Msgr. Henry Adrian Van Son, former pastor of two Santa Barbara area parishes (St. Raphael and Our Lady of Mount Carmel) celebrated the 60th anniversary of his priestly ordination at a July 11 Mass in Montecito.

The 85-year-old priest, born in Eindhoven, Holland, was ordained on May 7, 1949 from St. John's Seminary in Camarillo. He was elevated to the rank of monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

Before coming to the U.S., he completed 12 years of his preparatory studies for the priesthood in seminaries in Holland. During World War II he was sent to the American College in Louvain for theological studies, but a week after his arrival the school was transformed into a hospital to care for American casualties in the battle for Remagen Bridge.

He remained in Holland until 1948 when he came to the U.S. and completed his studies for the priesthood at St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, and was ordained on May 7, 1949. He was elevated to the rank of monsignor by Pope John Paul II in 1988.

Msgr. Van Son's parish assignments in the archdiocese included St. Gertrude, Bell Gardens; St. Elizabeth, Altadena (as administrator, 1957-61); and Mary Star of the Sea in Oxnard. He also served as chaplain at correctional institutions and hospitals in Los Angeles, and at Ventura School for Girls at Camarillo (1961-68).

In 1969, he was appointed the 12th pastor at St. Raphael in Goleta, serving until 1978. Recalled Bernard "Bernie" Jochum, past Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus Council 5300 (1974-75): "I was impressed by Father Van Son's ability to bring people together, his prayerfulness, keen sense of hospitality and administrative skills."

Joe T. Kovach, 3rd Degree Knight and former editor of The SPIRIT, the St. Raphael parish newspaper, loved Father Van Son's openness and writing skills. The pastor wrote an informative column, "Just Between You and Me," for each edition and ended them with his trademark phrase, "Love Ya, Father Henry A. Van Son."

"He also invited parishioners to write letters to him and these with his responses appeared in The SPIRIT," said Kovach.

Msgr. Van Son himself was a member of Council 5300 and became a 4th Degree member in 1971. He then became pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Montecito, serving until his retirement in 1990, when he moved to Portland, Oregon. He kept busy helping to celebrate Masses at two parishes, St. Michael and Holy Trinity and St. Mary's of the Valley retirement facility.

The Knights of Columbus Junipero Serra Assembly and Color Corps participated in the jubilee celebration. A family celebration was organized by Ria Van Son, Msgr. Van Son's sister-in-law (his brother Cornelius was her husband), her children and other family members, with relatives attending from Holland, Australia, Hong Kong, California and Tennessee.