On June 12, 1966, Irish missionary priest Fr. Seamus Walsh was ordained to the priesthood. Friday, June 12, he celebrates his 60th anniversary—an achievement that is not commonly reached. Though Fr. Walsh was little more than a familiar name to me before my own ordination, I had the great fortune of being assigned under his tutelage for my first two years as a priest.

Studies have shown that a priest’s first assignment can have a lasting influence on his ministry, and I completely agree. I could not have asked for a better model of the modern-day priest. Fr. Walsh has always been a joy-filled minister of the Gospel and the sacraments. He was tireless in his service to his flock and beyond. I remember telling him that he was perhaps, unknowingly, making things difficult for his eventual successor at St. Francis in Brainerd because he would drop everything at any time when called upon to help. I said, “The next priest may not be as available as you, but the people will expect it now.” It did not matter then, and it does not matter now, because he remains the same.

Fr. Walsh’s humor and laughter are well known to anyone who has spent time with him, a clear sign of someone who chose the right vocation in life. I still enjoy bantering with him about the “good old days” of the 1990s, when I served as his associate. I often joke that it took me six months to unlearn everything he taught me, yet in truth, he has remained one of the most positive influences on my priesthood.

Another quality I have always admired is his lifelong desire for learning. He is always reading, and his knowledge of the faith runs deep. Though well read, we often disagree on current events, he accepts being wrong with remarkable grace.

In honor of his 60th anniversary of priesthood, a celebration Mass will be held at St. James on Friday, June 12, at 8:00 a.m., followed by a breakfast in the parish gym, offering parishioners and fellow clergy an opportunity to give thanks for Fr. Seamus Walsh’s decades of service.

Happy 60th anniversary, Fr. Walsh. Thank you for being such a faithful priest.