A parish priest commits to being a good pastoral leader, a man of service and a man of faith who is prepared to explain that faith and teach that faith in alignment with the faith of the broader church, Auxiliary Bishop of Perth, Bishop Don Sproxton has said.
Speaking at the installation of Fr Andrew Albis as the new parish priest of the Doubleview parish, Bishop Sproxton said, “We pray for Fr Andrew as your new parish priest and we pray that together, you (the community) and he will continue to grow in faith and service of one another.”
In front of a large congregation gathered at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Fr Andrew committed to working with and growing and safeguarding the faith of the community.
“I pledge to seek your counsel, guidance and advice in the spiritual and temporal care of my pastorate,” he said.
Bishop Sproxton said a congregational installation such as Fr Andrew’s was something of a rare event for a parish community to witness, so he was happy he had the opportunity to participate and share in the occasion.
He also thanked Fr Andrew for his “generosity in accepting the role as parish priest and (in so doing), leaving the community of St Columba’s in Bayswater, a community that he cares for deeply.”
“Remember to always be a loving father, a gentle shepherd, and a wise teacher of your people, so that you may lead them to Christ who will strengthen all that you do,” he continued.
Celebrating his installation, the community in the general intercessions prayed, “For Father Andrew, our new pastor, that the Lord will grant him the grace to shepherd this community with a loving heart and the wisdom and strength to lead us in faith.”
Fr Andrew joins the Doubleview community from St Columba’s in Bayswater where he was Parish Priest. He also served previous ministries at Kalgoorlie, Clarkson and Floreat, while his first appointment was as assistant priest at St Mary’s Cathedral following his ordination in 2005.
A natural progression
At Infant Jesus Church in Morley, the faith community celebrated the installation of Fr Adalbert Imperial OCD as parish priest. Fr Adalbert’s installation almost seemed like a natural progression as he has been a part of the community since he was appointed assistant priest shortly after his ordination at the end of 2022.
One very special guest in attendance was Fr Adalbert’s mother whom Bishop Sproxton thanked for her guidance and enduring example of faith.
So too, Bishop Sproxton said Fr Adalbert would become an example of faith for the parish community. By working together with an openness of heart and a collective desire to answer the call of the spirit, he said the community would thrive in achieving their collective mission.
“I pray that this parish will continue to flourish and grow as a community that is a sacrament to the world at large,” he added.
In his address, Fr Adalbert thanked the community for welcoming him into their parish.
“My daily interactions with you, my dear parishioners who reveal your faith in so many acts of love and service, have already shaped me, calling me to be more faithful, more hopeful and more loving,” he said.
Thanks were also reserved for his family, who he said, “have given me the greatest gift, faith in Jesus Christ”; Fr John, “for his guidance, support and brotherly care”; and Fr Greg, “who has left a parish that is as loving as it is organised.”
“Continue to pray for me and be reassured of my prayers for you,” he added. “I am still learning, still growing…and I pray that you may be forgiving to me, which, as Jesus reminds us, is the measure of genuine love.”
Interestingly, Fr Adalbert is also a qualified medical doctor. His calling to the priesthood followed a particularly powerful experience he had while attending the World Youth Day celebrations in Madrid in 2011.