By Bridget Spinks
THREE West Australian Bishops and 61 priests from around Australia and the world turned out in force to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Salvatorian presence in Australia on 27 June at St Anthony’s in Greenmount, the parish entrusted to the community in 1961.
The Mass was part of a two-day celebration for the parish which included a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Barry Hickey the previous day for the 50th anniversary of St Anthony’s.
Perth Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton, Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan and Geraldton Bishop Justin Bianchini concelebrated the 5.30pm Mass together with Salvatorian Provincials from England and Poland, Salvatorian Superiors from Australia, the Philippines and Taiwan as well as several more Salvatorians and diocesan and Religious clergy from Perth and other parts of Australia.
Bruce Rock parish priest of three years Fr Francis Kot SDS gave the homily, and announced “with joy” the news that the Church has declared that their founder Fr Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan lived a holy life, thereby making him a Venerable.
In 1880, when Fr Francis Jordan was travelling through the Holy Land, he took a break in Lebanon where he had a profound religious experience, Fr Kot said.
Fr Jordan “meditated on the words of Our Saviour at the Last Supper: ‘Eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent’ and these words became the inspiration for his new society and its primary mission,” Fr Kot said.
On 8 December 1881, Fr Francis Jordan and two other priests took private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience in the chapel of St Brigid in Rome and so it was that the Society of the Divine Saviour or Salvatorians was founded. Eighty years later, Fr Paul Keyte SDS from the British Province arrived in Perth with the mission of proclaiming Christ the Saviour to the people of Australia, Fr Francis said.
When the British passed their ministry in Australia to the Polish Salvatorians in 1987, Greenmount parish became “a home for most of us arriving from Poland,” Fr Francis said. He added that the Salvatorians experienced the parishioners’ “loving support and friendship, which you continue to provide today”.
But, Fr Francis also used the occasion to beg the congregation on behalf of all Salvatorians, to pray fervently for vocations to the priesthood and religious life from Australia. “Perhaps most of you already know that we face a shortage of vocations to the Salvatorian order also here in Australia,” Fr Kot said. “If we are to continue our mission among you we desperately need more open minded men, who will answer the Lord’s invitation to follow Him and serve in the Church.
“Talk to your children and grandchildren about the beauty of priesthood, pray for them so they make the right decisions in life. The priests and Religious of tomorrow need to be born in your families today.” There are 21 priests in the Australian region of the Salvatorians, providing pastoral care in 10 parishes including three in the Sydney Archdiocese. Some Salvatorians in Australia serve as school chaplains and in ministry to the Aboriginal people.
After Mass, Bishop Sproxton also said he was very grateful for the long priestly presence the Salvatorians have given the Perth Archdiocese. He said he first encountered the Salvatorians when Fr Laurence Murphy SDS would bring a very good soccer team of school students to St Charles Seminary, which he said was a good way to bring the youth to the seminary.
Bishop Sproxton added that he remembered his experiences in school chaplaincy assisting Salvatorian priest, Fr Paul when the prelate was a newly ordained priest.
He added that the Salvatorian chaplaincy presence in schools makes a noticeable difference; those students can easily relate to priests.
“We value that pastoral leadership they’ve given in the diocese. We pray the work will continue among us,” he said.