By The Rev’d Canon Roger Young
I was ordained Priest on Sunday, December 7, 1975, in St. Matthias Church, Ottawa, so Sunday, December 7, 2025 I celebrated my Fiftieth Anniversary of Ordination. Fifty years of ministry, all in the Diocese of Ottawa, is a long time, but it seems to have passed quickly. I am thankful for these years of service to God and to the Church and for being able to continue serving as best I can in my retirement, which took place ten years ago. My Ordination to the Diaconate had taken place June 1, 1975, at Christ Church Cathedral after graduating from Trinity College the previous month. I was ordained with three other people, one of whom was The Reverend Harold Bridges, Wendy’s father.
I had felt a call to ministry from an early age, beginning in my home parish of St. Paul’s, Hazeldean, where I had been in the choir as a boy. My Confirmation meant a lot to me, and I had also been at Camp Pontiac, then the Diocesan Youth Camp, where worship and being in the company of clergy made an impression. I began serving. In 1966, our Rector, Canon Richard Crossley, brought me to St. Barnabas for a special occasion and I saw another side of worship that drew me to experience what it meant to be a Christian in this way. Anglo-Catholicism was more unique in those days when things like vestments were still rare, and its blend of faith, beauty, music, and intellectual knowledge seemed to speak to so many aspects of my Christian journey.
My ministry began as Assistant Curate of St. Matthew’s Church, Ottawa. After two years, as was customary, I was appointed to my own parish, which was the Parish of Clayton, Innisville, and Franktown in Lanark County. Clayton was the location of the Rectory, an enormous brick house, and quite a distance from Franktown and the other points. But it was a beautiful place, as was the parish and people and I enjoyed being part of it. Rural life in the 1970s was quite different than now, but having grown up in a rural community, I felt at home.
After nearly five years there, I went to Fitzroy Harbour and Woodlawn, which had less distance between churches and two, rather than three congregations. I might say how lovely all these churches were, as all the churches I have served have been. Following nearly six years in Fitzroy, I became Incumbent of Trinity Church, Ottawa for nearly ten years. After ministry there, I moved back to the country to the Parish of Clarendon, which then had four open churches, and I lived in Shawville, Quebec, where the Rectory and main church, St. Paul’s, were located. The beauty of the countryside was unforgettable, and I served for twelve years. I concluded my ministry as Incumbent of Emmanuel Church, Arnprior, retiring in 2015 after forty years of service. In Diocesan life I served on various committees and held a number of positions over the years.
Reflecting on fifty years of Priesthood, my overall feeling is one of thanksgiving for the privilege of serving God’s People in such a special way. When you are ordained priest, first and foremost, you receive the spiritual gift of celebrating the Eucharist, as well as the other Sacraments, and in the Eucharist, your role as standing in Christ’s place at the Lord’s Table never seems to feel ordinary. It is always a joy, along with a sense of awe, to celebrate the Eucharist and to bring the Body and Blood of Jesus to nourish souls and to be part of such a holy thing, the centre of our faith. It is where Christ meets us and makes us his own. This has never changed in fifty years. In other ways, as well, a priest brings Christ to God’s People, and I am privileged to have shared in the lives of those I have served. It is also a priest’s responsibility to preach and teach, and to provide leadership in a parish. Priesthood has been called the “cure of souls,” and I have known a great number of wonderful people. After fifty years, so many come to mind, both living and departed, who I remember with thanksgiving.
It must be said that this vocation has had its challenges, since the Church, although sacred, is made up of all kinds of people, including me, who have concerns and needs, failures and successes. Hopefully, I have been able to use whatever gifts God has given me in a way that has helped to build up the Body of Christ and to support others on their journeys through life. I always remember that God is faithful and I am always aware that we rely on God’s grace and love in our lives and in the Church, knowing that this is God’s work and not just ours. I pray that my words and actions helped lead people to Christ and to reassure them of his love.
I am grateful for your support and prayers, and I deeply appreciate the friendships and kindnesses I have been shown by the people of St. Barnabas. I thank you and your Rector, Father George Kwari, for making my 50th Anniversary a special and meaningful occasion,
God bless you all.
