Morley priest Fr John Hogan recently celebrated his 90th birthday, inviting the small congregation gathered to understand where God is calling them.
Speaking on Saturday 22 May, Fr John told how he was born in 1933 and lived through World War II, going to school every day, while also dealing with experiences like food rationing.
After World War II, Fr John recalled to The Record that he went on to work in the public sector for many years, and upon reaching the age of 50 began to question what was the meaning of his life.
“I was working in the public service and I was going to work five days a week getting paid more than I probably needed.
“And then on my 50th birthday, I realised that in about 30 or 40 years or so I was possibly going to die and life would have been a complete waste.”
“A team of catechists from the NeoCatechumenal Way came to Canberra, where I was based: they gave a talk on Abraham and inspired me to change my life.
“They asked if I’d considered the priesthood, and although I’d never thought about it before, I thought about it and said yes.”
Fr Hogan said that since that time, he had trusted God to lead him along the right path, including during his studies to become a priest.
“I studied for four years in the US, but went back to Australia, to Perth to complete my formation and to be ordained,” Fr Hogan said.
Upon being ordained at the age of 64, Fr Hogan’s first role was at Whitford Parish, Our Lady of the Mission Church, where he assisted then-Parish Priest, Fr Geoff Aldous.
“After that I moved to the Parish of Goomalling where I was Parish Priest, then I was sent as a missionary to the eastern states,” he said.
Fr John celebrated his 90th Birthday with a Eucharist and small gathering of his Neocatechumenal Community at the Redemptoris Mater Seminary.
