| Written by Lorraine M. Williams, Catholic Register Special,
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 Fr. Edwin Platt at a June 8 ceremony at Corpus Christi Church to commemorate the Toronto priest’s 60th anniversary of his ordination. (Photo by Kevin Kennedy) That was one of the highlights of Platt’s 60 years in the priesthood, which was celebrated June 8 at Corpus Christi Church. A Mass of celebration attended by Auxiliary Bishop Peter Hundt, current pastor Fr. Henry Menezes and his brother Fr. Phillip Wallace Platt, CSB, was celebrated and then about 400 friends and relatives joined in the parish hall to congratulate the 86-year old priest.
Platt now lives on Lockwood Avenue, only a few houses from Corpus Christi’s rectory, in the same family home where he and his nine siblings spent most of their formative years.
Platt has no doubt about what influenced his decision to go into the priesthood.
“My parents were my greatest influence,” he said. “My father was a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism. He said it was the only rational step to take, despite the fact that his own mother never forgave him.
“My mother Leonora (Leigh) had been a schoolteacher and her father was a school principal. We had family prayer always, including recitation of the Rosary every night. Our faith was the strong anchor for our family life.”
He has many mentors in his development as a priest. Chief among them was his first pastor, Fr. Robert Walsh, at St. Paul’s parish on Power Street.
“After my ordination on June 5, 1948, I felt so privileged to start my ministry at Toronto’s ‘mother church,’ and it was here that I first felt my attraction to working with and for the poor. We used to hear Confessions at the House of Providence, then next door to the church. But all the priests I worked with were great.”
Platt was assigned to several other parishes over the years — Holy Name, St. Cecilia’s, St. Mary’s in Victoria Harbour, St. John Fisher. He was founder of St. Thomas More in Scarborough, where he remained for 16 years. One of his favourite memories about priestly life comes from there.
“I was really happy with the beautiful stained glass window installed in my honour at St. Thomas More,” he said. “It shows More (as depicted in a famous painting by Holbein) with his family.”
Another memorable time was the opening of St. Luke’s Lodge, a 96-suite residence for those on fixed incomes which opened at St. Luke’s parish in Thornhill in 1989. He was pastor at St. Luke’s for 18 years.
“I had an idea of putting the rectory over the church hall, and in the place of the old rectory, constructing this residence,” he said. “The Ministry of Housing co-operated and everything fell into place.”
Platt has positive feelings about the church and the priesthood today.
“The Gospel teaches us we have lean years and fat years. Our Lord said He’d be with us for all days, and this gives us hope. As for the priesthood, it’s been a great delight and happiness and I’d recommend it to anybody. “
Platt is still remembered for his generosity while at St. Luke’s. On his golden jubilee, when asked by parishioners what he would like as a commemoration, he replied, “I want nothing for myself, but I would like to see established at St. Augustine’s a professorship in theology for a diocesan priest.” That was done in 1998 and donations are still coming in to that endowment fund.
(Williams is a Contributing Editor to The Catholic Register.)
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