Fr. McCabe celebrates 50th anniversary

The Missionaries of the Precious Blood announces the 50th anniversary of the ordination of Fr. James McCabe, C.PP.S. Fr. McCabe is a former director of the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue.

Fr. McCabe, 76, a native of Newcastle, Neb., entered the society in 1945 and was ordained on June 1, 1958. In his years as a priest he has been involved in parish ministry, college administration and leadership of the congregation.

Fr. McCabe served briefly in parishes after his ordination, then became an instructor at St. Charles Seminary in Carthagena, Ohio, from 1961-1965. During that time he also served as archivist for the congregation. In 1965, he became the librarian of Saint Joseph's College in Rensseleaer, Ind., which is sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. He was instrumental in the growth of another college sponsored by the Missionaries, Calumet College of St. Joseph in Hammond, Ind., where he served first as executive vice president beginning in 1973, then president from 1975-1981.

Fr. McCabe returned to parish work in 1982, when he was named pastor of St. Mary of the Woods Church in McQuady, Ky. He became pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Hawesville, Ky., in 1983.

In 1987, Fr. McCabe was named pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Celina, where he served until 1992, when he was named secretary for the province. He also served the province as its personnel director, and had been a member of its senate. During this time, Fr. McCabe helped found the Amici, a group of former members and students of the C.PP.S. He served as Amici coordinator from 1987-2005.

In 1997, Fr. McCabe began ministry at the Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue; he was named director of the shrine in 2000, where he served until his retirement in 2001.

In 2002, Fr. McCabe retired to St. Charles Center in Carthagena, where he continues to be active in various ministries, including substitute work at many parishes.

Fr. McCabe's anniversary, along with the milestone anniversaries of 14 other missionaries of the Precious Blood of the Cincinnati Province, signifying hundreds of years of ministerial service to God's people, will be celebrated in a special liturgy on Tuesday, July 1 at St. Charles Center.

"These men made a commitment long ago to serve the people of God, and that commitment has never faded," said Fr. Angelo Anthony, C.PP.S., provincial director of the Cincinnati Province of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. "We thank God for the example that they give us, and we look forward to celebrating their lives of service, which have brought so much good to so many."

The Missionaries of the Precious Blood is a religious society of priests, brothers and lay associates founded in 1815 by St. Gaspar del Bufalo. Society members work as missionaries in parishes in the U.S. and abroad, in education and in a wide range of apostolates, promoting the cause of God's reconciliation worldwide by proclaiming the word.