Newly ordained Father Philip Creurer, FSSP, returned to Vancouver recently to offer one of his first Solemn Masses. Father Creurer, a former resident of Vancouver, was ordained to the priesthood as a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St.Peter on June 27th 1998 by Archbishop Marcel Gervais of Ottawa.
Father Creurer, who used to attend the Tridentine Latin Mass at Holy Spirit Parish in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, returned to offer the regular Sunday Latin Mass on July 5th 1998.
He was assisted at the Solemn High Mass by Father Dennis Duvelius, FSSP, as deacon. Seminarian Glen Tattersall acted as subdeacon. Msgr. David Monroe, the Vicar-General of the Vancouver Archdiocese, preached the homily on the life of St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars.
Also in attendance were Father John Horgan and a congregation that overflowed the church doors. The Latin Mass choir at Holy Spirit sang William Byrd's Mass for Three, as well as various pieces by Palestrina and others.
Father Creurer's first Mass in his former home town was followed by a luncheon reception in the Parish hall hosted by the Vancouver Traditional Mass Society, which presented him with a white stole in recognition of his ordination.
Members of the Legion of Mary at St. Jude's Parish in Vancouver presented him with a cake to commemorate the occasion and also provided the flowers for the sanctuary.
Father Creurer will return to Ottawa where he will attend St. Paul's University to study Canon Law. He will also be attached to St. Clement's in Ottawa.
- Neil Mulholland
