Popular Kilcloon PP lauded as he celebrates 50 years as priest

The bells pealed joyfully as servers, priests and the Bishop of Meath entered the Church of St Oliver Plunkett in Kilcloon in procession for a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving on Friday night last to celebrate the golden jubilee of the ordination of Fr Gerard Rice, Parish Priest of Kilcloon, Batterstown and the Little Chapel. As the procession made its way through the crowded church to the altar, the choirs and congregation rose to sing 'Now Thank We All Our God,' accompanied by trumpet and organ. The entrance hymn over, Bishop Michael Smith addressed the jubilarian, his relatives, friends and parishioners with warmth and humour. Six of the priests who concelebrated the Mass had been taught by Fr Rice in St Patrick's Classical School, Navan, or St Mary's Diocesan School, Drogheda. A parishioner ordained only last year, Fr Stephen Kelly, CC, Navan, delivered the homily. Pupils of St Mary's Diocesan School and St Patrick's Classical School took part in the offertory procession, together with some of Fr Rice's cousins, while pupils from this year's confirmation class in Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa, Kilcloon, provided an instrumental accompaniment. At the end of the Mass, children of the parish who recently made their First Holy Communion brought forward several sets of new vestments to be blessed by Fr Rice. Afterwards refreshments were provided by the parish in the Blackhall Gaels GAA Hall. At the invitation of Owen Burke, the MC, the principal of St Mary's Diocesan School, Jim Brady, spoke of Fr Rice's unique contribution to the school as principal from 1986 until 1994 and, on behalf of the board of management, presented the jubilarian with an oil painting by Richard Moore, The Dale. Other speeches followed, including verse by Owen Burke and by Gerry Delany. Fr Rice was born in 1937 and entered St Patrick's College (Maynooth) in 1954. On 18th June 1961, he was ordained to the priesthood in St Patrick's College by Cardinal Agagianian, Papal Legate to the Patrician Congress, held to commemorate the 1,500th anniversary of the death of St Patrick. The next day at 7.30am, Fr Rice offered his First Mass in St Peter's Church in Drogheda. The first seven years of his priesthood were spent in the Diocese of Ossory, first as chaplain to the De La Salle Monastery in Castletown (Portlaoise), and then as a curate in St Patrick's Parish, Kilkenny. In 1968 he was appointed to the staff of St Patrick's Classical School in Navan where he taught English and History until 1986, when he was appointed principal of St Mary's Diocesan School, a position 'Br Rice' would hold for the next eight years. As editor (1972-1993) of the records of the Meath Archaeological and Historical Society, 'Ríocht na Midhe', he made a singular contribution to all who sought cultural and historical orientation. A sabbatical year in 1994 took Fr Rice to the Sichuan province of China, where he taught Anglo-Irish Literature. Upon his return to Ireland the following year, he was appointed parish priest of Kilcloon, Batterstown and the Little Chapel.