Home parish Trim marks Fr Liam Malone’s jubilee
Fr Liam Malone was back in his home parish of Trim to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his ordination last Sunday week (21st August).
Attending the ceremony was a large number of family members, friends and neighbours from Avondale including Fr Malone's mother Carmel, brothers, Michael and Kevin and his sisters, Valerie and Tracy.
In his homily, Fr Malone recalled growing up as a young boy in Avondale and attending the local schools. He pointed to the importance of the parish in his life, especially the example of all the priests who served in Trim.
Speaking at the end of the Mass, local parish priest Fr Paul Crosbie paid tribute to his colleague.
"Fr Liam is still the same warm and bubbly and kind and generous and wise and decent person who has become, over these past 25 years, an incredibly good priest, the sort of priest that anyone of us can aspire to be. Fr Liam brings to priesthood a genuine and gentle care for people, for everyone, whatever their age or background or story. Fr Liam’s love for God and his faithfulness to the Church is exemplary and evident in everything he says and does."
Fr Crosbie pointed out that when Fr Malone was ordained on 8th June 1997, he was the first native of Trim parish for almost 100 years to be ordained for the Diocese of Meath. "Since then Fr Michael Hinds has been ordained for the diocese and, I’m sure, God willing, other sons of the parish will likewise say yes to God calling them in years to come," Fr Crosbie said.
The parish had intended presenting Fr Malone with an Apostolic Blessing. However Fr Crosbie explained that "the Pope’s blessing arrived with a misprint; it was granted to Fr Liam Malone on the occasion of his 25th wedding anniversary." As Fr Crosbie added "someone in the Vatican had too many coffees at work that day!"
Instead Fr Malone was presented with a photo of Trim Parish Church where he was baptised, made his First Holy Communion and Confirmation and where, 25 years ago, he was ordained to the priesthood.