Father Peter's 50th Anniversary of Ordination

A special Mass of thanksgiving was held at St George's Church, Whyke, Chichester, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Father Peter Vincent's ordination to the priest- hood.

After five years' service in the RAF, during the 1940s, Father Peter trained for the ministry at Kings College, London University, and St Boniface College, Warminster.

Seven weeks after his ordination, he undertook another major commitment, when he married his wife, Sally.

He served initially at St Michael and All Angels, Stonebridge Park, NW London, before moving on to a variety of parishes around the country through London, Bedfordshire and Yorkshire, before arriving at Ashurst Wood, West Sussex.

He retired in 1988, and over the following nine years continued to be active in the ministry, helping in several parishes during interregnums as well as continuing to playa part in the life of Ashurst Wood and East Grinstead, before moving to Chichester in 1997.

The special service was attended by many of Father Peter's friends from previous parishes, as well as by his family and many of the regular congregation.

Some of those present had travelled from London and Dover to be there, and there was a representative from almost every parish in which Father Peter had served.

Father Paul Seaman gave an address in which he paid tribute not only to Father Peter's spiritual qualities, but also to his practical skills. On behalf of the entire congregation he also thanked him for all the hard work he had undertaken since moving to St George's, Whyke, nine years ago.

The service was followed by a meal in the Parish Centre, prepared and served by members of the church, after which a toast was proposed by Father James Rhodes-Wrigley.


Father Peter and his wife Sally.