I began my schooling at the [Footscray] Hyde Street State School, which was famed for its School Brass Band. Very many of the lads I went to school with had fathers on the dole [or as it was then known, the Sustenance or "Susso"]. My brother was born in 1935. In 1939, before the Second World War began, the family moved to our own home in Mentone, a bayside suburb, and I began my secondary schooling at Mordialloc High School. Before commencing Leaving Certificate year, I commenced work as a Technician-in-Training with the PMG Department [now Telstra, Australia], at the same time studying for my Leaving Certificate at Night School. I continued Night School, whilst transferring to a position as a clerk, in the same Department. On turning 18, I took leave of absence and joined the RAAF. As my training was unfinished when the War ended, I was discharged and returned to my position in the PMG. In 1948 I was received into the Catholic Church, having previously been an Anglican. Not long after, I was promoted to a position in Alice Springs, in the Department of Territories, followed by a further promotion to a position in Darwin, in the Health Department. After three years in the Northern Territory, I took leave to begin life as a Novice in a Religious Order.

 

The Religious Order that I joined is [nowadays, ie, after the Second Vatican Council] known as the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Prior to the Council we were known as the "Blessed Sacrament Fathers", despite the fact that then, as now, we included in our ranks Brothers as well as priests. Perhaps the Brothers were seen as living a more "hidden life" than the Fathers? Our two year Novitiate was spent at Bowral [boyhood home of Don Bradman, the famous Australian cricketer] in the south-west highlands of NSW. That's where I saw my first snow!

 

After taking first vows we travelled to Lower Plenty, an outer suburb of Melbourne [in Victoria, remember?] to take up residence for our student life in the Seminary of Christ the King, a property which bordered the Yarra River. The study program was mitigated by games of Australian Rules Football and [until black eyes became too frequent] Basketball. Although many of our textbooks were printed in Latin, to our relief our lectures were given in English, which was, in those days, quite a breakthrough! An interesting point was the size of our year's group. It appears that nine Carmelite nuns had been asked to pray for vocations. The nine of us arrived [in answer to those prayers?], and entered the Novitiate, took first vows, eventually final vows, and ultimately the nine were ordained to the priesthood. That was, and remains, the largest group ever, in the history of the Australian Province of the Order. We were ordained in various places and on various dates in the course of the year 1960.

 

I was destined for our Province's "Mission House" in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The theory was that I would arrive there with a six month Tourist Visa, and a promise that on its expiry, I would be granted a Residence Permit. Alas, the best laid plans! The government changed their minds, as governments are liable to do. So I remained in Sri Lanka clandestinely for another month, and then sailed to India on the ferry, as suggested by my Superior. At that time, as long as you came from another British Commonwealth country [like Australia] you could enter India without a Visa. Then my odyssey began. As I said later "I travelled all over India with an overnight bag and a spare pair of socks". Although our Order now has a significant presence in India, I was then alone as a member of the Order. I spent time in Madras, Bangalore, Bombay [now Mumbai], New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hazaribagh and Agra [where I marvelled over the Taj Mahal].

 

After about five months in India, I began my return journey to Australia. Because of a technicality I was able to spend a month in Sri Lanka "in transit" on my way back to Australia, but it seemed useless to persevere with efforts to obtain a Residence Permit for Sri Lanka. On arrival in Melbourne I was appointed to our city-centre church of St Francis', and shortly thereafter appointed Treasurer of the Community. Some time later, because of personal reasons, I was transferred to our church in Sydney, and then once more to Bowral, no longer the Novitiate House [that had been relocated to Toowoomba in Queensland], but a centre for School Retreats. I found that I quite enjoyed giving School Retreats, and seemed to have somewhat of a flair for the work.

 

The next move was back to Melbourne, supposedly on "temporary transfer" to take over as Director of our Youth Group, called the Eymard Society. Some temporary transfer! Seventeen years later I was moved to Toowoomba [no longer the Novitiate], as Superior of the Community.

 

During the seventeen years in Melbourne, as well as directing the Youth Group for the first five years, I went to University. I gained a BA, majoring in Psychology and Philosophy, then a Diploma in Criminology, followed by a Master's Degree in Criminology, the title of my thesis [Homosexuals, the Law and Moral Values] acquiring significance in retrospect.

 

During my time in Toowoomba I [with my confreres from our group] celebrated the Silver Jubilee of our ordination. I was granted an overdseas trip for the occasion, which centred round a Dignity Conference [Dignity being the main US Catholic gay organisation], in New York, However, my full itinerary included Auckland, NZ; San Francisco and St Louis, as well as New York, in the USA; London, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and many cathedral cities, as well as significant parts of Cornwall in the UK; then across the Channel to see Paris, Strasbourg, Munich, Venice, Florence,  Ravenna, Assisi, before flying out of Rome to Bombay and Madras in India revisited; Singapore; Colombo in Sri Lanka; and then touching down in Perth to know I was home again in Australia.

 

I enjoyed my travels and all the places I saw and the people I met, but, there's no place like home! 

On returning to Toowoomba, I developed some back problems, and since there was no neuro-surgeon at the local hospital, the pain was kept at bay with spinal injections until,after five and a half years in Toowoomba, I returned to Melbourne, to be admitted to hospital for a laminectomy. The relief was incredible! I was forbidden to recommence work until after some months, which I spent in the suburbs with a couple of long-time friends and their Old English Sheepdog, walking doggedly [no pun intended] every day. Walking a little further each day.

 

After this convalescence I returned to our City Church and recommenced ministry. I also commenced work on our Provincial Archives, a new appointment. After a while, I also began doctoral studies, returning to Melbourne University, but forsaking the Criminology Department for the Social Work Department. My Thesis was eventually entitled "The Response of the Churches to HIV/AIDS". These years saw the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis, which occasioned for me an outreach ministry that included a monthly Mass in our church, much visiting of people who were HIV/AIDS infected and fairly frequent involvement in funerals for people who had died as a result of the epidemic. I also presented a Paper at an "AIDS in Asia and the Pacific" Conference which took place in India, in New Delhi.

 

The year I completed my PhD thesis was also the year I had the stroke, which was caused by stress, so the doctor told me. That I can understand. In January of that year I had the business of getting Mum into a Nursing Home, which wasn't simple, considering all the Government regulations. I spent the early part of the year also finishing off and submitting my Thesis. The next step was to make the corrections to the Thesis deemed necessary by my examiners, complicated by one of them being located in the USA, the other in the UK. Subsequently I graduated formally with my Ph D, which Mum wasn't well enough to attend, although she did see the photos. Mum was now 91 years old, and decided "that was enough". After she died quietly in her sleep early one morning, I did all the necessary things such as inserting death notices in the papers, letting relations know [including my brother, who was overseas and unable to return], making arrangements for, and conducting the funeral. Ten days after Mum had "gone to God", I had the stroke.

 

I was fortunate, in that for one thing, my speech was only affected right at the very beginning, with no lasting effect. An excellent physiotherapist made sure that the only enduring physical effect was a constant tingly numbness down the entire left side of my body. This carried with it a certain weakness in my left hand. Although I don't strictly need it, I carry a walking stick for reassurance where gutters and steps are concerned, and also because it takes very little for me to lose my balance. Because of the doctor's assurance that stress had been the cause of the stroke, after leaving hospital I arranged with my superiors that I should immediately enter into retirement, which meant, as I have noted elsewhere, that I would no longer be scheduled for public ministry, in the church; saying Mass privately, therefore, and apart from that, doing some work on our Provincial Archives until eventually this was taken over by a lay archivist.

 

So how do I fill in my time, you may wonder. Filling in time seems to be about the last thing with which I have a problem. As I mentioned before, I say Mass privately each day, usually with one of our Brothers. I also pray the prayers of the Breviary daily, and spend some time at prayer before the Blessed Sacrament in the monastery Oratory. For health reasons I have a walk each day. I read a great deal, and watch some TV programs, including the UK police drama "The Bill". And last but not least, I spend a fair amount of time on the computer. Most Saturdays I visit friends in the suburbs, who are both excellent cooks, stay for dinner, then watch "The Bill" with them, before they take me home. Once in a while a psychiatrist friend will refer to me for counselling clients who are experiencing a perceived conflict between their religious faith and their sexual orientation. So I do keep my hand in, even though I am "retired".

 

Speaking of "filling in the time", I have many enduring interests, one of which is reading. I was fortunate as a child, in that my grandmother taught me to read when I was about four years old, and I don't think I've stopped since. I read almost anything, but I have a great interest in history, and most particularly the Napoleonic era. I also love anything about architecture, as at one stage I wanted to be an architect. I devour novels of science fiction and fantasy, and leaven that diet with detective or spy novels. [I am a faithful devotee of "NYPD Blue" on TV]. I enjoy too, reading or re-reading the classics, such as those by Charles Dickens or Jane Austen. I also used to be engaged  daily in working at cryptic crosswords, although I am less assiduous at that pastime these days. I already mentioned being a fan of "The Bill" and "NYPD Blue" on TV. Other programs I have been faithful in watching include "The X Files" [sadly now finished], "The Practice", "Stargate", "Dark Angel", "Law and Order" and "Silent Witness". I must confess also to watching the soapies "Days of Our Lives", "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful".

 

Currently, I am reading "Crossroads of Twilight", Book Ten of Robert Jordan's fantasy epic, "The Wheel of Time". Past reading includes the series, "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R R Martin; "The Black Jewels Trilogy" by Anne Bishop; "The Sword of Truth" series by Terry Goodkind; Mercedes Lackey's trilogies "The Mage Wars" and "The Mage Storms", and the "Dune" series by Frank Herbert, as well as the various Dune prequels by Herbert's son, in collaboration with other authors.

 

I'm not terribly keen on cricket, which I find rather dull, slow and boring. However, I'm a great fan of Ricky Ponting who recently captained the unbeaten Aussie team in their winning of the World Cup. I find watching tennis on TV quite rivetting, particularly the Australian Title matches each January. I follow the AFL [Australian Football League] matches throughout the season, and my team of preference is [and always has been] Collingwood, the black and white "Magpies". It's regularly said that you either love or hate the "Magpies": there's no middle ground. I also like following the Australian swimming competitions on TV, and think both Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett are wonderful young swimmers.

 

 

 

              MORE TO COME!