VOCATIONS: Fr Edwin’s story of love and service

By Catherine Sheehan

After 39 years as a priest, Fr Edwin Xavier said the best aspect of his ministry is proclaiming the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ.

“Jesus said before his Ascension, go out to the whole world and proclaim the good news, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit,” Fr Edwin said.

“So, if I am the instrument of that proclamation, I’m very happy.”

Fr Edwin, who currently takes care of the Scottsdale Parish, was raised in a devout Catholic family in Kerala, India. The youngest of six children, his father died when he was only five years old, leaving his mother to raise their children alone.

She was a daily Mass-goer, and would take her youngest child with her each day.

“From then on, I would go to church every day,” Fr Edwin said.

At age 15 he became President of the local Legion of Mary group and also an altar server at Mass.

It was around this time he started to think about the priesthood as a vocation he might like to pursue.

He was particularly inspired by his local Parish Priest who he describes as “a holy man”.

“His prayer life and his dealing with the people where exemplary,” Fr Edwin said.

When he expressed his interest in the priesthood to his mother she initially objected because, according to the local custom, the youngest in the family was to inherit the property.

She relented however when he insisted that he felt compelled to enter the seminary.

He entered the local diocesan seminary in Mangalore at the age of 17 and went on to complete 11 years of formation and training.

Fr Edwin was ordained on 2 April 1987 at the Cathedral in Calicut, adopting the motto “to love and to serve”.

He said he was “nervous” and “at the same time, happy” and describes the occasion as “joyful” because he had “achieved the goal” of his life.

One year after his ordination, Fr Edwin was appointed as a Parish Priest.

“Since it is my motto to love and to serve, I always hear the people and administer the sacraments to them,” he said.

“I feel it is my duty to give Jesus Christ to the people where I am serving.”

He also completed a degree in law and practised as a lawyer for five years. He was motivated by a desire to help poor people by providing them with legal aid.

“I wanted to serve the people because they don’t know the law of the land. So if they had problems, I could help them.”

After 25 yeas of priesthood, Fr Edwin felt the desire to minister to people in a different environment.

He applied to serve in Australia and after receiving permission from his own bishop, and a positive response from then Archbishop of Hobart, Julian Porteous, he arrived in Tasmania in 2014. He has served in the Scottsdale Parish since his arrival.

“I’m happy there,” Fr Edwin said. “And the people also, I think they too are happy.”

The Mother of Christ had played an important role in his vocation, he said.

“In the parish I recite the rosary with the people before every Mass. I do not spend a day without saying the rosary. I believe that she protects me throughout my priestly life.”

Fr Edwin said the most fulfilling aspect of priesthood is “to celebrate the Eucharist”.

“Though I am unworthy in many ways, it is a privilege given to me to handle the holy things,” he said.

For enquiries regarding vocations to the priesthood please contact Vocations Director, Fr Steven Smith, on 0493 122 283 or at steven.smith@aohtas.org.au.