Rev John O'Keefe CM
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Born 09/04/1932.
Ordained 19/10/1957.
Vincentians - The Congregation of the Mission.
In his early education John found himself in Penshurst, Hurstville, Coolabah, Barmedman and Cowra. His secondary education took him to St Stanislaus College Bathurst. He joined the Vincentians in 1950 and was ordained in 1957 at St Stanislaus College Bathurst by Bishop Norton.
He worked initially in the Vincentian's College in Bendigo, the last four years as President of the College and Superior of the Community.
He then undertook the role of Spiritual Director in Seminaries, first at St Charles Seminary, Guilford in Western Australia, followed by St Francis Xavier Seminary, Adelaide, South Australia. He then spent a decade at Holy Cross College Mosgiel, New Zealand.
1986 is a significant year for John. He took study leave and went to Nicaragua. The experience changed him. The compulsion to see something of the Third World had been growing within John, to see something of the poor: I was convinced that the Word of God was enfleshed in the poor, and needed to be heard'. What John saw and the people he met set John on a life time's quest to sift through the Faith he had inherited and to find its most authentic articulation. John spent his later years working among the poorer or struggling parishes both in Diocese of Geraldton, Western Australia, and in Western Queensland in Barcaldine. John retired in 2002.
John died in the sixty-third year of Priesthood.
He will be sadly missed by his family, friends, his Vincentian confreres and colleagues.