Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP Ged Killen has tabled a motion in Parliament praising the ’50 years of unwavering service’ of Father Patrick Hennessy.
Father Patrick Hennessy’s first parish was St Columbkille’s in Rutherglen in 1969 and he returned in 2010.
Father Hennessy was ordained at St Columbkille’s in Rutherglen in 1969. A golden jubilee Mass was held at the parish in his honour earlier this month.
Ged Killen MP said:
I was delighted to have the opportunity to table a motion in Parliament recently in recognition of Father Hennessy’s golden jubilee.
His 50 years of unwavering service have seen Father Hennessy work all over Scotland and even to remote areas of Peru as part of his service and dedication to the aims and values of the Church.
Father Hennessy’s first appointment was to St Columbkille’s Parish in 1969, and he has taken part in countless weddings, baptisms and First Holy Communion services across South Lanarkshire since, as well as being a source of comfort during periods of sickness and at funerals.
I congratulate Father Pat on his remarkable achievements, he is a stalwart of the local community and I know everyone will want to join me in wishing him well as he continues his work in Rutherglen.
Father Hennessy was born in Ireland in rural Ireland in 1945 and was ordained priest in 1969.
He spent his first five years as a priest at St Columbkille’s before moving on to St. James, Coatbridge, Langbank and Blairs.
In the 1980s Father Hennessy spent two years at Our Lady’s and St. Anne’s in Hamilton where he is fondly remembered by many parishioners.
“my dream for this great parish is to further build community where so much work has been done by past generations”
Responding to call for more priests in South America, Father Hennessy joined the St. James Society and spent ten years in Peru.
This was a time of internal conflict in the South American country and in 1990 two Polish priests were killed in the neighbouring parish.
Father Hennessy returned to Scotland in 1999 and went on to spend ten years at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in East Kilbride.
He returned to his first parish, St. Columbkille’s, in 2010 and writes that “my dream for this great parish is to further build community where so much work has been done by past generations.”
25th June 2019
