Photo Caption: Priests observing significant anniversary years or ordination receive the applause of their brother priests and the assembly at the close of the Jubilarian Mass on June 27.

Beyond the personal successes and failures of priests, Jesus is intimately involved and at work “in the whole of our ministry,” Msgr. Doug Hennessy told priests from throughout the Diocese of Peoria who gathered last Thursday to celebrate those observing special anniversary years of ordination in 2013.

“We realize what an extraordinary gift and grace we have been given, to share in the ministerial priesthood of Christ and His church,” said Msgr. Hennessy, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Bloomington. “It is an exalted, awesome identity to which we have been called,” he added, though “lived in very practical and mundane ways.”

Msgr. Hennessy — who on July 14 will celebrate his golden jubilee as well as his retirement — was homilist at the diocese’s Jubilarian Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

“We articulate the community’s faith,” he said to more than 100 fellow priests in attendance, “not only in the various teaching opportunities we have, but especially . . . . as we stand by them as they cope with sickness, loss, with sadness and joys, with the marvelous range of human life we are privileged to share in parish life.” (The full text of his homily appears here.)

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, was principal celebrant of the 4 p.m. Mass, which was followed by a dinner at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria.

“We have reason as the presbyterate of the Diocese of Peoria to rejoice today,” said Bishop Jenky, noting that the words “jubilarian” and “jubilant” trace their roots to a trumpet in the Old Testament. As the Mass began, he urged all in attendance to “make a joyful noise” in thanksgiving to the Lord for the ministries of the diocese’s jubilarian and newly ordained priests.

They did just that in both applause and song following Communion. Msgr. Paul Showalter, vicar general, read the names of all priests observing significant anniversary years, and also called to mind four priests who died in the last year — Father Joseph Heyd, OSB, Father Stanley J. Malinowski, Father Robert Mann, and Father George Schroeder.

After the jubilarians stood and received enthusiastic applause, the priests and the assembly sang “Oh God Beyond All Praising” as a hymn of thanksgiving.

Jubilarian priests, sisters and deacons were profiled in a special section of The Catholic Post published in May. The priests recognized at the June 27 Mass and their years since ordination included:

75 years — Father Richard Raney
50 years — Msgr. Hennessy, Father Edward Carney, Father Neri Greskoviak, OFM, Father Thomas Henseler
40 years — Msgr. Thomas Badovsky, Father Thomas Mizeur, Father Michael Pakula, Father Thomas Shea
25 years — Father James DeBisschop, Father Joseph Hogan, Father David Kipfer, Father Jeffrey Laible, Father Bruce Lopez.

Priests observing jubilees of 65, 55, 45, 35, 30, 20, 15, and 10 years were also recognized.