By Bridget Spinks
THE Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate will withdraw from Our Lady of Lourdes in Lesmurdie towards the end of January next year, Archbishop Barry Hickey announced at the parish at the conclusion of 9.30am Mass on 22 August.
Oblate Provincial Fr Harry Dyer OMI said the Oblates will continue to have a “substantial presence in the Archdiocese”.
They will continue their presence at Mazenod College and to carry out their prison and aged care ministries in Fremantle as well as continue to serve the parish of St Patrick’s Basilica and the Italian Chaplaincy.
Fr Dyer said the congregation was finding it difficult to “find placement” for the various Oblate ministries due to an ageing clergy in the Oblate congregation order and a lack of vocations.
“We’ve had to begin the rationalisation of what we’re doing; we’re trying to keep a focus in each state and be realistic about what we can do especially with our older men who are happy to do ministry but don’t want the responsibility of running a parish,” Fr Dyer said.
Although there are 47 Oblates in Australia many are retired, sick or over 70.
Fr Dyer spoke to the parishioners after Mass who expressed their disappointment at the announcement, especially as the Oblates have served the parish since 1964.
“It would have been a shock for them,” he said, adding that the parishioners were very understanding of the situation the Oblates find themselves in and expressed their sadness and disappointment.
“We pride ourselves in building what we call an ‘Oblate family’ with the people around us.
“When you build up that type of relationship it is harder to withdraw, because you have built a deep relationship.”
“It is more than a diocesan parish because lots of Oblates even though they may move on, come back and visit and the relationship still continues,” he said.
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate will continue to serve 11 parishes, to run three colleges and to maintain various specialised ministries around Australia.
Archbishop Hickey will appoint two priests for the community there next January.
In other clergy appointsments, to take place from 1 October:
– Fr Nelson Po, currently Chaplain at Royal Perth Hospital, will take up the appointment of Parish Priest of Notre Dame Parish, Cloverdale.
– Fr Jeronimo Flamenco Castillo, currently Assistant Priest at St Mary’s Cathedral, will take up the appointment of Chaplain at Royal Perth Hospital.
– Fr George James, currently Assistant Priest in Bateman Parish, will take up the appointment of Assistant Priest at St Mary’s Cathedral.
– Fr Joseph Kum Htoi has been appointed Chaplain at Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home, Glendalough from 25 August, replacing Fr Eugene McGrath who has retired from this position.