From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 17th August, 2025

Hi everyone!! Nice to see you all once again.

As many of you know, I flew back in from Manila last Tuesday morning, after my month of silent retreat in the Philippines and a few extra weeks in Europe. The retreat was absolutely marvellous and an excellent opportunity for me to renew my love for God and my determination to carry on his mission, both within the Parish and outside it. I am very grateful to the Good Lord Jesus for always giving me everything I need to keep serving him joyfully. And though I loved the time away and greatly appreciated the rest, it is nice to be home and back into the thick of things once again.

While in Europe (the main reason being to celebrate a wedding for the son of some friends of mine in Switzerland) I managed to escape to Rome for a two day pilgrimage, which I feel was the highlight of my whole brief trip to Europe (spanning four countries in 10 days!!). I made a point of making my very first 'port of call', in my walking pilgrimage around Rome, a little church just outside the old City, known for the question St. Peter is said to have asked the Risen Jesus, whom he met on the Via Appia as he was fleeing Rome to avoid martyrdom. Walking towards him in the opposite direction, a shocked Peter asks Jesus: "Domine, Quo Vadis?" meaning: "Lord, where are you going?" To which Jesus laconically replied: "Venio Romam iterum crucifigi" meaning "I am coming to Rome to be crucified again" (... instead of you, Peter!!)


Peter clearly understood this rebuke and promptly turned around and went back to Rome to face his destiny there, crucified upside down in a barrel of boiling oil... Jesus disappeared after the encounter, but the legend is that he left his footprints engraved into the pavement when he left. A copy of the original pavement stone, preserved elsewhere in another Church, is there at this Church. It was a pretty moving experience for me to pray before it, even if only a copy of the real thing!

I have included a few photos of my visit there and of a provident meeting with the Sydney Jubilee Youth delegation in Rome at St. Peter's Basilica last Monday week (and the photo concelebrating Mass with the Archbishop that day in the Crypt of St. Peter's - what a gift!!) as well as a few of my ordination, and the 30th anniversary last Wednesday - just in case you are curious…

Thank you to all of you who expressed 'well wishes' on the occasion of my 30th Anniversary of my Priesthood. I am truly grateful to the Good Lord for being so patient with me and having never left my side in both 'good times and in bad' all these years and it is his fidelity to me that I celebrated this little 'milestone' in my life. It was a nice quiet celebration on Wednesday and I was quite surprised to see my own brother, Peter, serving as Acolyte on the day (he is an Acolyte at St. Mary's Parish in the Diocese of Parramatta).

I will leave things at that for now. Fr Steve has now gone for his own month of silent retreat, so we are down to three priests here for the next five weekends. Please be patient with us as we contend with all the work, with one missing (in silent prayer).

I look forward to catching up with you all over the next few weeks. In the meantime, God bless you all!

Fr. Greg