A KIDDERMINSTER priest will celebrate 40 years of being ordained on June 19. 

Father Douglas Lamb has spent 30 of them as Parish Priest of St Ambrose’s Catholic Church in Kidderminster and Sacred Heart Church in Tenbury, as well as Our Lady and St Pius X Church in Habberley until its closure. 

Before this he was Parish Priest at St Wulstans Church in Stourport.

As well as looking after the spiritual side of the parish he has encouraged the development of a wide variety of groups within the parish including The Catholic Men’s Society of which he is a member and The Union of Catholic Mothers for which he is the Wolverhampton Section Spiritual Director. 

The social aspect of parish life has not been neglected with many varied and lively events over the years. These have included Royal Jubilee parties, and a big Millennium party. He has also celebrated his own Silver Jubilee in 2007 with a big parish party. 

His love of classical music led him to organise trips to the opera to see amongst others “Madame Butterfly” and “The Dream of Gerontius”.

He has also performed solos himself at a Gilbert and Sullivan evening held at the parish centre. 

To celebrate his 40 years, there will be a special Mass conducted by the Abbot of Belmont Abbey on Monday June 20 at 7pm at St Ambrose’s.