Farewell to Fr Edward

19th October 2018

On Friday evening 19 October, the Parish gathered to say farewell and Godspeed to Canon Edward Perera, who returned from his new parish at Welling for the occasion. Father Edward con-celebrated Mass with eight priests from the Deanery, as well as the Chaplain of the Syro- Malabar community. All then proceeded to the parish hall where a great spread of diverse dishes prepared by members of the Parish was laid out before us.

The children of Our Lady Immaculate School presented Father Edward with a commemorative album containing photographs and farewell messages they had compiled. Jacques Lambert, the Parish Master of Ceremonies, thanked him for his years of service to the Parish and presented him with a cheque representing the contributions of parishioners.

Responding, Father Edward thanked the Parish for their gifts and, as he had previously done in his homily, referred to the fact that 2018 was the year of the 40 anniversary of his ordination. He recalled a moving story of how, on his father’s death, his mother, a Buddhist, had declined to exercise her right to call him out of the Seminary to look after her. Instead, she had urged him to continue his studies and devote himself to the work of the priesthood.

The Church is the richer for that self-denying generosity.

Allan Cook