Fr Denis McCarthy OMI celebrated his Diamond Jubilee of Priesthood on June 29 2010. Born in County Limerick, Ireland in 1925, Fr McCarthy entered the Oblate Novitiate at Cahermoyle, also in Country Limerick, in 1943 before studying for the priesthood at Kildalton Abbey, Piltown in County Kilkenny and was ordained on June 29, 1950.

He arrived in Australia late in 1950 and was stationed at St Joseph’s Juniorate at Geelong, Victoria for six months before taking up his first ministry at St Kieran’s in Moe, Victoria as assistant priest.

A brilliant student, all-round sportsman and in possession of a fierce intellect and excellent command of English, Fr McCarthy’s exceptional communication skills soon found him preaching missions and retreats throughout eastern Australia.

In 1957, the Oblates opened the first of their secondary colleges, Iona College in Brisbane, with Fr McCarthy taking up a key role as bursar alongside headmaster Fr Tim Long OMI. Required to wear a number of ‘hats’, Fr McCarthy also taught mathematics and was often at the ‘coalface’ of numerous working bees.

Fr McCarthy was posted to Lesmurdie in Western Australia in 1961 where he continued preaching missions until he was called on to assist in the establishment of a second Oblate school – Mazenod College, due for completion in 1966. His next move, a year later, was as superior of the mission house at Eagle Junction in Brisbane, where he stayed until 1970.

Fr McCarthy’s next appointment was perhaps his most distinguished and certainly his longest, heading the most important job of MAMI Director where he remained for another 35 years. Through his hard work and genuine interest in people, Fr McCarthy strengthened membership numbers and succeeded in raising funds that were vital for the support of the Oblate missions in Indonesia and Hong Kong as well as assisting in the training of future Oblates at St Mary’s Seminary in Mulgrave.

Reflecting on his milestone, Fr McCarthy said “Over the years I have often asked myself, ‘Why did I become a priest?’. Of course Christ Himself gives us the answer ‘You have not chosen Me – it is I who have chosen you.’”

“If I had my life over again, I would do exactly the same. I have been very happy as a priest. I have been given opportunities that no other calling would have given me. Our Lord promised a 100-fold return but he has given me 1000-fold, or even 10,000- fold.”