Members of the Catholic community in south east Cornwall celebrated a weekend of festivities as the parish priest of Liskeard and Saltash, Father Gilmour McDermott, marked the 50th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.  

Fr Gilmour was ordained on July 14, 1973 at Wonersh in Surrey (by Archbishop Michael Bowen) and went on to serve at parishes in Godalming, Arundel, Redhill, St Leonards and Shaftesbury before coming to Cornwall in 1999.  His first parish in the Duchy was St Ives, after which he moved as parish priest to Truro, coming to Liskeard in 2016.

His jubilee weekend of celebrations started on Friday, July 14, with a Holy Mass, celebrated with his fellow priests, followed by a party for friends, family, parishioners and members of the town council in the public hall.  

Mayor Cllr Simon Cassidy presented him with a framed certificate of recognition for his work in the Liskeard community.  The celebrations continued on Sunday with a special Mass in the garden of Sclerder Abbey, near Looe, followed by a joyful cream tea in the Abbey gardens.

Fr McDermott has frequently led pilgrimages to the Holy Land and he was appointed as a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, in recognition of his concern for the Christian communities in the Holy Land. 

Since coming to Liskeard, he has sought to provide material support to the Christian families and groups who live in the complex and difficult context of the Middle East today.

Since arriving at Liskeard, he has put in hand many improvements to the church of Our Lady and St Neot and built a loving and welcoming community, which is open and supportive to all.   

He also inherited responsibility for services at Sclerder Abbey, near Looe and, a few years ago, the parish was extended to include responsibility for the Catholic churches in Saltash and Torpoint, where he has also overseen improvements to the buildings.  

Fr McDermott’s weekly schedule is hectic with Holy Mass to be celebrated at Sclerder Abbey and in Liskeard each Sunday, with services at Saltash and Torpoint fitted in on Saturday evenings.  

Fr McDermott insists that he has no plans to give up his busy life, serving the Catholic community of south east Cornwall.