60 years of priesthood a precious gift and tremendous privilege

By Josh Low

A precious gift and a tremendous privilege – that is how Fr Denis Allen describes the priesthood, as he celebrates this month 60 years since his ordination to the presbyterate.

Ordained a priest on 23 July 1965, the last 60 years of priestly life have seen Fr Denis serve in nine appointments throughout the diocese, including eight parishes and a stint as Vicar General under Archbishop Eric D’Arcy.

It was a conversation with a work colleague during his time working in the Government Printing Office that planted the seed which eventuated in a call to priesthood.

“We were coming across on the ferry to work one day, and he said to me, ‘Have you ever thought about being a priest?’ To which I said, ‘No’.”

“But that really planted the seed. That was the beginning of it, a simple question,” he said.

He added that having not grown up in a practising Catholic family, his exposure to the faith came during his time with the Salesians at Boys’ Town in Glenorchy.

“I didn’t really know too many priests all that well, so answering the call to priesthood was a response to very much a great unknown,” he explained.

“But I look back now and say, ‘What a tremendous privilege it is, to be called to be a priest’.”

Throughout the years, Fr Denis has loved providing support for people in sad and happy times, including 12 years as a hospital chaplain, while facing challenges with his own health and battle with cancer.

Another of the challenges he faced, was as Vicar General at the time of the Port Arthur massacre.

“It dawned on me in a very strong way, that a lot of responsibility was passed on to me, as the Archbishop at the time and a lot of the important people in the diocese were all up in Canberra for a conference,” he said.

“The impact of it all never left me.”

Even after his retirement, Fr Denis has served in whatever way he can, including as chaplain to Sandown Village and Guilford Young Grove aged care facilities, and as a supply priest to celebrate Mass when needed.

“Even in retirement, it’s important to still be a man of prayer and fidelity. That’s what I’ve tried to be,” he said.

“When you survive big sicknesses and bad health – and I’ve survived them – where others have died for much less things than I’ve had, sometimes you ask yourself, “Well, why am I here so long?”

“Now I just hope and pray to do God’s will, right to the end,” he concluded.

Fr Denis will celebrate his 60th anniversary together with Fr Kevin Dance at Mass on Monday 21 July, at Holy Spirit Church, Sandy Bay.