The dark Mitsubishi Lancer drove down the narrow country lane and there was a good chance that Fr Pavol Herda was breaking the speed limit.
The car seemed to bounce along, zooming past wide green pastures, hills covered in purple flowers and acres of farm land.
Fr Pavol was driving towards St Isidore Parish in Jennacubbine, one of the seven parishes that he manages together with Fr Emmanuel Tv Dimobi.
The drive down had given the word ‘Godspeed’ a whole new meaning and Fr Pavol explained later that he used to race his brother when they were younger.
It was a regular Thursday morning in Northam, a country town nestled in the Avon Valley 96km northeast from Perth and approximately 20 minutes from Toodyay.
Life in the country is always imagined to be quaint and simple, and when Fr Pavol was asked what a typical day was like he replied by saying he woke up in the morning and had the day off.
But the laughter that soon followed, together with the noticeboard that hung in the kitchen, only confirmed that he was joking and that neither priest was on summer holidays.
The huge whiteboard was dotted with blue and red magnets, each magnet representing one priest; Fr Pavol was blue and Fr Emmanuel was red, and between the two of them they administered to the needs of the country.
They celebrate Mass and provide Adoration, Holy Hours, Benediction, and Divine Mercy prayers at St Joseph’s in Northam, St John the Baptist in Toodyay, Our Lady Queen of Heaven in Wundowie, Holy Cross Parish in Cunderdin, Holy Family Parish in Baker’s Hill, Holy Family Parish in Tammin and Trinity Church in Meckering.
“Being in the country has broadened my view on pastoral life,” Fr Pavol said.
“As a priest I have had to adjust and adapt to country life and I find that I have more time for reflection on the spiritual life.”
Fr Pavol, who is originally from Slovakia, was ordained in 2008 at St Joseph’s Parish, Subiaco after finishing his studies at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle.
Following his ordination he was sent to Sacred Heart Parish in Thornlie.
“I served there as a deacon for half a year, then as a priest for two and a half years,” Fr Pavol said.
After that he was sent to Good Shepherd Parish in Lockridge before being posted as the parish priest of St Joseph’s in Northam, with Nigerian-born Fr Emmanuel as the assistant priest.
Fr Emmanuel was ordained in 2011; he served as a parish priest at St Emilie’s in Canning Vale before finding himself out in the country.
“Welcome to Northam,” was the first thing Fr Emmanuel said.
He likes the country but both priests admit that the numbers of the congregations, which on many occasions are just two people, is the biggest challenge that they face.
Unfortunately, an elderly parishioner in Meckering passed away recently, leaving the priests with just one member to say Mass for.
“In Jennacubbine, at times we have two, three or four people,” Fr Emmanuel said.
“Last Sunday, I got four.”
The population in the surrounding towns is miniscule compared with the large city parishes, with Toodyay being one of the biggest with approximately 2,000 people. Other towns like Tammin have a population of only 160 to 200 people.
With such small numbers of people for whom to say Mass, homilies in the country differ significantly to those in city parishes.
“I change my homily on the spot,” Fr Emmanuel said, “especially if it’s just one person.”
Fr Pavol echoes his friend’s views.
“When you preach to one person you don’t want to preach for 10 to 15 minutes,” Fr Pavol said.
“You don’t want them to think that you are staring at them so you have to change it to suit them otherwise they will look at me and say ‘what are you talking about?’
“The homily has to be a little bit about touching the person.”
Fr Emmanuel and Fr Pavol have touched the lives of the country parishes they care for, whether they are receiving fresh eggs from parishioners’ chickens or being a part of the lives of students and staff at St Joseph’s Primary School and the high school.
It is evident that the priests are adored by the students who broke into song, as loud chants of Mary Must Be Honoured In My Life Every Day, a song taught to them by the priests, filled the classroom on their arrival.
Many students started high-fiving Fr Emmanuel, who walked around the classroom and made sure everyone got a high-five; while others called out to Fr Pavol who smiled and waved.
“To have two priests who engage with the school so much – and by engage I mean they engage with the school, staff and parish and the St Joseph’s community – it’s wonderful,” Kevin Sheehy, principal of St Joseph’s Primary School, told The Record.
Mr Sheehy shares a great camaraderie with both priests and enjoys teasing Fr Pavol, an avid soccer player who has been playing since he was six years old, about the game.
“When did Slovakia get into the World Cup?” he asks jokingly, before adding, “he treasures his soccer and I love stirring him up about it.”
Fr Emmanuel and Fr Pavol, a big Manchester United supporter, play soccer with the high school students as well as with the teachers; they both pick their teams and play against each other.
In addition to playing soccer, they have achieved a number of remarkable feats in the seven months that they have been in the country, including fixing the church roof, painting the church, starting the visitation of parishioners in Toodyay, giving swimming lessons, setting up a church choir and executing St Joseph’s Care, an initiative to aid anyone who needs assistance with food.
They also offer Mass to their largest congregation, approximately 300 people, at the detention centre in Northam.
“Most of them are from Vietnam,” Fr Emmanuel said.
“When they sing you get goose bumps, it is very powerful.”
Another powerful aspect of life in the country is that no matter where in the world one is, gossip still remains a country town’s favourite pastime. “Everyone knows everyone’s business,” Fr Pavol said, laughing good-naturedly.
“They have their own system,” Fr Emmanuel said.
“It is very hard to change anything and I am trying to be more Northam than Northam.”
The priests had lunch at the local pub, before they began to prepare for the evening, a meeting discussing the upcoming Confirmations.
Charles Dickens once said it is not easy to walk alone in the country without musing upon something.
Perhaps, whether among the concrete and cement in the city or the lush green fields of the country, what one may muse upon is the words Fr Pavol used when describing the Eucharist – Christ is timeless.