Bishop Terry Drainey presided and twelve other priests concelebrated at a wonderful Mass to mark Fr Joe Brennan’s diamond jubilee at St Hida’s Roman Catholic Church in Whitby.

Fr Joe, who was born in 1921 at Enfield in County Meath, entered Blackrock College in Dublin at the age of 12. There he obtained distinctions in religious subjects. Later, after his ordination as a Holy Ghost Father on 16th July 1950, he taught at the College for a few years. His mother did not want him to go to Africa so he came to England in 1963 and was asked by Bishop Brunner to come to Middlesbrough.

From 1963 until 1968 Fr Joe was at the Sacred Heart parish in Hull; he also worked as Chaplain at Hull Prison. After short period at St Hilda’s in Whitby Fr Joe served Our Lady of Perpetual Succour parish in Grangetown from 1970 until 1984, then became the first Parish Priest of St Anne’s in Eston until 2001. Fr Joe’s final parish appointment was at Sacred Heart in Northallerton, during which time he became an alcohol and drugs counsellor. Fr Joe now lives in Whitby with Mary and Joe Hodgson and still does supply work.

Congratulations to Fr Joe.