30+30=60

So after 30 years of experience, today I finally turn 30! I leave the quinquagenarians today and join the sexagenarians club (and that is not a bad word at all.) A year older makes you think and thank. It makes you think of the years gone by, the many childhood memories, studies, exams,  schoolwork, family life, and then work - 35 years of serving the people of God as a priest. And it’s time to also thank the Lord for many blessings received, many opportunities to bring people closer to God, and bring Jesus to the people by celebrating Mass and sharing the Eucharist.

So I offer you a few photos from the past as I looked every 10 years, as I see myself changing and growing up, starting with these photos of my younger years, as a baby (yes, wearing a dress, since my mother had two girls before me) and riding a tricycle. Then at 10 years old and at 20 in my Seminary years. (click once to enlarge, but quality is not the best as these are copies to create a montage)

Here we have my Ordination photo with my parents in June 1977, then some photos from 1982 in my early years of New York, as I settle down in the USA for the past 31 years so far.

Here we have some other photos from 1990 with the Long Island Bishop John McGann and my parents, with my nephew Julian in 1992, again with my parents in 1987 on my 10th anniversary in Malta, and a few others from 1992 in my years at Rocky Point, NY.

This last group of photos are from 1998 on my parent’s 50th anniversary, then in 2002 when I turned 50 with a child after a foot-washing ceremony at Pleasant Valley, NY, then in 2010 with my 1966 Minor Seminary classmate Lawrence Gonzi, Prime Minister of Malta, and finally just recently in July 2012 with my new Bishop Liam Cary. 
Thanks everyone for your birthday wishes. Now I start work on my next 60 years!