By Theresia Titus
The Norbertine Canons have last weekend commemorated the 60th anniversary of their arrival in York.
Attended by more than 160 worshippers, a special Mass was held at the York Parish of St Patrick’s on Sunday 3 November.
Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton celebrated the Mass, and was joined by concelebrants, former Parish Priest of Beverly, Brookton and Pingelly Fr Greg Caroll, Queens Park/East Cannington Parish Priest Fr Peter Joseph Steglich, O Praem and Fr Stephen Cooney, O Praem.
In his homily for the occasion, Bishop Don also recognised the work of Fr Cooney.
“Fr Stephen has such a special place in the hearts of us who have felt his care and friendship. In York, he has been a wonderful part of the community. He was to become the farmer at Kerry Downs, who worked hard to help the dream of a new college at Queens Park to be realised. The income from that farm, a little distance from the town of York, contributed to the beginnings of St Norbert’s College,” Bishop Don recounted.
Speaking about the Gospel of Zacchaeus, Bishop Don noted that the smallness of Zacchaeus was made up for by the power of Christ.
“It is our hope to be able to experience the power of Christ, to be freed of all that is small about us so that the Spirit of God can help us reach our potential: to become what God hopes us to become.”
“Fr Stephen has been able to recognise those moments of awe, when God has worked with the little we have to make great things happen. Perhaps the greatest thing that he and his brother Norbertines have shown us has been their trust in God and his mysterious providence. The providence of God has been felt in their personal lives following the call of Christ in the Religious life, and the providence of God at work in the parishes and the inspired projects they have undertaken.”
Music for the Mass was delivered by the Queens Park/East Cannington Parish St Joseph’s Choir, under the direction of Jenny Palermo.
Speaking at the end of the Mass and representing the congregation, Mrs Talma Eva said York parishioners acknowledge “the wonderful work and influence the Norbertine Canons have had in York and its surrounding”.
“We are grateful that Fr Peter O’Reilly, Fr John Reynold and Fr Stephen Cooney set up their foundation home in York; and stayed with us the past 60 years,” Mrs Eva said.
“We miss having Fr Cooney’s holiness, gentleness and special influence in our lives, and pray that he will be fit and able to visit and stay with us whenever he wants to.
“We wish Fr Peter Joseph Steglich (as superior of Norbertine order) and his new confreres every success on the future and thank them for all they have contributed to this parish and being here today,” she continued.
Norbertine Canons first came to Western Australia in 1958, upon the invitation from then Archbishop of Perth Redmond Prendiville to Fr Abbott Felim Colwell, O Praem.
The following year, two young priests, Fr Peter O’Reilly, O Praem and Fr John Reynolds, O Praem arrived on 11 May 1959, with Fr Stephen Cooney,arriving on 5 November of the same year.
Archbishop Prendiville then gave York Parish St Patrick’s Church to the Norbertine Canons as their foundation home in Australia and appointed Fr Peter O’Reilly as Parish Priest the day after Fr O’Reilly moved to York on 16 May 1959 together with Fr John Reynolds.
Fr O’Reilly became the first Prior of St Norbert’s Priory at York the following day.
Fr Lawrence, Fr Gerard Cusack, Fr Joe O’Donahue and Fr Augustine Heron and other priests arrived from Ireland in 1965 “to establish a male college in Queens Park, WA”.
St Norbert College was opened by Archbishop Prendiville on 27 February 1966, with Fr O’Reilly devoting his time for the College, which is now a Catholic School for both male and female students.
Fr William Fitzgerald joined the Order years later and was ordained 9 December 1979 at Queens Park Priory by Emeritus Archbishop of Perth Launcelot John Goody, becoming the first Australian Norbertine.
Celebrating his 40th anniversary of ordination at the end of this year in Perth, Fr Fitzgerald was appointed as Parish Priest of York following his ordination.
It was challenging for the Order to recruit men until Fr Peter Joseph Steglich, Fr Christopher Lim and Br Patrick Doolan joined the Order years later.
Currently, there are three men in training, Br John, Br Kenneth and Br Stephen, who are here with us today, with Fr Peter Joseph and our special little Priest Fr Stephen Cooney as their superiors.
For the past years, Fr Reynolds, Fr Heron, Fr O’Reilly and Fr Cooney had taken turns as Parish Priests, with Fr Cooney now being one of the first and the last of the Norbertine Canons at York Parish.
The Parish of York, Beverley Brookton and Pingelly officially returned to the Archdiocese of Perth on 18 July 2019 which ended 60 years of Norbertine presence in the Parish.
Fr Cooney moved to Queens Park Priory in the middle of this year after taking his retirement in June 2019.
The anniversary celebration concluded with an anniversary lunch with Auxilliary Bishop Sproxton and the parishioners.