Archbishop Timothy Costelloe (centre) was the principal celebrant of the Mass for Deceased Priests on Thursday 8 November, joined by concelebrants Fr Peter Whitely VG and Fr Brian McKenna. Photo: Matthew Lau.
By Matthew Lau
Only God knows the truth of a person’s life, said Archbishop Timothy Costelloe while honouring deceased clergymen on 8 November.
During regular midday Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral, Archbishop Costelloe asked the congregation to pray for the departed bishops, priests, and deacons who have been part of the life of the Perth Archdiocese over the decades.
Vicar General Fr Peter Whitely proclaimed the Gospel reading of Luke 15:1-10.
The point of the story that Jesus makes clear as the Gospel unfolds, Archbishop Costelloe said, is that God thinks very differently to the way we humans do.
“While we would be calculating how much of a risk we should take in order to preserve the things that we had and not run the risk of losing everything, Jesus is reminding us that that’s not the way God thinks,” he carefully explained in his homily.
“God does not offer the gift of salvation on some kind of logical, rational basis. God just offers the gift of salvation freely and constantly, with no exceptions.”
Frs Peter Toohey SCC, Peter Bianchini, Peter Tran, Michael Moore, Marcelo Parra Gonzalez, Joe Pelle, Armando Carandang, and Jeffey Casabuena were present at the Mass for Deceased Priests at St Mary’s Cathedral. Photo: Matthew Lau.
Just as each one of us walks the journey of our lives, he added, we have the Good Shepherd who goes out in search of us when we get lost.
“And it’s because of that, whenever we come to offer Mass for those who have died – and as we do this particularly during the month of November – we do so with enormous trust, and enormous confidence.
“Only God knows the truth of a person’s life – we do not even know the full truth of our own lives.”
During the month of the Holy Souls, the Archbishop of Perth assured his flock that God “follows the journey of our life” and “looks at us as we journey through life with the eyes of mercy and compassion”.
“He did that and does that for each of our bishops, priests, and deacons. He did that and does that for everybody in this Cathedral. He did that and does that for those we love. He did that and does it for everybody.
“The challenge for us is to have the courage to believe that God really is as generous, as merciful, as loving, as forgiving, as Jesus proclaims Him to be,” Archbishop Costelloe concluded.