FATHER Bryan Storey from Tintagel celebrated 50 years in the Catholic Priesthood on Wednesday.

To mark the occasion, he offered Mass on the day in the church where he was ordained in 1960, St Anselm's Tooting Bec, London.

Father Storey was evacuated to Tintagel with his South London school in 1940. He attended St Materiana's Church on the Tintagel cliffs each Sunday and there, he soon discovered the central core of religion.

He said: "I found an indescribable peace and somehow deeply knew that as we get beyond organised services, and liturgy, there is something unimaginably fulfilling and a renewal to be shared with others. I would probably not have persevered except for the encouragement of marvellously committed people I was blessed to meet in my young days.

"Eventually, I was quite taken with the religious spirit without which life is quite unimaginable. I converted to Catholicism in 1948 as I found a deep need to be in touch with Christianity's roots and origins."

Father Storey went to Henry Thornton School, Clapham, London, where he did his two years'

compulsory military service after having worked in several London accountancy firms.

He was accepted for training in Catholic seminaries of St Augustine's, Walworth, London and St John's, Wonersh, near Guildford, Surrey (1953- 1960).

He served eleven years as curate at St Peter's, Hove, where he recently offered Mass again, renewing many friendships. He supplied at sixteen Cornish Catholic mission churches in the period 1971-1973 at the end of which he was allowed to look after St Paul's,

Tintagel for a temporary period which has not yet ended!

"I offer Mass daily (thanksgiving on the June 20), hear confessions, share faith, meditate and give Communion to the sick, supply elsewhere when needed, debate on the blogs and in broadcasts, write articles, publish and promote religious books. I follow world events, swim and play tennis. The only

retirement which has any meaning for me at present is at bedtime each evening."