Whitnash priest says fond farewell to parish he served for 22 years

Father Brian Boyle, 83, is leaving St Joseph’s church to take up a post at The Church of the Sacred Heart and Saint Catherine of Alexandria in Droitwich.

He gave his final sermons during services at the weekend.

In a message to parishioners ,he said: “It is with some trepidation I say goodbye to many friends but there is a time in everyone’s life when the line is drawn and we must accept change.

“I know that my predecessor Father Bob Devaney from Warwick will bring a new breath of life to St Joseph’s and enable continuos growth of faith among parishioners.

“From time to time I hope to be back in Whitnash on various occasions but in the meantime I would ask that I am remembered occasionally in your prayers.

“Only last week I attended the funeral of Father Joe McKenna, who built the church of St Joseph more than 40 years ago and now, by a strange coincidence, I too will be moving on, leaving a more mature parish to face the future under the leadership of Father Devaney.

“May God bless you all and whatever mistakes I may have made while among you I hope I am forgiven, as it was never my intention to harm anyone.”

Father Brian was previously based at the church in Droitwich , which is known for its stunning mosaics and sculptures, and has served parishes all over England and in Wales.

He is also the priest for St Joseph’s Primary School to which the church is connected , a chaplain at the Leamington Rehabilitation Hospital in Heathcote as well as a governor for Trinity Catholic School.

He also often visits patients at Warwick Hospital and University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

Over the years Father Brian has taken parishioners on trips to the Holy Land, to Lourdes in the South of France and to Rome to see Pope Benedict XVI .

A keen photographer in his spare time, Father Brian said the strangest photo he took was of an elderly couple who were sat on chairs on a pedestrian crossing in the Italian capital and holding up the traffic for no apparent reason.

He sent the picture in to the Courier a few years ago.