VOCATIONS: ‘The greatest thing I could have ever done’: Fr Peter O’Loughlin marks 60 years of priesthood
By Catherine Sheehan
After 60 years of celebrating Mass, Fr Peter O’Loughlin is still in awe of the mysterious fact that ordinary bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ through the words of consecration.
“They’re just ordinary things until those wonderful words, Jesus working in and through the priest,” said Fr Peter, who celebrated his 60th anniversary of ordination on 22 July.
“The Eucharist is the summary of it all,” he added. “The fact that following Jesus, taking the bread and wine, and becoming his body and blood. I can’t answer how.”
Fr Peter was born on 4 August 1940 in West Hobart. He was born at home due to the shortage of hospital beds during the Second World War.
The second eldest of five children, he attended St Joseph’s School on Molle Street in Hobart for the first years of his education, and later St Virgil’s College.
When he was in his late teens, his father died unexpectedly at the age of 45, leaving his mother to raise five children alone.
“Of course, mum did a wonderful job,” he said. “She did a great job feeding us and clothing us, and being a homemaker.”
He was an altar server at St Mary’s Cathedral for ten years, which gave him insight into the priestly vocation.
By the time he finished his secondary schooling he had his sights firmly set on the priesthood.
“I was thinking of what to do, and I paired it down to two things—I wanted to do something to serve God, and something that was to serve and help people.”
He went into the seminary as soon as he finished his schooling at the age of 18. His flight from Hobart to Melbourne to enter the seminary was the first plane flight he had ever taken.
He attended Corpus Christi seminary, initially located at Werribee, and later at Glen Waverley.
Fr Peter describes his seminary training as “a wonderful time”.
“I reckon it was a great experience,” he said.
Throughout seminary he continued to enjoy swimming and playing footy. He was also in charge of the carpentry shop.
“We did a bit of maintenance and hobbies, making things for the seminary fair… I learned a lot of skills from some of the blokes who had been tradies.”
Fr Peter was ordained by Archbishop Guilford Young at St Mary’s Cathedral in Hobart on 22 July 1966.
“It was Guilford Young at his best,” Fr Peter said. “He was really marvellous. So many people [were there], family, friends, relatives, parishioners of the Cathedral, and it was just a bit overwhelming in a way.”
When he celebrated his first Mass the following day he was struck by “the wonder” of what he was doing.
“I couldn’t get over it… the fact that this was the greatest thing I could have ever done.”
Fr Peter served as assistant priest at Launceston, priest-in-charge at New Norfolk, and as Parish Priest at Bridgewater-Brighton, Kingston, and Bellerive.
According to Fr Peter, when he was appointed to Bridgewater-Brighton, Archbishop Guilford Young said to him, “I want you to build a church, a presbytery, and a school at Bridgewater.”
And Fr Peter did just that. He set about fundraising and oversaw the building of the church, presbytery and school at Bridgewater.
“I reckon it was the greatest thing I’ve experienced in the diocese of cooperation. The parishes got together and chipped in financially to help fund the debt, and everyone was so interested and so involved throughout the state, not just the locals. And the locals really lifted their game, it was a tremendous experience really.”
Fr Peter said the best aspect of priesthood was “the people you’re the pastor to”.
“Their faith, their friendship, and their support,” he said. “And their love of the Church too.”
After six decades of priestly ministry, his original ambition is still his focus.
“I believe I’ve done something for God, and also I believe that I’ve been part of the life of so many people, in their good times and tough times.
“There were hard times, but I don’t count them as hard times, because they’re moments of grace.
“I would say it’s been enriching and rewarding.”
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