50 years of priestly service: a journey of faith, compassion, and gratitude 

Contributing writer Mark Salina interviews Msgr Christian Pereira for his golden jubilee of ordination to the priesthood.

Msgr Christian Pereira traced his call to the priesthood back to his teenage years. As a young member of the Legion of Mary and an altar server, he became involved in visiting what was then known as the ‘Poor House’ in St James.

These weekly encounters with vulnerable and dependent persons left a lasting impression on his heart.

“My desire to help people find meaning in their lives kept growing,” he recalled. While he had dreams of becoming a professional footballer and even considered engineering as a career, the persistent call to serve God and His people gradually became impossible to ignore.

That desire to serve would eventually lead him to the seminary and, despite moments of uncertainty, to a lifelong commitment to priestly ministry.

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of his 50 years as a priest, Msgr Pereira spoke not about accomplishments or recognition, but about people. For him, the greatest joy has been witnessing individuals discover how deeply God loves them and helping them recognise God’s presence in their daily lives. Whether through youth ministry, parish leadership programmes, community outreach initiatives, or social ministries, his mission has always centred on accompanying people on their faith journey.

Particularly meaningful to him has been his work among vulnerable communities, including migrants. He described migrant ministry as both challenging and enriching, providing opportunities to reassure people facing hardship that they are not forgotten by God. “Helping people know that God cares for them has always been at the heart of my ministry,” he said.

Msgr Pereira repeatedly returned to the importance of relationships. One of the most memorable experiences of his priesthood has been witnessing the response of parishioners to the Word of God and the Eucharist. He spoke movingly about celebrating Mass and observing the reverence people bring to worship.

Seeing individuals engage deeply with Scripture, prayer, and the liturgy has strengthened his own faith over the years. For him, reverence for the Eucharist must also lead to reverence for one another.

The celebration of the Mass should inspire Catholics to recognise Christ present not only on the altar but also in the community gathered around it.

He identified one of the greatest dangers in ministry as the temptation to view oneself as successful. While many priests experience moments when their work bears visible fruit, he stressed that genuine ministry requires humility and constant awareness that all achievements belong ultimately to God.

One of the great blessings of his priesthood has been accompanying people over many decades. He recalled with joy two couples celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries this year were among those he married as a young priest. Their continued faithfulness serves as a powerful reminder of the mutual support between family life and priestly life. “Good marriages need faithful priests, and priests need the testimony of good marriages,” he reflected.

The themes of humility, compassion, and empathy featured prominently throughout the interview. Msgr Pereira believes authentic leadership is never about authority or superiority. Rather, it involves guiding, nurturing, and empowering others while remaining deeply connected to God and to the people one serves.

He emphasised that compassion goes far beyond feeling sorry for others. True compassion requires entering into the suffering, poverty, struggles, and hopes of those around us. Echoing the words of Pope Francis, he noted that priests must remain close enough to people to “have the smell of the sheep.”

Msgr Pereira acknowledged that priests, like all people, experience failures, disappointments, and moments of weakness. Yet he believes these experiences can deepen empathy and make ministers more effective instruments of God’s mercy.

Drawing on the wisdom of St Teresa of Avila, he observed that falling and rising again are both essential parts of spiritual growth. Owning one’s weaknesses allows for greater understanding of those who struggle and seek to begin again.

Over the years, many individuals have influenced and sustained Msgr Pereira’s vocation. Among those he named were Fr Damien Byrne, Fr Mícheál Regan, Fr Michel de Verteuil, Fr Martin O’Dwyer and the late Archbishop Anthony Pantin, whose pastoral care and concern for people left a profound impression on him.

He also spoke warmly of several priests from abroad who inspired him through their faith, perseverance, and friendship. Equally influential were the examples of saints and spiritual giants such as St John Vianney, Charles de Foucauld, and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, whose writings and witness helped shape his understanding of priestly service.

For young people discerning a vocation today, Msgr Pereira offered practical and spiritual advice. He encouraged them to pray regularly, read the lives of saints, immerse themselves in Scripture, and seek guidance from trusted priests.

Msgr Pereira spoke candidly about the importance of accepting life’s setbacks and recognising that faith is not a straight path of uninterrupted progress.

Like Christ on the way to Calvary, believers sometimes fall. What matters most is allowing God to lift them up again.

Gratitude, he said, has become one of the defining characteristics of his spiritual life. Alongside his devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, gratitude continues to sustain him through illness and uncertainty.

He acknowledges that every vocation involves challenges, setbacks, and moments of doubt. Yet God’s grace is always present for those who persevere. Drawing inspiration from St Teresa of Calcutta’s teaching that God asks not for success but for faithfulness, he encourages Catholics, especially young people, to trust God’s call and remain steadfast.

During retirement, Msgr Pereira also undertook a major writing project, producing a book that chronicles his priestly journey, parish experiences, pastoral reflections, and encounters with fellow priests.

Writing the book has proven deeply therapeutic and has enabled him to reflect meaningfully on the blessings and lessons of ministry.

Fifty years after answering God’s call, Msgr Christian Pereira remains a witness to the enduring power of faith, humility, and service. As the Catholic community joins him in celebrating this remarkable milestone, his life stands as a testament to the words he has sought to live for five decades: stay the course, trust in God, and remain faithful.