Columban Fr Michael Cuddigan with his family on the day of his ordination. Photo: St Columbans Mission Society
“It is time to harvest my life experience,” reflects Fr Michael Cuddigan SSC, as he prepares to retire and return to Ireland this July. After more than a decade of service in Hong Kong and over 50 years as a Columban missionary priest, Fr Cuddigan’s journey has been one of faith, transformation, and deep pastoral presence.
Ordained in 1971 at the age of 24 at the Columban seminary in Dalgan Park, Ireland, Fr Cuddigan was first sent to the southern Philippines. He ministered to village communities there, served as a hospital chaplain, and worked in campus ministry. His missionary path later took him to Australia and New Zealand before returning to Mindanao in the 1990s to focus on vocation ministry and leading retreats.
Looking back over his priesthood, Fr Cuddigan describes it as a journey shaped by joy and challenge: “The last 54 years as a priest have given me different life experiences - the good, the bad, the ugly, the beautiful ones. And now I speak out of them.”
He emphasises the importance of storytelling in preaching, believing that sharing real human experiences, including personal imperfections and moments of grace, can bring hope to others. “People relate to the stories of life and faith. When we are open and honest, it encourages others who may be facing similar struggles.”
In his early years, however, he found preaching difficult. He often relied heavily on notes and struggled with confidence. He recalls how, during his time in the Philippines, he preferred giving homilies in simple village settings - like nipa huts filled with joyful faces - over formal congregations. “As a young man, I was Michael the cleric. Now I am more Michael the human being,” he says with a smile.
Fr Cuddigan arrived in Hong Kong in 2013. One of his first memories is of sitting alone in Kennedy Town, looking across the harbour. “I said to myself, nobody knows me, and I know nobody.” It was a moment of vulnerability, transition, and the beginning of a new chapter of connection and growth.
He was appointed assistant priest at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception where he served from 2013 to 2017. There, he began building deep relationships with the local community while maintaining his commitment to daily prayer and quiet reflection. He fondly refers to his office in the Cathedral as “Cuddigan’s seat,” where he often spent time contemplating during his “holy hour.”
In recent years, he has served as the rector of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, ministering primarily to Hong Kong’s Filipino migrant community. With his years of experience in the Philippines, Fr Cuddigan quickly found common ground through shared language and cultural understanding. “Their dedication to family, faith, and community has greatly inspired me.”
He currently celebrates Sunday Masses for the Filipino community and weekday and Saturday Masses for others in the neighbourhood. Before his departure, he hopes to leave the community with a message: “Let your faith be coloured by God’s love - with gratitude and joy.”
Ever creative and pastoral, Fr Cuddigan also launched a YouTube channel to share his homilies, embracing digital tools to reach people beyond the church walls. “When we speak honestly about our struggles, it helps others feel less alone - and it helps me too,” he says.
Fr Cuddigan’s outreach extended to the airwaves as well. For over a decade, he contributed to Christian ecumenical radio broadcasts in Hong Kong and once led the religious section of RTHK. He credits these experiences with shaping his approach to preaching. He recalls co-host John Meirs’ words: “Don’t worry about perfect English - people only remember what’s said in simple words.” That advice stayed with him. “If a message is too polished, people forget it. Simplicity speaks.”
As he returns to Ireland, Fr Cuddigan looks forward to a quieter life, where he can continue his ministry in new ways - through daily Mass, visiting the sick, and offering spiritual companionship. “It’s time to pass on what I’ve received,” he says.
Fr Cuddigan’s journey reminds us that the call to mission does not end with age or retirement - it simply takes a new form. Through his witness, he shows us that transformation is possible at every stage of life, and that even after decades of service, the Spirit continues to lead us forward.
Fr Josekutty Mathew CMF is the Deputy Editor and Ginia Leung is a reporter at the Sunday Examiner in Hong Kong.
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