GIVE US, LORD, YOUR LOVING KINDNESS TO FOLLOW THE PATH THEY BLAZED, OF ARDENT FAITH AND FIRM TRUST IN YOU.
- 2001
Rev Basil Robert Travers Whyalla, Port Pirie, Streaky Bay, Kadina, Bamera, SA.
- 2016
Rev George Ryan OMI Born 1/10/1941; Ordained 11/04/1965 -
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- 2015
Rev Keith Comer MSC Born 16/04/1943; Ordained 27/08/1976
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
- 2023
Rev Tao Xuan Pham
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Born 05/10/1969;
Ordained 10/09/2016.
Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Tao Xuan Pham was born in the diocese of Vinh (Vietnam), son of Loan Pham and Nghia Tran, seventh of their eight children. He was ordained at St Patrick's Cathedral for the Archdiocese of Melbourne on 16 September 2016.
His seminary education began in the minor seminary in his home diocese (1984-1991), continued with studies for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts (Literature) in Saigon (1992-1997), leading to his being a teacher of literature in the minor seminary. He completed his studies of philosophy and theology in 2004 in Saigon.
His transfer to the diocese of Sale led in 2007 to resumption of studies at Corpus Christi College, Carlton and to undertaking various language studies and pastoral experiences in the Sale diocese.
In 2011, two weeks before the due date of ordination to the diaconate, he contracted tetanus. This event marked the remaining years of his life.
His recovery from illness necessitated 765 days in hospital, 688 of these continuously at St Vincent's in Melbourne, and over thirty surgical interventions. He was a guest of the Redemptorist fathers after discharge at their monastery in Kew where he continued rehabilitation for 18 months.
Impressed by Tao's faith, Archbishop Denis Hart sponsored him as a seminarian for the Archdiocese. Presbytery accommodation that suited his physical needs was found at North Greensborough parish, where he stayed until his death.
His courage and faith quickly won the hearts of all parishioners. One of the mourners at his funeral said to this writer that she never failed to be uplifted by the manner in which he celebrated the Eucharist. He would go off to hear confessions late into the night at the shrine of Our Lady of La Vang in Keysborough. He developed an online ministry among Vietnamese Catholics, notably throughout the Covid lockdowns in Melbourne.
Three times life support was stopped, three times he survived. During these ordeals, he would hear people's voices, including the voice of his brother who had been summoned to accompany his coffin. He was tormented with ideas of suicide. After one such struggle, he was visited by Bishop Christopher Prowse who gave him a copy of the late Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan's prison reflections Five Loaves and Two Fish. Meditations on the Eucharist (CTS, London 2009).
The young bishop, frustrated by absence from his diocese, heard a voice asking, Have you chosen God alone, or his work?'
Reading this passage was decisive for Tao. He wrote: If I will become a priest or not, is unimportant, the important thing is to choose God and carry out God's will. So whether I am disabled, or able to walk again, belongs to the will of God. Thanks to these words which Bishop Thu?n wrote in his little book, they have helped me to be peaceful and the voice has not attacked me, tempted me or tormented me anymore.'
He prayed daily before the Blessed Sacrament.
Tao went to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving in his home village and parish. In the village, many people came to see me and asked about my sickness and how I had recovered. They still did not congratulate me as a newly ordained priest.'
His Thanksgiving Mass brought together 2 Bishops, 40 priests and over 3500 people. He said, Most of them came to see me because I was resurrected from the dead.'
On 9th January 2023, he arrived at Tullamarine airport to go to celebrate a marriage liturgy for twenty-eight of his nieces and nephews. His health had deteriorated overnight and he was taken to intensive care at the Austin Hospital where he completed his own Paschal Mystery six days later.
May the noble soul of Fr Tao Xuan Pham rest in peace.
- 1863
Rev Benjamin Aubry SM Sydney
- 1890
Rev William Coleman Carcoar, Sydney, NSW
- 1895
Rev Henri Brun AA Ipswich, Qld, etc
- 1927
Rev Louis (Joseph) McCabe OCarm Port Melbourne, etc
- 1930
Rev Joseph Wheeler OMI Fremantle, WA
- 1951
Rev Aegidio Scarpini OFMCap Diocese of Townsville, Queensland
- 1969
Rev Gerald Patrick Youll Stockton, etc, NSW
- 1977
Rev Francis Sexton CSsR Galong, NSW, Ballarat, Vic
- 1978
Rev Ferdinand Colombo OFMCap Melbourne, Leichhardt, NSW
- 1979
Rev Martin (Tony) Donovan Ayr, Proserpine, Ravenswood, Cloncurry, Richmond, Palm Island, Mary Kathleen, Julia Creek, Richmond, Fantome Island, Cathedral - Diocese of Townsville
- 1991
Rev John Fraser Melbourne dioc
- 1993
Rev Brian Murphy Lismore dioc, NSW
- 1998
Rev Michael Quinn Grenfell, Young, North Goulburn, Gooloogong, Dickson, Queanbeyan, ACT and NSW
- 1999
Rev Daniel McAuliffe Newtown, Kogarah, Annandale, Fivedock, Cabramatta, Sydney Cathedral, Bondi, Padstow, Bexley, Lawson, Golden Grove, Lewisham, Bexley, NSW
- 2007
Rev Thomas Phelan Northam, Perth Cathedral, Cottesloe, Armadale, City Beach, WA