THE 78-year-old founder of an association of priests. the Crusade of the Holy Spirit, returned to the missions this week, brusquely dismissing any thought of retirement.
A sprightly Fr Thomas Walsh returned to his mission in Borogata. Venezuela. on Wednesday after a month-long holiday back in Britain to rest and visit relatives. Not for him the lure of a more gentle pace of life that many clergy his age would grasp.
Fellow member of the association, Fr Bernard Challey, said: "Fr Walsh has no desire to retire to easier climes," explaining that his fellow priest was enthusiastic to continue running the small house of formation in Venezuela where he has been based for the past II years.
Fr Walsh stayed with his niece. Sr Cornelia, at Nazareth House. north London, during a vacation during which he also visited the association's house of formation in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.
Founded in 1966, the Crusade of the Holy Spirit is one of the new post-conciliar associations, a halfway house between the traditional orders and diocesan priests. It has 16 British priestlymembers.