Last of Bunbury’s Irish Labourers dies

By Glynnis Grainger
THE last of all the Irish priests who laboured in the Bunbury diocese died peacefully at the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home in Glendalough on 21 December.

Stephen Peter Hawe was born on 26 December 1918 in Kilkenny Ireland, the second youngest of six children and the last survivor of the children.
His funeral was held in the Immaculate Conception Church, Dardanup on 31 December and the eulogy was delivered by Fr Noel Fitzsimons of the Brunswick parish.
He had a healthy life on the family farm and was never seriously ill during his life of 91 years.
He had an uncle, a priest, who probably set him thinking about the priesthood himself in later years at school and there was no opposition from his parents.
Enjoying his years in the seminary, he made many friends and with them cycled around Ireland’s historical sites and enjoyed the scenery and the golf courses.
His ordination on 12 June 1942 at the age of 23 years and six months was a great occasion for his family and friends.
He reflected how wonderful it was to be a priest, and that was a feeling that never left him.
Three months later, he and five other volunteers for Perth were on their way in the munitions ship The Port Fairie.
They eventually docked in Melbourne and flew to Perth in the Bungana, and were met by Archbishop Prendiville’s chauffeur and taken to meet the Archbishop and receive their appointments.Steve was appointed to Palmyra as assistant to Peter Claver Smith and he would meet fellow immigrant Irishman Bill Costelloe every Monday for golf at Fremantle, Monday golf being an institution that was observed throughout their lives.
In 1946, Steve was sent to Collie to assist Fr John Brosnan, who was known as “Brossie”.
Fr Phil Shannon and Steve were on their way for a swim at Leighton Beach and stopped at a rail crossing for a train to pass.  Immediately after the train passed, Fr Shannon stepped straight into the path of the train coming in the opposite direction.
By a miracle, Steve was unhurt because he was a matter of centimetres behind Phil Shannon. Phil was killed immediately. It was on 14 January 1946 and Steve was on holidays from Collie.
In 1948, Steve received his first appointment as parish priest to Waroona where he served for seven years and built the presbytery next to the church on the highway.
After this, he went to Ireland for the first time in 1955, where both his parents had died and his nieces and nephews were now grown up.
On his return, Steve was appointed to Kojonup for three years, then to Pemberton for seven years, then Bridgetown for five years, where he celebrated his silver jubilee of ordination. Then he was posted to Wagin-Dumbleyung parish for nine years, then to Dardanup-Boyanup for three years, then to Boyup Brook, where he celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination.
Later, he concluded his years of service at Pemberton and retired to a small house at Preston Beach where he could play all the golf he desired.
Deteriorating health led him to a room at the Little Sisters of the Poor at Glendalough, but he protested by taking off to Ireland.
The Sisters were frantic as to his whereabouts, as he would have to return within a month or lose his room.  He did return within the appointed time and settled down to the new regime where he spent the last seven or eight years of his life.
Fr Steve gave great service to the Archdiocese of Perth for 12 years and to the Diocese of Bunbury for the best part of 50 years.
He was a quiet, unassuming priest, without pretence or pride, who fulfilled his pastoral role because he loved it.