Msgr. Thomas J. Cassidy’s Irish eyes were smiling on Sept. 30 as he celebrated the golden jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood at St. Mark Church in Vienna. Father Patrick Holroyd, St. Mark’s pastor, was among the priests who concelebrated the Mass.

Although born in Philadelphia on Sept. 25, 1928, Msgr. Cassidy has spent a good portion of his priestly life at St. Mark’s. He was first appointed pastor in 1973 and served there until 1989, when he became the first diocesan priest to serve as pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Falls Church. He returned to St. Mark’s when he retired in June 2003.

“Being a priest has been good for me,” Msgr. Cassidy said during Sunday’s homily. He said there were “ups and downs” along the way, but he always recalled the old saying, “this too shall pass.”

“I’ve had good assignments in both the Arlington and Richmond Dioceses,” he said, “but the parishioners at St. Mark’s will always be my first love in Northern Virginia.”

Msgr. Cassidy and the other concelebrants wore stoles and chasubles originally designed for Msgr. Cassidy’s 25th anniversary Mass. The “earthen vessels” theme permeated the homily and was the title of the offertory hymn sung by St. Mark’s Festival Choir.

The chalice is the “blessed vessel” in which the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, Msgr. Cassidy said. Catholic priests are the “earthen vessels” chosen to bear witness to Jesus Christ, he said.

Msgr. Cassidy said he is aware of both the pluses and minuses of his priestly ministry. “Whatever talents I have are gifts of the Creator,” he said. “I trust now the pluses outweigh the minuses.”

He thanked the many lay men and women who enriched his priesthood along the way. He especially recognized the contributions of St. Mark’s parish choirs, which have gained a diocesan–wide reputation for providing “good liturgical music.” His “personal delight” has been the parish’s Children’s Choir that participates in the 8:15 a.m. Mass on Sundays.

Msgr. Cassidy recalled at the time of his retirement that his vocation to the priesthood was "one of those things I grew up with." There were five or six priests in residence at his parish in Philadelphia where he was raised and he said he "got a lot of inspiration from them. They all were really very, very good clergy."

He wanted to enter the seminary at the end of eighth grade, but his parents convinced him to finish high school and then pursue the priesthood if he still felt called. Msgr. Cassidy originally studied with the Franciscans, but decided to become a diocesan priest. The Franciscans suggested he go to Richmond because it was a "good diocese with a good spirit among the priests." Richmond’s bishop agreed to give him a six-month probationary period to decide if he would stay in Virginia.

After his ordination on Sept. 26, 1957, by Bishop Joseph J. Hodges, Msgr. Cassidy’s first priestly assignment was as parochial vicar of St. Elizabeth Parish in Richmond. He served there until 1960 when he was appointed director of Catholic Charities of Northern Virginia. After holding that position for nine years, he was transferred to the Tidewater region and served as director of Catholic Family and Children’s Services and director of St. Mary’s Infant Home in Norfolk.

Msgr. Cassidy returned to Northern Virginia in 1973 and “set roots” at St. Mark Parish, a place he would call home for 16 years.

Margie Carson, a parishioner at St. Mark and former teacher at Paul VI High School in Fairfax, said it was through Msgr. Cassidy’s “wonderful ministry” that her husband Jim became a Catholic. "Msgr. Cassidy put a face on the Catholic Church for me and was a big factor in my becoming Catholic," said Jim Carson.

He was named a monsignor in 1983 along with Msgr. John O’Connell (now deceased), Msgr. James McMurtrie (now deceased), and Msgr. Frank Mahler (now retired).

Msgr. Cassidy left St. Mark Parish in 1989 to serve as pastor at St. Anthony Parish in Falls Church for five years before traveling to the Dominican Republic. Serving as pastor in Bánica was "good for me,” he said, but “I’m not sure it was good for the Dominicans." Msgr. Cassidy enjoyed serving the people of Bánica, but felt he was not fluent enough in Spanish to fulfill his obligation to them.

After returning to the diocese, Msgr. Cassidy was parochial vicar at St. Ann Parish in Arlington for six months before he was appointed pastor of St. Francis de Sales Parish in Purcellville.

"As I’ve gotten older, I’ve mellowed a bit,” Msgr. Cassidy said at the time of his retirement. “I’m kind of a control person. Sometimes that can be good, sometimes not so good."

A St. Mark parishioner once called Msgr. Cassidy the "facilitator of other people’s charisms."

"If you can’t do it well, there’s someone out there who can, and you better delegate," Msgr. Cassidy said.

He has served in many roles during his 50 years of priestly ministry and said he has enjoyed them all equally. "They’ve all been good assignments," he said. "I’ve been fortunate and blessed. The good Lord was looking out for me. I guess He realized, ‘I better watch this guy.’"

Former staff writer Mary Frances McCarthy contributed to this report.