My mate #12 - Father Phil

OK, time to come clean. This feature where I write about a mate of mine is not entirely random. I have to be honest, especially when I'm talking about this friend this week. I tend to pick someone topical. Anyway, here I include a great friend to our family, Father Philip Egan, the parish priest of Our Lady and St Christopher Catholic Church in Romiley. Father Phil is such a lovely man. He is so full of the grace of our faith, so understanding and such a clever man too. His book, Philosophy and Catholic Theology - a Primer, is something of a triumph. He has carried through the way of explanation in his present role. Indeed, one of the most difficult jobs of being a parish priest comes from the nature of the parish itself. Communicating scripture, the calendar, the doctrine and the message to a range of ages must be so hard, but I think he does it very well.

What I like about him is that he doesn't compromise, or waiver from what is right and true. My Christian faith is rooted in love for fellow mankind and forgiveness. Sometimes it's very simple. Sometimes it's harder, deeper, more mysterious. And I'm very blessed to have someone like Father Phil with me on that journey.

We have been honoured to welcome him into our home to discuss our family, our role in the church community and how we can be better parents and Christians.

I'm particularly pleased for him at the moment as he's just been made a Monsignor and a Vicar General, a senior assistant to the Bishop. However, he still much prefers the title 'father' as it is "the most beautiful, authentic and challenging of titles." And he hopes he will prove as worthy of his new title. I'm sure he will.