How do I pray? Rev. Deacon Patrick Moore speaks with The Record’s Debbie Warrier.
By Debbie Warrier
I was born in England and came to Australia in 1970. A few months after I arrived I met my wife Carol and we started going out together about a year later. We were married in 1972 and have six children, four girls and two boys as well as two grandchildren.
I had always planned that after my retirement I would do more work around the parish especially in visiting the sick. In 2001 Archbishop Barry Hickey advertised in The Record for men to step forward for the Permanent Deaconate. It was something I had never thought about because it wasn’t previously possible in this archdiocese. Carol said, “Oh that would suit you.” We went to an information afternoon to see what the Diaconate was about. In the end, I was accepted as an applicant, went through the process and was ordained in 2006.
My prayer life revolves around the prayer of the Church and in its service. I say both the morning prayer and evening prayer but don’t normally say all of the other prayers of the day.
I pray a lot in bed but usually sleep overtakes me. Otherwise, I pray a lot by reading the Scripture.
In my parish of Armadale I enjoy the opportunity to preach every fourth Sunday.
I love this responsibility because it really makes me look at the Scripture more closely. I think about what the texts are saying to us today.
I consider my work as chaplain at the Stella Maris Seafarers’ Centre in Fremantle as a form of prayer.
All of us at the Centre try to be like Jesus and to bring Jesus to the men in the ships that come into Fremantle harbour. The Centre belongs to the international Apostleship of the Sea which reaches out to these men and tries to meet their spiritual and pastoral needs.
Our work might be as simple as just driving to and fro, picking them up from the ships. We help them with lots of practical things, like phone cards. Really it’s about letting them know the Church cares. Now and then they talk about something that is troubling them. For example, a fellow might be having trouble with one of his children. It is very difficult to be so far away from home and they might want to talk about that too. On other occasions they may want to share their good news – like the new baby at home.
I am helped by a growing band of committed volunteers. On Mondays Deacon Trevor Lyra is on duty and Presentation Sister Gwen Sivwright works with us three afternoons a week. She is very popular with the men who treat her with great respect like a granny! They sit with her and show her their family photos. She loves her pastoral work with them.
Occasionally, I have the opportunity to conduct a communion service on the ship. It is not always easy to organise as normally the ships are in and out from the harbour very quickly. In Holy Week I was pleased to conduct a communion service and blessing of the Easter foods for a ship that comes regularly from Singapore. The crew was very respectful and dressed in their Sunday best. It was just like being in Church. My prayer is mainly about ‘doing’.
– debwarrier@hotmail.com