A lifetime proclaiming the Word: Fr Chris marks 60 years of priesthood

By Heather Excell

Ordained by Pope St Paul VI on 6 January 1966, Fr Chris has spent a lifetime proclaiming the Gospel and walking alongside the people of Tasmania. Now marking 60 years of priesthood, he reflects on a ministry rooted in Scripture, community, and the celebration of the Eucharist.

His vocation began quietly during his final years as a boarder at St Virgil’s College. Frequent Mass and the witness of newly ordained priests stirred within him the first thoughts of priesthood. As he encountered the energy of the newly appointed Archbishop Guilford Young and the example of young priests who had gone before him, the possibility of following that same path gradually took shape.

In 1958, Fr Chris started his priestly formation at Corpus Christi Seminary, Victoria. After four years, he was sent to Rome to finish his studies.

“I started my theology studies four days after the beginning of the Vatican Council, and I was ordained a month after the end of the Vatican Council,” Fr Chris recounted.

Three years later, together with 61 seminarians from 23 missionary nations, he was ordained to the priesthood in St Peter’s Basilica by Pope St Paul VI. His ordination was the first time in history that a pope had ordained a large group of seminarians.

“The more I read the homily that he gave, the more I’m convinced that it really meant a lot to him to be the first Pope in history to ordain a large number from such diverse backgrounds,” he said.

Pope Paul VI reminded the new priests that their vocation was not for themselves, but for the Church, and for the people whose lives they would touch.

“Be aware of the vocation to which you have been called,” the Pope said in his homily. “You are bearers of the cross of Christ. Be aware of the love that has invested you, and that must be transferred from you to the men you meet on your path.”

Following his ordination, Fr Chris remained in Rome to complete postgraduate studies in Scripture, further grounding a love for the Word of God that would remain central to his priesthood. Alongside his studies he served as a supply priest in parishes around Europe.

When he returned to Tasmania in 1970, he was appointed to serve as an assistant priest at St Mary’s Cathedral. The transition from academic life to parish ministry brought its own challenges.

“Hobart felt a long way from Rome,” he said, recalling the shift in pace and lifestyle.

Soon after his appointment, he was asked to serve as chaplain to the local Italian Catholic community. He celebrated Mass in Italian each Sunday, forming lasting bonds with the congregation and walking closely with families in their faith journeys.

At the same time, changes were underway at Corpus Christi Seminary. Having completed a licentiate in Rome, Fr Chris was qualified to teach theology.

“At the time, I was the only diocesan priest in Victoria and Tasmania who had any qualifications to teach scripture,” he said. “That was difficult because I had the matter, I didn’t necessarily know how to present it.”

What began as occasional teaching soon grew into a full-time role. For nine years he helped form young seminarians, sharing with them his deep love for Sacred Scripture.

Returning to parish life in 1980, Fr Chris served communities in Glenorchy and Launceston, before settling into Kingston, where he would spend the final 22 years of his ministry as parish priest. Parish life quickly became a place where he could share his love for Scripture through his homilies, teachings, and pastoral care.

Among his fondest memories was witnessing the simultaneous growth of the Kingston parish and school community, including his involvement in the committee that helped expand St Aloysius College.

“A lot of my time was connected with the establishment of the college. It grew from primary school to a college.”

Reflecting on six decades of priesthood, Fr Chris says the heart of his ministry has always been people.

“I think the greatest gift has been being part of people’s lives,” he said. “You get to see them through the happy times and the sad times.”

Throughout every appointment, the proclamation of the Word and the celebration of the Eucharist remained central to his vocation.

“The thing I missed most of all when I retired from parish life was the regular Eucharist,” he said. “Sunday Eucharist is when the parish really comes together.”

Fr Chris is now happily retired, living at St Canice Lifestyle Village, and often assisting with relief in parishes around the state. He celebrated his anniversary formally on Sunday 8 February, with a Mass and reception at his old parish, Christ the Priest, Kingston.