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Prayer for February 7th

THE LIGHT OF THIS UNRIVALLED BODY OF CLERGY SHINES ON OUR AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE. MAKE THEM RADIANT IN GLORY, LORD.

List of Deceased Clergy, only year of death known
List of Deceased Clergy, date of death unknown

This is an historical record of the death of clergy in Australia for the 7th of February:

• 2016
  Rev Patrick Negri SSS   Read more

  Born 19/02/1935;
  Ordained 24/07/1960
  Blessed Sacrament Fathers.
  
  Pat and his identical twin Michael were born at Numurkah in 1935 and educated at state primary schools, Stawell High School and St Patrick's College, Sale. In 1952 the 16-year-old Pat joined the Blessed Sacrament Congregation, making first profession at Bowral in 1955 before priestly studies at Templestowe where he combined academic success with his first experiments in oil painting.
  After ordination in 1960 at St Patrick's Cathedral, Pat served at St Francis' (Melbourne), St Peter Julian's (Haymarket) and the retreat house at Bowral. For a time he presented the Catholic Hour while also giving retreats, undertaking chaplaincies, taking convert classes and helping edit The Monstrance magazine.
  
  In 1969 he became a provincial consultor, then served as provincial leader from 1972-1978 at a time of problematic tensions and conflict over issues of renewal. Amid the turmoil many priests left. Pat led the province with wisdom, compassion, deep faith and common sense. He endorsed new foundations in Western Australia and warded off threats of land resumption at St Francis'.
  He remained there until 1984, until, after suffering a minor stroke, he was freed to commence a Master's in theology at Jesuit Theological College, Berkeley. In 1990 he gained a doctorate for his thesis Signs of Being: A Study of the Religious Significance of the Art of Barnett Newman, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko.
  
  On returning to Melbourne, he taught at Yarra Theological Union, the Diocesan Pastoral Centre and Melbourne College of Divinity. He began painting in abstract expressionist style, held the first of many exhibitions, and received major commissions from churches, hospitals, schools and friends. He also volunteered with the Victorian AIDS Council and ministered as a chaplain at RMIT. From 2006-15 he served as provincial treasurer in September 2006 and edited the province newsletter The Vineyard.
  
  Pat celebrated his Golden Jubilee of Priesthood in 2010, presided at his 100 year-old mother's funeral in 2011, and commemorated his own 80th birthday and Diamond Jubilee of Profession in 2015.
  
  In the presence of his twin brother Michael and close family members, Pat died as the sun was rising on the morning of Sunday, 7 February 2016. Pat will be fondly remembered for his graceful presiding, incisive preaching, striking works of art, great love of literature and music, sensitive spiritual accompaniment, pastoral care of the needy and great sense of humour.
  
  May Pat rest in peace.
  
• 2010
  Rev Ronald (Ron) Hickman   Read more

  Born 09/06/1924;
  Ordained 24/07/1954.
  
  Hi, I'm Ron'. This was how he greeted anyone new to him. First impressions were of a wise, but simple man. He spoke to the point — a few words. There was nothing put-on or false about him.
  He had a deep love for the Church and his priesthood. The Mass was his life's bread. His commitment was to his people and to his word. Prayer was always a priority and his breviary was always beside him. This said, he was a truly human man who enjoyed life and was available to anyone and everyone who was privileged to know him.
  
  Ron organised no less than Fifteen Golden Jubilee Masses, followed by parties, to give everyone who kept in touch with him the opportunity to celebrate with him. He paid for them all!
  His ministry was lived out in many parishes. I first came to know him and to regard him as friend' in Revesby Parish. It was here that he had the opportunity to widen his involvement with the parishioners by his acceptance of a Parish Team. This made his parish work alive' with many instances of challenge and invitations to grow.
  
  One Parishioner here expressed his deep love for Ron because Ron understood what it was like to be hard of hearing'. Ron never complained about his own hearing problems and his ability to get the message' was outstanding.
  
  Ron was involved in “Together-As-One” Programme for engaged couples. There were many long meetings where married couples told of their own experiences of marriage and worked hard to show the real' thing to the couples who attended. Fr Ron presented his own sessions along with these couples and humour was always very much a part of his input. Ron always attended the catch-up' dinners of the original presenting couples and provided the prawns for the entree.
  In his later years he was Chaplain at Cardinal Gilroy Village, where he ministered with his usual love of the people.
  
  Mondays were special days because Ron would celebrate Mass with the Josephite sisters at Patterson Place, Croydon. He would then share a home cooked meal and a game of cards with the sisters. The sisters would collect Ron from Merrylands, and he returned home by taxi. He became a special friend of the taxi driver, Albert, who drove him home each week.
  Ron was not really a demonstrative person, but could always remember the names and places of people from his ministries. They would be surprised to meet him after many years, and to hear him call them by name and place.
  
  Ron was all set to go to God this Christmas. When I visited him shortly before he died last week he said: I should have gone last Tuesday, when everyone was here...just think of what it is costing you people to keep me here?'
  
  Obituary written by Sr Betty McDonald rsj.
  
• 2017
  Rev Timothy Crowley  Born 02/01/1929; Ordained 18/07/1959 Diocese of Parramatta
• 1899
  Rev James Healy  St. Kilda East, etc, Vic
• 1911
  Rev Ildephonsus Bertran OSB  New Norcia, Perth Dioc, WA
• 1919
  Rev Hugh Pidcock SJ  Adelaide, etc
• 1945
  Rev William Hogan  Ashgrove, etc, Qld
• 1954
  Rev Denis Lenihan  Koroit, etc, Vic
• 1966
  Rev James Gerard Sheedy  Diocese of Townsville, Queensland
• 1970
  Rev Dominic Phillips CM  Eastwood, NSW
• 1974
  Rev John Hogan CSsR  Melbourne, etc
• 1978
  Rev Laurence Hessian SJ  Sydney, etc
• 1989
  Rev Terence McCosker SM  Lismore, Sydney, NSW; Gladstone, Qld; Burnie, Tas
• 1998
  Rev Peter Leonard OFM  Sydney, etc
• 1999
  Rev Jarlath Flynn OCD  
• 2002
  Rev Gordon Gebbie  Melbourne dioc

Clergy who died in February, exact date of death unknown:

• 1883Rev Patrick Cavanagh   Sandhurst dioc, Vic
• 1930Rev Joseph Minetti   Adelaide dioc
• 1942Rev John Drayne   Geraldton, Cue, Lawlers, WA

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