Death of Perth priest likely due to natural causes says Perth Archbishop.
ARCHBISHOP Hickey said he had no reason to suspect foul play in the death of Perth priest Father Douglas Rowe, 69, whose body was found floating in a river on the Philippine island of Cebu on 16 January.
The Archbishop was responding to media speculation suggesting there were suspicious circumstances surrounding his death.
Fr Rowe, founder of the Patrist Societies of the Sons and Daughters of God the Father, was in Cebu inspecting land with community member, Sr Jan Rebutaso and a real estate agent.
Archbishop Hickey said that Fr Doug had sent the other two across the river before him, however upon reaching the other side they turned around to discover he had disappeared.
They found his body floating in the river and he was taken to hospital but could not be revived.
“The most logical explanation seems to be that Fr Doug had a heart attack as he entered the strong current”, the Archbishop said.
According to reports in the Philippine newspaper Tempo police officer Rosendo Binondo stated:
“We have not seen any visible injuries on the body or any sign of commotion or struggle in the area, but we are waiting for the result of the autopsy.”
Archbishop Hickey said Fr Rowe’s remains would be brought back to Perth for burial.
“Father Rowe’s sudden death has come as a shock,” he said.
“Fr Douglas Rowe was a former Jesuit priest in India,” he said. “He left in order to respond to a special call to promote the worship of God as Father. To this end, he founded the Patrist Society of men and women to spread this message.
“He claimed that the spirituality of God the Father was Jesus’ own spirituality in so far as He was always in communion with His father and instructed his followers to accept Him as their father in the famous Lord’s Prayer, the Our Father. “He founded communities in Canada, the Philippines and Perth and was seeking to establish them also in Uganda when he was taken from us unexpectedly.
“Fr Douglas had a reputation for dynamic preaching,” he said.
“I am sad for the members of his community and his friends. May he rest in peace.”
Fr Rowe was based in Midland at the Patrist House and prior to that, was chaplain at All Saints Chapel in Allendale Square from late 2005 to January 2008.
– Bridget Spinks