Servite goes to God

By Bridget Spinks
SERVITE priest Fr Frank (Francis Joseph) Christie died peacefully surrounded by three Irish relatives on 23 November at Hollywood Private Hospital after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Fr Christie was diagnosed with the disease about a month before he died and was offered chemotherapy but refused on the basis that if it was not going to improve his health, he was ready to go, a friend of ten years, Servite Fr Peter Porteous said.
Fr Christie was born in Dublin, Ireland on 12 September 1927, studied for the priesthood and was ordained in Ireland in 1956.
He held appointments as a priest in Chicago; Kwazululand in South Africa; Denver, Colorado; Portland, Oregon and in California before coming to Australia to serve in the Perth Archdiocese.
His appointments in the Perth Archdiocese began in 1981 and included being parish priest at St Denis’ in Joondanna, work in the Wanneroo parish and service as chaplain at St John of God hospital, Royal Perth Hospital and Graylands Hospital.
Fr Porteous said he had a wonderful bedside manner, thrived on his work at St John of God and enjoyed working in Graylands with those suffering with mental health issues.
“He loved working as a chaplain in that one to one ministry,” he said.
Fr Porteous, who was ordained for the Order of Friar Servants of Mary or Servites in January 2009 and who will be the new parish priest for St Denis’ Joondanna from December onwards, said that Fr Christie has left a beautiful legacy and that people came to visit him from his various occupations and the parish.
“He was very happy, easy to talk to and prayerful. My images are of him praying the Rosary at 11pm,” he said.
“He was always in the chapel praying. He had a deep love for Our Blessed Mother, which was reflected in the way he accepted his death,” he said.
Servite Fra Christopher Ross administered the last sacraments three to four days before he died and is sure he would have received this sacrament from the Hospital Chaplain as well.
On the last day he was conscious, Fr Christie was talking, laughing and joking with those around him as he had his photo taken.
Fr Porteous was struck by how peaceful he was.
He didn’t appear disturbed at all and was very matter of fact about his death with an attitude of, “oh well, time to go home,” Fr Porteous said.
“There was no sadness to it,” he said.
After Fr Christie lost consciousness, Fr Ross prayed the “Prayers for the Dying” for his brother priest.
Although many people have the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, not many have these prayers said for them; they are for people who are actually dying.
The family could say these prayers, because although lengthy, there is no sacrament involved, he said. 
Fr Christe’s sister-in-law, her sister and his niece were present day and night at his bedside for the last two weeks of his life.
They were there when he died but had to return to Ireland before the funeral.
The Funeral Mass was held at St Denis’ Joondanna at 2pm on 30 November and Fr Christie is now buried at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park Cemetery in Padbury.