the fund has raised more than £4,000. Holy Apostles is twinned with Todonyang and Loarengak parishes near the Turkana desert region.

Father Pat was ordained for the Archdiocese of Westminster on 16 June 1974 at All Hallows in Dublin.
He was Assistant Priest at St Edmunds, Edmonton from 1974-1977.

He went on to become Cathedral Chaplain at Westminster Cathedral from 1977 - 1985, and was Private Secretary to Cardinal Basil Hume from 1985 - 1989.

He served as Parish Priest at Our Lady Help of Christians Kentish Town from 1990 - 1998 and was Vocations Director for the Permanent Diaconate 2002 - 2009

He now has a number of responsibilities in the Diocese. Besides serving as Parish Priest in Holy Apostles Church, Pimlico, (since 2001) he is the Roman Catholic Duty Priest to both Houses of Parliament; a member of the Westminster Cathedral Chapter of Canons and one of the Priests on call to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

See also: ICN 24 June 2014 Text: Text: Canon Pat Browne reflects on 40 years of priesthood www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=25019

For more information on Holy Apostles see: www.holyapostlespimlico.org/ (There will be pictures of the celebrations on the site by Saturday, 28th June)