Sacristan’s joy at long and faithful service

By Wendy Shaw

An Ulverstone’s parishioner’s long and faithful service as a sacristan has been recognised.

Marie Byrne has served as sacristan at Sacred Heart Church at Ulverstone and before that at St Fursaeus Church at Zeehan for a total of 42 years.

Mrs Byrne, 86, stepped down from her role on 30 June this year.

“I enjoyed it very well,” Mrs Byrne said from her home in Ulverstone.

“It is a lovely thing to do. I think anyone who can do it should do it.”

Mrs Byrne said the role brought with it a sense of responsibility, while serving the Church and gaining a deeper understanding of liturgical celebrations.

Mersey Leven Parish Priest Fr Sunil De Silva thanked Mrs Byrne for her many years of committed service.

“Marie had to ensure all necessary supplies were sufficient as well as the normal preparations required for daily Mass and other occasions such as funerals and special celebrations,” Fr Sunil said.

“She has done the job exceedingly well, unnoticed.

“It’s not just a once-a-week job with heaps of time off in between.

“Marie had worked under five parish priests and about nine assistant priests.”  

Marie was born in Deloraine and helped the Sisters of Mercy at Our Lady of Mercy boarding school for about two years after completing her education. She moved to Queenstown, on the West Coast, in 1957 and married Lyell Arthur Byrne in 1959.

Her sacristan role began at St Fursaeus Church at Zeehan in the 1960s and continued for 20 years.

Mrs Byrne moved to Ulverstone in the 1980s where she later resumed her sacristan duties during the time of Fr Joseph Howe, Parish Priest, and Fr Jim McMahon MSC, Assistant Priest. Mrs Byrne completed a further 22 years in the role before her ‘retirement’ at the end of June.

“Over the years I have come to know many priests,” Mrs Byrne said.

“It’s really been terrific. They have all been good priests. I got on pretty well with them.”

Mrs Byrne has taken on other roles as well. During her time at Zeehan, she took First Communion and confirmation classes for the children of the parish.

She also has a long association with the Catholic Women’s League. Mrs Byrne joined the Queenstown branch in 1963 and served as branch secretary and president there and later branch president at Ulverstone.

Fr Sunil thanked Mrs Byrne for her “humble and deeply committed services to the Church”, adding that he hoped the Good Lord would continue to grant her “good health and abundant blessings with joy and happiness in all the days to come”.