Retired Cardinal Thomas Williams of Wellington, who credits his priestly vocation to YCW formationn has celebrated his diamond and ruby jubilees with the theme of thanksgiving and repentance, NZ Catholic reports.
The cardinal had an early celebration for his friends and families from Auckland and Hamilton on December 17 at the Carmelite Monastery in Royal Oak, Auckland and a later celebration in Waikanae, where he currently resides. December 20 marked his 40th anniversary as bishop
and 60 as a priest.
“Above all, I thank God for giving me a share in the priesthood of his Son, Jesus Christ,” he said at his jubilee homily in Auckland, “as I thank God for those in earlier years who formed me, and prepared me to respond to his call to priestly ministry”.
Cardinal Williams also expressed hope that the formation methods of the Young
Christian Workers movement, founded by Belgian Cardinal Joseph Cadijn, are brought back to youth ministry.
“It gave me my vocation. I wouldn’t have become a priest if had I not had the background in the formation in the Catholic youth movement. The basic aim of the movement was the formation of leaders for the mission of the Church. So, formation, leadership, mission,” he said.
Asked how he would like to be remembered, Cardinal Williams hesitated
before saying, “I don’t expect to be greatly remembered but . . . [I would like to be remembered as] a dedicated servant”.
SOURCE
Two jubilees for Cardinal Williams (NZ Catholic)
