Posted by SVD IBP News:
Fr Norman was born in 1921 on March 29th at Saltley near Birmingham, the second of five brothers.
He was nine when he met Fr King, a Divine Word Missionary home from China.
At the age of twelve, he went to St Richard’s College at Hadzor, near Droitwich in Worcestershire and remained there for six years.
In September 1939 when he came to Donamon where the SVD had been in residence since the previous March and were now open to take in their first Novices.
After two years, he returned to Birmingham’s Diocesan College at Oscott for further study. There followed periods of study at Techny and Mundelein College in Chicago.
On August 15th 1947 he was ordained and believed he was headed for China but he was asked to become an English Teacher back at Hadzor and Vocation’s Director going from school to school.
In 1955 he was sent to Hamirpur, India and stayed there for nine years.
In 1963 he set off for Papua New Guinea where he was to spend more than 30 years. It was in Papua New Guinea that he celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 1997.
Then, in his mid-70s, he began to feel it was time to move on and he came back in Donamon where he has helped so many people and where, as he says himself, he “keeps busy”.
Congratulations to Fr Norman and happy 100th birthday!
Qui vivat atque floreat ad plurimos annos 🙏🏻
SVD IBP 
Dear Fr. Norman…Congratulations from my Sister MARIE and I. She sent me the email of your 100th Birthday,today,from her home in Portugal. There are only the two of us now..and I am still living in Darwen. It’s many years since you came on your motorcycle to visit at our Mum and Dad’s..and Around 54 yrs since my leaving St.Richard’s. I was delighted to see your lovely white beard and face on the email. Our love and prayers for your continued good Heath. Paul&Marie CravenXX
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