Glory to God that I celebrated my 77th Ordination Anniversary on June 3, 2016, and my 101st birthday on August 14, 2016! Life is eternal. As I am perched on the precipice of eternity, I am pondering some historical records in the temporal realm.
Longest Ordained Diocesan Priest in the Archdiocese of Toronto
I found out that I hold the record as the longest ordained and the oldest diocesan priest in the history of the Archdiocese of Toronto (Source: “A Calendar of the Deceased Bishops, Priests and Deacons of the Archdiocese of Toronto”).
Longest Ordained Diocesan Priests in Canada
I contacted the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, but the Archivist said that they do not compile any statistics on the years of ordination or ages of priests in Canada. The CCCB suggested contacting the archivists in every diocese to obtain records. This was attempted by email.
I could only find one other diocesan priest in the history of Canada who was ordained for longer than I; but he is in a different category (French Canadian and Francophone) and is now deceased, as noted below. If I live until about December 29, 2017, I will surpass his record.
Therefore, according to records sought and obtained from nationwide diocesan archives, as far as I know, I hold the record for the most years of ordination of Anglophone and currently living diocesan priests in the history of the Church in Canada. I am also
the oldest living diocesan priest in Canada.
Longest Ordained Diocesan Priests Worldwide
Besides the priests listed below that were discovered only through an online search, there may be other priests worldwide with more years of ordination.
–Msgr. Vincent Topper
Ordination date: June 6, 1936. As of June 6, 2016 ordained for 80 years.
Birthdate: July 28, 1912. Currently living as of August 2016 and is 104 years of age. Diocese of Harrisburg, PA, USA
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