Fr. Dan Fitzgerald (98 years old) will celebrate 75th Anniversary of Ordination in December

Fr Dan Fitzgerald, (pictured here left) who will celebrate the 75th anniversary of his ordination in December, served six years in China with Bishop Edward Galvin.   Fr. Dan  is a direct link with the Irish missionary order’s founder, Bishop Edward Galvin.

It is a link he continually returns to when he is asked to recall his days on the Chinese mission.

“My great privilege, and I thank the Lord for it, is that I was with him (Bishop Galvin) for the six years I was in China,” he says, and then tells of his first meeting with a man many believe should be considered for canonisation.

Above from and continued here:  Catholic Ireland - 98 Year old Priest will celebrate his 75th Anniversary of his Ordination in December

Born in Cork city in 1916 and ordained in 1939, Fr. Dan  ministered in as far flung places as Nottingham, Hanyang ( China), Australia, Scotland before returning to Ireland where in 1988 he was appointed to work in Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

As one of the oldest surviving Columbans Dan is a direct link back to founders of the Society, and worked at one stage as secretary to Bishop Galvin in China.

In this extended interview with Malachy Smyth ssc, Dan reminisces about his long missionary life.

Video here:  Interview with Fr. Dan Fitzgerald

I myself know of Fr. Dan Fitzgerald and was privileged to meet him in Nenagh where he used to visit St. Josephs Hospital and cheer up all the patients with his joy and great sense of humour.  He also spent much time hearing Confessions and he is a heroic and wonderful Priest who continues to serve the Lord in prayer and suffering, he certainly does not know the meaning of the word retired.  He understands that a Priest serves Christ to the very end of his days in days of good health and bad, and may God richly bless him for that.