Bishop Nicholas’s Jubilee

On Sunday 19th July, Bishop Nicholas, celebrates his 40th
Anniversary of ordination, to the Sacred
Priesthood. It is a milestone in his spiritual life and he has written a pastoral letter, which is read to us today in all the parishes, within the diocese of Plymouth.
As our Bishop and our Shepherd, Bishop
Nicholas has requested that we pray
earnestly for an increase in vocations to the priesthood- he says: These words – that “the harvest is rich but the labourers are few” – find a deep echo in the story Jesus tells us today about the man who went out to sow. They should cause each one of us to ask,

“What more can I do to sow the seed of
priesthood in the hearts of young men in my parish?”

Communities are the seedbed of vocations – parish communities, school communities,
religious communities, university
chaplaincies. Each one of your priests will be here because something or someone sowed in his heart the idea of priesthood and he
received the grace to respond. Ask him and he’s very likely to tell you it was a particular priest who inspired him. I thank the priests who serve in this Diocese for saying ‘yes’ to Jesus’s call to follow him in this extraordinary ministry. And to each of them I would say, “You have a
particular responsibility to ask of any young men in your care whom you think might have a calling whether they had ever considered the priesthood.”

A Prayer for Bishop Nicholas

Heavenly Father,
We come before You with hearts full of
gratitude as we celebrate the 40th
anniversary of ordination for Your servant
Bishop Nicholas. For forty years, he has
answered Your sacred call, acting as a
faithful shepherd, teacher, and spiritual guide to Your people.

Thank You, Lord, for the sacraments he has
administered, the comfort he has brought to the grieving, the joy he has shared at the
altar, and the countless lives he has quietly touched. His ministry has been a living
testimony of Your enduring love and grace. As he marks this incredible milestone, we pray that You:

Renew his spirit with the same joy and
passion that filled his heart on his ordination day.

Grant him physical health, mental peace, and deep spiritual strength for the days ahead.

Protect him from weariness and surround him with a community that supports, loves, and prays for him.

Fill his heart with satisfaction knowing his forty years of labour in Your vineyard have borne
immense fruit.

Lord Jesus, You are the Eternal Priest.
Continue to look with favour upon him, guide his steps, and let Your light shine brightly through his ministry for many more blessed years. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

We welcome friends and family of the Bishop who are joining us at the cathedral for Mass at 10.00am. We thank the Sisters of the Morning Star, who have come from Lynton, to pray and sing for us on this special day.