Golden jubilee celebrations at Holy Family church, Fajara

Friday, 21st October 2011 was the favorable date chosen to celebrate the golden jubilee of Rev. Father Mathias Murphy. The celebration took place at the Holy Family Catholic Church, Fajara. At 6 pm, many parishioners of the church and well wishers turned up to celebrate mass and witness the day’s celebrations.

Father Murphy as he is commonly called was the chief celebrant assisted by Bishop Robert Ellison, the Bishop of Banjul and nine other priests. The mass was well attended and animated with singing by the Baati linguere choral group.

The Baati linguere choral group is the choir at the Holy Spirit Church in Banjul where Father Murphy served for more than twenty years. Together with the congregation, the choir sang heartily very familiar and favorable songs of the golden jubilee celebrant.

Father Murphy and the Baati Linguere choral group had long term association at the Holy Spirit Church in Banjul. Notable in those gone years were the Christmas and Easter Vigil liturgies drew a lot of Christians to the Holy Spirit Church. Today parishioners and many Christians who loved to worship at the Holy Spirit Church missed a good part of their life’s celebrations because it is no longer the same.

During his homily at the Jubilee mass of thanksgiving, Father Murphy recalled his ordination mates by name and prayed for them all. Most of those he was ordained with had been called to their maker in eternity. He continued to say in his homily that, he had two memorable moments to remember that made the best out of his life as a priest.

The first was the sad moment of being evicted out of Nigeria where he first served as a missionary due to the war of Biafra. The second memorable moment was when he was asked to go as a missionary again but his time to the peaceful country of The Gambia in 1971. From his arrival to date, Fr. Murphy has spent forty years of service in The Gambian Church. In concluding his homily, he thanked God for making him the priest that he has been and is still is and for God’s abundant blessings.

After mass, all who were present were treated to a very delicious dinner in the Holy Family church grounds. The parishioners being host for the occasion played a major role in ushering and enabling everyone to be well attended and eat well. The atmosphere was a good and friendly one and there was gospel music provided as entertainment of the night.

During the dinner Father Murphy was presented with a jubilee a cake which he cut and a piece was shared for all to taste. Many well wishers at the end of the dinner shook hands with Father Murphy to congratulate him and presented some gifts to him to appreciate his long term services in church in The Gambia.

Father Murphy who had retired from active service to the church is now residing in the grounds of St. Peter’s Parish. The Christian Panorama as well wished him good health while congratulating him in his golden jubilee celebration. Father Murphy has been to many people a priest, a teacher, a confessor and a good preacher that kept all who listen to him awake .

Ad multos Annos.