Oblates’ Vicar Provincial goes to God

Fr John Maher 1949-2011

OBLATE Vicar Provincial Fr John Maher OMI has died suddenly on 28 April at Caritas Christi in Kew just 23 days after being diagnosed with inoperable cancer.
Fr Maher was farewelled at a Vigil Mass on 4 May presided by current Oblate Provincial Fr Harry Dyer OMI, with the homily preached by his close friend and fellow Oblate Fr Vincent Ryan OMI.
Fr Maher was a member of the Provincial Council, parish priest at Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Sunshine, lecturer and Head of the Philosophy Department at the Catholic Theological College, a member of the Melbourne Archdiocese Senate of Priests and a previous Formator and Rector of St Mary’s Seminary for more than 20 years.
Fr Dyer OMI noted that the liturgy at the Vigil Mass was “prayerfully participated in by all those present”, including some 43 Religious and diocesan priests.
The following day, a Requiem Mass for Fr John was held at St John Vianney’s in Springvale North, with hundreds of mourners, including Oblates from around Australia, up to 93 diocesan priests and Religous, more than 50 seminarians from St Mary’s and Corpus Christi College, past and present parishioners, Fr Maher’s brother Michael and his two sisters Anne and Maureen.
They were led in an “uplifting and reflective” service by Fr Tony Maher OMI, Fr John’s younger brother. Joining the many Oblate concelebrants on the altar was retired Bishop Jerry Coffey of Sale.
Born in Warragul, Victoria in 1949, Fr John entered St Mary’s Seminary in 1972, taking first vows in 1973 and was ordained on December 18 1976.
His first appointment was to the Oblate parish of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Sefton, New South Wales, followed by five years at Iona College in Queensland, one year at  Mazenod College in Mulgrave, Victoria then St Mary’s seminary which was his focus for the next 23 years. In 2006 he was appointed Assistant Parish Priest at St John Vianney’s in Springvale, Victoria and in 2008 he was appointed parish priest at Our Lady’s in Sunshine, Victoria.
A former pupil of Fr John and current MAMI Director, Fr Christian Fini OMI, recalled how, on Fr John’s final day, he warmly received many visitors and, although they left saddened by what was happening, Fr John managed to extend the peace and acceptance of the situation to those who visited him.
“Fr John was a great teacher throughout his priestly ministry but his greatest lesson was his total trust and faith in God as he journeyed the last 23 days of his life,” Fr Christian said.
“Like the followers of Jesus who found the empty tomb, we feel an acute sense of the emptiness in the sight of this loss but we have the advantage of their experience of the Resurrection and know that Fr John placed his life in God’s hands in a certain hope of his own sharing in the Glory of the Resurrection.”
The Oblates have some major operations in WA, including Mazenod College in Lesmurdie and the Basilica of St Patrick in Fremantle.