Canon Anthony McBride reflects on his work and retirement
Saturday 26th September 2026In his own words; Canon McBride’s life of ministry
My vocation began through simple relationships. As a young man in Burnley, I joined the youth club at St Mary’s parish. Through the example of priests who gave their lives in service to others, I saw priesthood as a life lived alongside people.
I completed an apprenticeship in printing before entering the seminary in 1968. I’ve often said that I’ve had two apprenticeships in my life: one in printing and one in priesthood. Since my ordination in 1974, I have spent more than fifty years serving the people of this diocese in parishes, schools and hospitals.
Of all the roles I’ve undertaken, my years as a hospital chaplain were perhaps the most fulfilling. Every day I encountered people at some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Patients, families, doctors, nurses and support staff all needing someone to listen. Sometimes it was prayer or advice and sometimes simply the reassurance that they weren’t facing life’s challenges alone.
Today, although retired, I continue to celebrate Mass, conduct funerals and help out in parishes across the diocese.
Unlike many people, priests do not have families of their own to support them in later life. Many of us live alone. As we grow older, we become increasingly reliant on the care, support and generosity of the wider Catholic community.
I have experienced that support myself. The diocese has provided me with a home suitable for my needs and has ensured that I continue to live independently. There is practical help when it is needed and there is a network of fellow priests and friends who look out for one another. Knowing that support is there brings us much reassurance.
The reality is that priests are living longer and there are more retired priests than there once were. At the same time, the financial pressures of the church continue to grow. That is why support for retired clergy is so important.
For me, generosity has always been about more than financial transactions. It is about belonging to something bigger than ourselves. The Church is a community in which those who give, and those who receive, are part of the same family. We support one another because we recognise our shared responsibility for each other.
I have been blessed by the support I have received throughout my priesthood and now in retirement. For that, I am deeply grateful. And I know that every gift, whatever its size, helps make that support possible for retired priests across our diocese.
Support the Sick and Retired Clergy Appeal today
- Send a cheque – make it payable to The Salford Diocesan Trust Clergy Fund at: Finance, Cathedral Centre, Ford Street, Salford M3 6DP
- Set up a standing order by contacting finance@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
