Fr Patrick Moore's golden jubilee to be celebrated
Paul Hughes
Preparations are advanced for the celebration of Castlepollard parish priest Fr Patrick Moore’s golden jubilee this weekend.
The Glenidan native marks 50 years in the priesthood tomorrow, Friday June 15, with an hour of prayer in St Michael’s Church, Castlepollard, followed by refreshments in the parish centre.
Fr Moore is one of the most senior priests in the diocese of Meath, and is vicar forane of the deanery of Fore, which encompasses much of north Westmeath.
Ordained to the priesthood in 1968, during the first months of the episcopate of the late Bishop John McCormack, Fr Moore spent two years in Navan before being relocated to Mullingar parish, where he spent nearly a quarter of a century.
Moved to Kilbeg in 1994, he was appointed parish priest in Castlepollard three years later, and he has spent the last 21 years there.
A traditionalist with a keen intellect, Fr Moore is also one of the diocese’s most outspoken and orthodox clerics. For example, he greatly laments the result of the recent abortion referendum, saying that an “osprey’s egg” now has more rights than an unborn child.
With this and other developments in mind, Fr Moore encourages everyone in Castlepollard and beyond to join him for an hour’s prayer before the Blessed Sacrament on Friday night. “I want it to be a God-centred hour of prayer, rather than me-centred,” he said.
Fr Moore says that from the bottom of his heart, he wishes to express gratitude to the parishioners and schools not just in Castlepollard, but also in Navan, Mullingar and Kilbeg, who have been so good to him over the years.
“I’m a great believer in coalface contact with people, not just at weddings, baptisms and funerals, but beyond.
“I love being in contact with families, and I know the names of most people in the parish. That kind of contact is very satisfying,” says Fr Moore.
“I also loving going into schools and meeting with the teachers and children, something that’s always been a very wholesome experience.”