Last Friday, family, friends, civic guests, clergy, religious and parishioners gathered together at St. Teilo's Catholic Church, Tenby, to attend a Concelebrated Mass of Thanksgiving for the Golden Jubilee of Fr. Owen McGreal's ordination to the priesthood.

His brothers, Lt. Col. Patrick McGreal and Mrs. McGreal, Fr. Micael MacGreil, SJ, and many nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces came from the Republic of Ireland to celebrate this great event. Sadly, his brother Austin McGreal and his wife Margaret, who live in Philadelphia, and his brother, Sean, who is seriously ill in Ireland, were unable to attend.

Among Fr. Owen's guests were Rt. Rev. Bishop Thomas Burns SM, recently appointed Bishop of Menevia; Bishop Emeritus Rt. Rev. Daniel Mullins, former Bishop of Menevia; fellow clergy from the Diocese of Menevia, and clergy from the Diocese of Wrexham, North Wales; Brother Gabriel Collins, OCSO, who represented the Abbot of Caldey, Rt. Rev. Daniel van Sanvoort OCSO and a number of Mercy Sisters from Fishguard and St. Nons. The Sisters of Mercy are well known in the town, having served the church in Tenby for more than 70 years, and who established a Catholic School in Tenby, the precurser to St. Teilo's Catholic School. Also present were Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, Pembroke Dock.

Civic guests were the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, County Councillor Michael Williams and Mrs. Y. Williams, Rev. Michael John, who represented Rev. Andrew Davies, Rector of St. Mary's Church, Mrs. Brenda Harris, who represented St. Johns Church, Mr. Nick Atherton, Head of St. Teilo's Catholic Church.

Also in attendance were many parishioners of St. Teilo's Catholic Church, Tenby and St. Bride's Catholic Church, Saundersfoot. So, too, were parishioners from Llanelli, Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock Catholic Churches, and children from St. Teilo's School and Mary Immaculate School, Haverfordwest, who sang Ave Maria during Mass.

With great wit and knowledge of Fr. Owen, his brother, Micael MacGreil, SJ, gave the eulogy outlining the spiritual growth of Fr. Owen's road to the priesthood, which began when Fr. Owen was a very young boy, nurtured by his devout mother and father, and his late sister, Mary, who herself became a Religious Sister.

Fr. Micael also referred to Fr. Owen's academic achievements in obtaining a BA and later an MA, and his subsequent teaching at Catholic schools in North Wales.

His priestly ministry began in Menevia Diocese, firstly in North Wales, and then South West Wales. It was the love of God which planted the seed of priesthood in Fr. Owen and the love of Mary, mother of Jesus (to whom Fr. Owen has a great devotion) which had sustained him throughout his life. During his eulogy, his brother, Fr. Micael, SJ, said that it was through his brother, Fr. Owen, that he himself became a priest, giving up successful career as an officer in the Irish Army.

After the Jubilee Mass, many attended a buffet at the Giltar Hotel, during which Fr. Owen was presented with generous gifts from his parishioners and friends and on behalf of Tenby Town Council, the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, presented him with a medallion in recognition of his 50 years as a priest and service to the town.

Thanks go to the joint proprietors of the Giltar Hotel, Malcolm Brace and Pat Jenkins, for their kindness and professional help in planning the buffet and for the way in which they were able to accommodate such a large gathering to celebrate Fr. Owen's Golden Jubilee. Thanks also go to their staff for their kindness.