Father John McGrath of St Mary’s parish in Corowa celebrates 50 years in the clergy.
According to the Gospel of Matthew 19:26, “With God, all things are possible”.
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As Father John McGrath celebrated his 50th anniversary in the clergy last week, these words resonated most; words that he has lived by and taken to his parishioners.
Father McGrath began his journey as a priest in 1976, and after being ordained worked at parishes in Lavington, Wagga, Griffith, Berrigan, Jerilderie, and Barooga/Mulwala, before coming to Corowa at St Mary’s Parish where he has been for the last 10 years.
He said he’s always been grateful for the support he’s had from family, his parishioners the school communities around him, and was overwhelmed by the turnout to his second jubilee to celebrate the milestone.
“There was a great spirit at the mass and gathering afterwards,” Father McGrath said.
“There were people there from previous parishes, locals and my family attending the celebration.
“Local parishioner Peter Ridge and St Mary’s school principal Cheryl Brigden said some wonderful things at the ceremony, and so did my sister.”
Father McGrath was born in 1951 and is the second-born in a family of 10 children.
His parents, Frank and Helena (Lena), were heavily imbedded in the Tumbarumba community where he grew up.
“I come from a faith-filled Catholic family with a strong emphasis on service to the community,” he said.
“My parents were always involved with the church and community groups around town; they were good role models.”
Father Paul Hart and Father Bernie Thomas delivered the mass to celebrate Father McGrath’s (C) second jubilee.
Mary McPhee, Father McGrath’s older sister, travelled from Leeton to celebrate with her brother.
She said their whole family, except for one brother who had died and another who couldn’t make the trip from Darwin, had travelled to Corowa to salute Father McGrath.
“We’re all very proud and thankful for what he's given us,” Mary said.
“Hopefully we've been able to give him support over the years.
“When he'd come home from the seminary, he never claimed any prestige; he took things as the family were doing them.
“We were grateful to have him as a pastor to do ceremonies like weddings and baptisms, which are a joyful part of the family.
“But he also pulled himself together to deliver some very difficult funerals.”
Mary said it was a big thing when her brother was ordained, with nearly 1,000 people turning up after their mum and dad had written an open letter in the Tumbarumba Times.
Father McGrath’s favourite verse from the Bible is from the Gospel of Matthew and was read at his 1976 ordination:
“The harvest is plenty.
Laborers are few.
Come with me into the fields.
Your arms will grow weary,
Your shoes will wear thin.
Come with me into the fields.”
“That has been the theme by which I have lived my life,” Father McGrath said.
“Faith. Service. Community.
“I’ve always tried to be ecumenical in my time with the church to bring unity and cooperation among different Christian denominations and traditions.
“Being a community minded person, I’ve tried to make the church inclusive and welcoming, because the scope of a priest is more than just the parish they work in.”
Now 75, Father McGrath has reached retirement age and is considering hanging up his robes next year.
However, he said while he won’t be working in an official capacity after he retires, when priests retire they still help with other parishes, so he’ll be filling in when he’s needed.
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