From the courtroom to the Missions: Celebrating 60 Years of Priesthood

When Reginald Thomas Howard completed his law studies in the late 1950s, he appeared destined for a successful career. As a practising solicitor in Maitland and Liverpool, New South Wales, he enjoyed the security, status and opportunities that came with the legal profession. His future seemed mapped out before him. Yet God had other plans.

Deep within, Reg sensed a call that would change the course of his life. It was a call to leave behind the familiar and embrace a life of missionary service. In March 1960, he took a remarkable leap of faith, walking away from his legal career to join St Columbans Mission Society.

It was a decision that surprised many, but for Reg it was a response to a deeper purpose. He entered formation with the Columbans and dedicated himself to preparing for missionary priesthood. After years of study, prayer and spiritual formation, he was ordained a priest in 1966.

His missionary journey began almost immediately. In April 1967, Fr Reg boarded the Changsha and sailed to the Philippines, embarking on what would become a lifetime of service to God and God's people.

Arriving in a new country and culture presented many challenges. Fr Reg immersed himself in language studies and quickly adapted to missionary life. He served communities throughout Mindanao, Camiguin Island and the provinces of Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental. These years shaped his understanding of mission, teaching him the importance of listening, accompaniment and solidarity with people facing poverty and hardship.

Only a few years after arriving in the Philippines, Fr Reg received an unexpected appointment. The Superior General asked him to return to Australia. While the change was surprising, Fr Reg embraced the new mission with the same generosity and commitment that had marked his service overseas.

Over the decades that followed, Fr Reg served the Columban Society in a variety of leadership and administrative roles. His legal training, organisational skills and practical wisdom proved invaluable. He served as Regional Director, Vice-Director and Regional Bursar, helping guide the Society through periods of change and growth. While these roles often required significant responsibility, Fr Reg never lost sight of the pastoral dimension of priesthood. His leadership was characterised by humility, compassion and a genuine concern for both missionaries and the people they served.

Reflecting on his many assignments, Fr Reg recalls that one of the most satisfying periods of his ministry was serving for four years in two Newcastle parishes.

Parish life allowed him to build close relationships with people, celebrate the sacraments and accompany families through the joys and challenges of everyday life.

Following his parish ministry, Fr Reg continued to serve in Columban responsibilities in Sydney until his retirement in 2015. Retirement, however, has never meant inactivity. Now residing at the Columban house in Essendon, he remains a valued member of the community, offering wisdom, encouragement and friendship to fellow missionaries and staff.

As Fr Reg celebrates the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, we honour a life marked by faith, courage and generosity. His journey from the courtroom to the missions is a powerful reminder that responding to God's call often requires sacrifice, trust and perseverance. Throughout his missionary life, Fr Reg put aside personal preferences and accepted appointments and responsibilities to which the Columban authorities assigned him. He is a Columban through and through.

Over six decades of priesthood, Fr Reg has witnessed enormous changes in both the Church and society. Through it all, he has remained faithful to his vocation and to the Columban mission of proclaiming God's love across cultures and borders.

Today, the Columban mission continues in 15 countries around the world. The foundations built by missionaries like Fr Reg continue to support communities, inspire new generations and bring hope to those on the margins.

At this special milestone, we give thanks for Fr Reg's sixty years of priestly ministry and missionary service. May God continue to bless him with good health, peace and joy and may his example inspire others to listen to God's call and follow it with courage.