A MASS was held at St Philip's RC Church, Padiham, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the ordination of parish priest Father Denis Dwyer.
Father Dwyer has been at St Philip's since 1975 after serving in Bolton, Middleton and Sacred Heart, Accrington for 10 years.
He said: "I love Padiham and I love the people. They have been very kind and they are very friendly. I hope to stay here for as long as I possibly can."
The church has a congregation of 1,000 and was packed for the mass and the reception in the social rooms afterwards.
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