Canon Gerard King has been at St Joan of Arc Roman Catholic church in Highbury Park since 2006

BEING A Roman Catholic priest, Canon Gerard King is unable to marry.

But for the veteran priest, who this weekend celebrates 40 years being ordained, a life dedicated to “making the kingdom of God a reality in your little parish” has never left him feeling like he had to give anything up.

“I think being married can be a sacrifice. Every calling has its ups and downs, its challenges,” said the 63-year-old Gooner, who once moved the time of his Mass to celebrate an Arsenal parade.

“I mean, I’ve always felt that, as a priest, it would be quite difficult to be a good husband and a good father, and at the same time trying to be available to everybody as a priest, because obviously you have to give preference to your family and your wife. Whereas if you’re single, you can be there for everybody all the time.”

Instead, Father Gerard – or Fr G as his parishioners call him – has been married to the job and his 500-strong congregation at St Joan of Arc Roman Catholic church in Highbury Park, which he joined in 2006.

As a governor, he also finds time most days to stand at the school gates outside St Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Primary School as children arrive and leave.

Not that he would describe it as a job.

“You’re not married to the job, because it’s not a job, it’s a vocation. It’s a calling,” he insisted.

“It’s a real blessing. As I get older, I appreciate it more. There were times when you’re younger and you think life might be greener – the grass is always greener on the other side – but I think as I’ve settled into the priesthood over the years, I’m very happy at a kind of a deep level.”

Having been ordained as a 23-year-old in 1984, two years earlier than the age set down by the Papacy, Fr Gerard was the first in his family to become a priest.

First working in Los Angeles, where he stayed for nine years, he moved to London in 1993 when his parents needed more support, and worked across a number of different churches before settling down in Highbury. In 2018 he became Canon of Westminster Cathedral.

“People often ask me [what it was like in LA] and they think it’s going to be radically different, but actually human beings are the same all over the world,” he said. “They get born, they get married, they have babies and they die. So the -actual work of a priest is the same regardless of the culture.”

Parishioner Grainne Cavanagh praised Fr ­Gerard for his humour, approachable nature and “impressive sermons”.

Describing them as “very lucky” to have had him as a parish priest “for so long”, she added: “He is a very well loved parish priest with a very good sense of humour. He is good fun but he is also an incredibly spiritual priest and really wise when you need help and advice. Our parish is very active and he is the driver behind this.”

Fr Gerard, preparing for his ruby anniversary celebration Mass being held tomorrow (Saturday), said: “Some people have said to me what faith you must have to be a priest all this time, but it is God who has had faith in me.”