Aghavea Aughintaine Parish in Brookeborough hosted a special Jubilee Mass on Sunday (June 20) for parish priest Canon Dawson who is celebrating 60 years in ministry this year.

With encouragement from his family, Canon Dawson joined the priesthood in his early twenties, and over his 60 years as a priest his ministerial journey has taken him to Ederney, Fintona and Clogher.

"Now I've reached the promised land of Brookeborough," said Canon Dawson with a laugh.

Talking about what he has enjoyed about his 60 years in ministry, Canon Dawson said: "I enjoy preaching the gospel; trying to live the gospel myself and encouraging other people in it.

"I enjoy spreading Christianity. We have a great tradition in this country going back to St. Patrick and then in this diocese the patron saint here is St. Macartin.

"The tradition of Christianity has been unbroken for 1,500 years.

"The different sections of Christianity don't always show the love for one another but at the same time there is a strong Christian ethic in the country," he said.

For Canon Dawson's Jubilee Mass, parishioners came together to decorate the church for the occasion and also prepared refreshments.

Others participated in the service and musicians played afterwards in the church yard. Video tributes were sent in from parishes and schools where Canon Dawson left his mark. These were collated by St. Kevin's College in Lisnaskea and edited by school staff member Claire.

This was the second celebration for Canon Dawson in the last few weeks, as he celebrated his 85th birthday with a special Birthday Mass earlier in June.

Grateful to all who celebrated with him on these special occasions, Canon Dawson went on to comment how he felt "gratitude for how good the Lord has been" to him in his life.

"The goodness of the Lord came to me through people, the wonderful people I've met on that journey who have made my work easy," he told this newspaper.