Bunbury Deacon says his wife is a hero after 50 years’ marriage.
Jenny Scallan, because of the nature of her husband’s occupation, has relocated her home 20 times in 50 years, lived in three different countries and only moved into her first own permanent home in Bunbury five years ago.
Jenny when asked “Where next?” replied, “The next move I make will out of here in a box.”
Jenny Scallan explained that she had married a mining engineer who was a professional mine manager and had only worked for two mining companies in his fifty year career but was transferred from project to project on an average of a move every two and a half years.
“We have also lived in nine dioceses during that time and eleven different parishes,” Richard told The Record. “Our four sons and our selves have had a fantastic life experience of meeting different people and living in different communities and life styles.”
The couple celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their Sacrament of Matrimony on June 7 at a concelebrated Mass at the Gelorup Carmelite Monastery Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes sung by the Carmelite Sisters.
Fr Tony Chiera VG (Bunbury) was principal celebrant and homilist. The concelebrating priests were Frs Jess Navarra P Admin; Dom Michael Leek OSB, PP; Tony Vallis PP, KHS; Peter Downes; Adolfo (JB) Bonghanoy; Deacons of the Word and Mass were Trevor Lyra and Patrick Moore.
Over 60 people attended the Jubilee Mass made up of family, close friends and parishioners representative of all those they have associated with over the 27 years the couple have lived in Australia.
After Mass the Carmelite Sisters presented the couple with a special cake they had made for them to share with the family.
Family and friends then relocated to the Truffles Restaurant in Boyanup for a celebratory lunch.
Jenny Bock married Dick Scallan on June 7, 1958 in the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, Springs, Republic of South Africa by Rev Father Marius Reville OP.
Jenny was the only daughter of George and Beryl Bock of Springs. George was a local identity and a Springbok Cricketer and Springbok Rugby Trialist. Jenny was the “Victrix Laudorem” of her College in her final year and loves sport of all kinds and especially enjoys golf. However, Jenny from day one of their marriage has been a professional wife, then a mother and more recently grandmother.
Jenny and Dick migrated to Australia in 1981.
They lived in Leeman, south of Geraldton, Zeehan, and Kalgoorlie while Dick worked at the Eneabba Mine, Renison Tin, Paddington and Kundana Mines.
The couple’s four sons are married and all live close by them in the Greater South West. They have nine grand children and are expecting the tenth, in September, God willing.
Jenny serves as Extra Ordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Reader and as a Catechist for Bunbury Catholic Community and Dick is a Permanent Deacon on the Community’s Pastoral Team.
Both of them are members of the Secular Franciscan Order.
Jenny’s brother is a Permanent Deacon in the Springs Parish of Our Lady of Mercy in South Africa.
The couple were presented with their requested Apostolic Blessing from the Holy Father by Fr JB at their regular 7.30 am Sunday Mass on 8 June.
When asked the secret of a successful marriage. “To have God as the priority in your life and be gifted with the right wife from the Lord,” Richard said.
“I have been very blessed by God with a wife, who, in my opinion is the reality of the prophet Sirach’s words: ‘The grace of a wife will charm her husband; her accomplishments will make him stronger. No price can be put on a well-trained character. A modest wife is a boon twice over; a chaste character cannot be weighed on scales. Like the sun rising over the mountain of the Lord is the beauty of a good wife in a well-kept home’.”
