鱿鱼视频app

Now 75, Carroll 鈥� the rector of in Edmonton 鈥� is retiring in August after five decades as a priest on two continents and in parishes throughout Alberta.

鈥淟ife, sometimes, has some surprises,鈥� Carroll said.

Carroll celebrated his 50th anniversary as a priest March 8. He said he鱿鱼视频app been blessed to be with people during the best and worst of times, and many who are deeply involved in parish life.

鈥淲hen you see those people, you know that when you leave this parish and move wherever in the course of one鱿鱼视频app ministry, that they鈥檙e still going to be involved in the parish and not just because they like you.鈥�

Born in Castlerea, Ireland, in 1942, Carroll grew up in a family of 10, with a strong faith.

鈥淢y parents were faithful Catholics who always went to Mass on Sunday. I never went to bed thinking, 鈥榃ell maybe we won鈥檛 go to Mass tomorrow,鈥� 鈥� he said. 

鈥淭hey were heavily involved in the life of the parish, and I had a lot of contact with the priest as I grew up and did various things in the parish.鈥�

In 1949, the Carroll family moved more than 500 kilometres east to Huddersfield, England, near Manchester, so his father could find work. It was there that Carroll became an altar server at age 7.

He also met young priests and heard his own call to the priesthood for the first time.

鈥淭o meet these men 鈥� who were committing their lives to serving the Lord in this ministry 鈥� was instrumental in making me think that this was something I could do.鈥�

After studies at Ushaw College seminary in northern England, Carroll was ordained on March 8, 1968. His first assignment was as assistant pastor in Leeds Cathedral, where hearing confessions became a personal part of his own priesthood.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all wounded in some way, we all need that healing of the Lord in the sacrament of reconciliation,鈥� Carroll said.

In 1971, his bishop asked for volunteers to move to the Archdiocese of Edmonton, which had a shortage of priests. Carroll was the first to come forward.

After five years serving parishes in Evansburg, Drayton Valley and Edmonton, Carroll planned to return to England. But that changed after a meeting with then Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, who convinced him to stay.

鈥淚 had been here for more than five years and I was feeling comfortable with life in Canada,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was very happy and comfortable with that decision to stay.鈥�

Carroll鱿鱼视频app 50-year ministry hasn鈥檛 been without its challenges, especially when he met couples who weren鈥檛 Catholic but still hoped to be married or to have their child baptized in the faith.

鈥淭hat鱿鱼视频app a challenge, to say 鈥楢m I getting through to them? What do I need to do to get through to those people?鈥� That鱿鱼视频app the challenge.鈥�

While he wouldn鈥檛 deny their child baptism, Carroll also encouraged those couples to have their marriages blessed by a priest and to become more involved in the Catholic faith.

In Edmonton, Carroll served at St. Theresa and then at St. Matthew Parish, where he thought he would retire, until he was appointed rector of the Basilica in 2013.

He has particularly enjoyed working with the pastoral team there, including associate pastors Fr. Roger Niedzielski and Fr. Kristopher Schmidt.

鈥淚鈥檝e enjoyed having some of these young priests with me,鈥� said Carroll. 鈥淚鈥檝e been delighted to journey with them as they began their pastoral ministry.鈥�

At St. Joseph鱿鱼视频app Basilica, Carroll is spending his last days before retirement the way he began his ministry, hearing confessions at a cathedral parish.

鈥淎s I鈥檝e grown older, my hearing in one ear is less good, and so when they come on my left side (in the confessional), it鱿鱼视频app more difficult to hear what they鈥檙e saying sometimes,鈥� he said, laughing.

He will remain in Edmonton, but Carroll can鈥檛 wait to spend the Christmas holidays visiting his family in England. Since his ordination, he has always spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrating Mass.

鈥淭o actually get up Christmas morning and have Christmas dinner with the family would be something I鈥檓 looking forward to.鈥�

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