Fr Bala’s ‘great missionary journey’

By Wendy Shaw

George Town Parish Administrator Fr Balasundaram Antonyraj CPPS has thanked God for His abundant blessings during 12 years of priestly ministry in Australia.

Fr Bala, who has spent most of that time serving in the Archdiocese of Hobart, made the comment during his final Mass in the northern coastal town on 20 September before he returns home to India.

“I greatly appreciate Archbishop Emeritus Julian [Porteous] for inviting our order priests to the Archdiocese of Hobart,” Fr Bala said.

“I also express my thanks to Archbishop Tony [Ireland] and the other priests in the diocese.

“It has been a great missionary journey and a rich pastoral and cross-cultural experience in understanding the mission.

“I sincerely appreciate all the parishioners, the pastoral council, the finance council and the friends [from] other Christian denominations for their unconditional love and support given to me during these years. Each of you has been a great support in the success of my priestly ministry here in Tassie.”

Originally from a small village in Tamil Nadu, in southern India, Fr Bala is a member of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood (CPPS) congregation, an apostolic society founded in Italy in 1815 by St Gaspar del Bufalo. It aims to bring the word of God to where it is most needed.

It was St Gaspar’s example, as well as encouragement from his parents and village elders, that led Fr Bala to become a priest.

“I wanted to be a zealous missionary like St Gaspar, so I joined the society in 1996 at the age of 18,” Fr Bala told the Catholic Standard in August 2015.

“My parents and village elders encouraged and supported me a lot.”

He was ordained a priest in 2005 and then served in several metropolitan and small dioceses.

Fr Bala arrived in Tasmania in early 2015 and served in the Cathedral and New Norfolk Parishes, before moving to St Marys Parish on the East Coast in June of that year.

Five years later he became Administrator of the George Town Parish, which includes Lilydale and Karoola.

Star of the Sea Catholic College at George Town held a prayer service on 17 September to farewell and thank Fr Bala.

“Fr Bala joined our community in 2020 and has served as a gentle and virtuous leader,” according to a college Facebook post afterwards.

“We wish Father Bala a safe return to India and pray for God’s guidance and blessing.”