As the Year for Priests comes to a close, many in the Archdiocese of Atlanta are preparing to celebrate the lives of three area priests who will be retiring this year. They are Father Terence Kane, Father John Adamski and Msgr. Terry Young.

Father Kane, currently the pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Hartwell, was ordained a priest on June 8, 1968, by Bishop Patrick Lennon of Kildare and Leighlin at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Carlow, Ireland. Since arriving in Atlanta in the late ‘60s, the Drogheda, Ireland, native has served various parishes throughout the archdiocese over 42 years as a priest, including the Cathedral of Christ the King, Atlanta, St. Thomas More, Decatur, and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Father Kane’s first parish and one he would return to as pastor 17 years later. He was also the founding pastor of St. Oliver Plunkett Church, Snellville, and in choosing as the parish name that of the saint honored in his hometown of Drogheda, he made history in the U.S. Catholic Church. He was also pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Atlanta, and St. Catherine of Siena, Kennesaw. Father Kane will retire in August.

Father Adamski, who was ordained on May 22, 1971, by Atlanta Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan, currently serves as the pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Atlanta, where he has been assigned since 1999. The priest has served all over the archdiocese in 39 years of priesthood, from Holy Cross Parish in Atlanta to St. John the Evangelist in Hapeville. He was for many years pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in the West End. During his pastorate, he opened the first night shelter for the homeless in a Catholic church in Atlanta. Later as pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta, he opened the night shelter there. Also under his guidance, the Shrine initiated its ministry to persons with HIV/AIDS, including “Tuesday Night at the Shrine,” a weekly dinner offering support and community to those with AIDS. Father Adamski has also served the archdiocese as director of vocations in the 1970s, as a member of the College of Consultors, and as the spiritual director for the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Serra Club. He will retire in August.

Msgr. Young, currently the pastor of St. Mary Mother of God Church in Jackson, was ordained on May 5, 1972, by Archbishop Donnellan. Msgr. Young began his priestly ministry as parochial vicar and director of religious education at Holy Spirit Church, Atlanta. He became assistant principal at St. Joseph High School, Atlanta, and taught religion there from 1973 to 1976. He became principal of the school in 1975 and served in that capacity for 18 months before the school’s closing. In 1976, Msgr. Young was named principal of St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, and reorganized the program, which had been developed around the open classroom. During his 15-year tenure at St. Pius, he introduced programs designed to meet the needs of under-achieving students and those with learning problems and began a pastoral ministry to students. The school’s Center for Performing Arts is named in his honor, recognizing the support he gave to developing programs in drama, the arts and creative writing. He has also served the archdiocese as Secretary for Education and as pastor of St. Benedict Church, Duluth. He was elevated to the rank of monsignor in December 1994. Msgr. Young will retire in July.