Two of the Catholic Church’s longest-serving clergy in Trinidad and Tobago will celebrate 50 years of priestly ministry with a special Mass of thanksgiving at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

Bishop Emeritus Clyde Harvey and retired Msgr Christian Pereira will commemorate the golden jubilee of their ordination on June 27, exactly 50 years after they were ordained to the priesthood by the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin CSSp on June 27, 1976. The celebration will take place at 10 a.m. in the same cathedral where their priestly journey began. All are invited.

Over the past five decades, both men have served in numerous ministries and parishes throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

Bishop Harvey’s ministry included service at the Regional Seminary of St John Vianney and the Uganda Martyrs, Mt St Benedict, and The University of the West Indies Chaplaincy. He was appointed Bishop of St George’s in Grenada, where he served as chief shepherd of the diocese for nine years.

Msgr Pereira once served as Cathedral Administrator, Vicar General and Archdiocesan Administrator following the death of Archbishop Pantin in 2000.

Together, the two priests have ministered in at least 16 parishes and assisted many others throughout their years of service.

Next Saturday’s Mass will be attended by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Santiago de Wit Guzmán, while Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon will preach the homily. Abbot John Pereira OSB, brother of Msgr Pereira, will also be present in the sanctuary as he celebrates his 33rd anniversary of ordination that day.

The celebration’s central focus is gratitude and prayer for increased vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, religious life, and monastic life.

Music for the liturgy will be led by the People of Praise Music Ministry, with altar servers from Rosary and Gonzales parishes and volunteers from several church groups. The collection taken will be shared between the Archbishop Anthony Pantin Chapel/Centre for Peace in Betham Gardens, and the Eternal Light Community Vocational School in Sea Lots.

The liturgy will be livestreamed on Facebook and made available through Trinity Television.

Jubilee Masses will also be held on Sunday, July 5 at 10 a.m. at the St Dominic’s Church, Morvant; Sunday, July 19, at 10 a.m. at the Pro-Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, San Fernando; and Sunday, July 26, at 9 a.m. at the Santa Rosa RC Church, Arima.