Scottish Catholic Observer

Scotland’s newest priest was ordained at short notice on Easter Monday at a Greater Manchester hospital after his treatment for leukaemia failed.

Fr Graham Turner’s ordination was postponed last June after he was diagnosed and doctors began aggressive treatment. When Cardinal Keith O’Brien heard during Holy Week that the prognosis was bleak for the critically ill deacon of St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, he appealed for prayers at the Chrism Mass and plans to ordain him for St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese were revived.

Despite the deacon’s physical frailty, he was ordained by Cardinal O’Brien at 2pm on Monday in the chapel at Salford Royal in the presence of Mgr Michael Regan, St Mary’s Cathedral administrator and Fr Turner’s parish priest, Mgr Rod Strange, Rector of the Pontifical Beda College in Rome, Fr Turner’s parents George and Marilyn, brother, Ian, sister, Sue, and clergy friends from Salford Diocese and St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese.

The renewed plans for the ordination got underway after Deacon Turner’s father contacted Cardinal O’Brien during Holy Week with the news that his treatment had failed and that nothing more could be medically done to help him.

Ordination

The hospital chaplains at Salford Royal prepared everything in the chapel for the ordination ceremony under the leadership of the lead chaplain, Reverend Ian Carter, and principal Catholic chaplain, Fr Frank Waterworth. Bishop Terence Brain, the Bishop of Salford, sent the Oil of Chrism for the ordination ceremony from his own cathedral.

“The ordination went beautifully,” Cardinal O’Brien said, before adding that Fr Turner was ‘wheeled in his hospital bed to the chapel at 1.50pm and transferred into a padded wheelchair for the ceremony.’

Fr Turner assisted in the Mass and was able, with help from nursing staff, to stand for a short time at the beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer before he had to sit down again.

“He participated fully and was aware of everything that was going on,” the cardinal said. “During the actual ordination, I anointed his hands and seminarian Jeremy Milne put the stole around his neck.”

Mgr Regan, who was MC at Monday’s ceremony, said that Fr Turner’s family was delighted that the ordination had taken place.

“The help and cooperation from the local diocese, the ecumenical chaplaincy and Salford Royal Trust was beyond our expectations,” he added.

Prayers and celebration

After the very intimate and moving ordination ceremony in the hospital chapel on Monday, the Salford Hospital Trust provided a buffet reception for the guests.

Cardinal O’Brien has asked for continued prayers for Fr Turner’s health and vocation.

“You are asked to pray for Graham as he continues his ongoing journey in the priesthood, being an excellent example to all of us in his embracing the Cross of Jesus Christ as he prepares for the glory of the Resurrection,” the cardinal said.

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