Monsignor celebrates 70 years in priesthood

Sean McMahon

Monsignor PJ McManus is a remarkable priest who earlier this year celebrated his 95th birthday and this month marks 70 years as a priest.

Bishop Leo O'Reilly was the chief celebrant at the special Mass in Crosserlough Church on Sunday, July 2 to celebrate the monsignor's platinum jubilee in the presence of Cardinal Sean Brady and scores of priests from all over the Diocese and beyond.

Msgr McManus was ordained in Maynooth College on June 22, 1947 and celebrated his first Mass in the church at Lisdarn Hospital on June 23, as his late mother Marcella was ill and was a patient in the hospital at the time. He was born in the small townland of Dreaghnagee in Lavey.

Amongst Msgr McManus' stand-out memories in his priestly life is saying Mass for the triumphant 1952 team - containing such legends as Phil ‘The Gunner' Brady, Tony Tighe, and captain Mick Higgins - before they departed Ballyconnell to win the All-Ireland in Croke Park.

“I got up to the match in a car belonging to the team and I got in along the sideline – that is a fond memory of mine,†says a smiling Msgr McManus of the last time Cavan claimed the Sam Maguire Cup.

The genial monsignor, who retains his affable and calm demeanour, said his first assignment as a priest was to become a member of the teaching staff in St Patrick's College, where he had studied in his youth. It was during his Leaving Cert year that he decided he wanted to join the priesthood.

“I was a classmate of Barney Cully – St Pat's had great football teams when I was there and I think they won the MacRory three years out of five. The team featured John Joe O'Reilly and Barney Cully and TP O'Reilly.â€

When the year was up in St Pat's, he went to England for four years and was in the Diocese of Clifton which included Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Somerset. Bristol was the capital of the region.

“I had more changes over there than I had here – I was in three different parishes in England, including Chipping Camden, which was a very beautiful Cotswold Village. I was there for around 17 months and then I went down to Bristol,†remembered Msgr McManus.

He fondly recalls cycling around some hilly country when he was a priest in England.

“I got to know the English people very well and I got on well with them and found them to be very tolerant.â€

After a short term in Bristol he moved on to Bridgewater in Somerset. After a total of four years in England he returned home and became the diocesan inspector in schools and remained at that from Easter 1952 to Easter 1958.

Then he was immediately appointed curate in Cavan and he spent 22 years there.

“I lived in the old Presbytery in Cavan Town and the new one and I became administrator eventually and I remained there until 1980,†he said. He became a Monsignor before he left Cavan, after being Vicor General.

Then on July 12, 1980 he arrived in Crosserlough as Parish Priest and he remained there until 1997, during which he celebrated his Golden Jubilee.

He then retired but stayed on for ten years in Crosserlough and later retired completely.

“Now on five days of the week I have Mass here in this room in the house and I celebrate it sitting down and there were 22 people here this morning. I can't walk anymore, so it is good to have the people coming here to the house for Mass. Otherwise, thank God, I am in good health,†said a smiling Msgr McManus.

Crosserlough is the only Parish he has ever been assigned to here apart from Cavan.

His advice for a contented life is endeavour to get along with people as well as you can.

“That makes for an easy life,†he said.