Year in Review 2023 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 25 Sandhurst Diocese Reports Very Rev Dr Brian Boyle ADM EV Director, Clergy Life and Ministry is primary in his identity and mission. The annual retreat is an established feature for sustaining that relationship. Another regular feature of priestly professional development is the annual in-service. In 2023 we gathered at Cadell On The Murray at Moama, NSW, from 4-7 September. Sandhurst priests are now quite familiar with this resort as the facilities and location suit our purposes very well. A number of clergy gatherings have now been held in Moama. For 2023 the theme of the priests’ in-service was The Priest: earthenware vessel which holds the treasure (2 Cor 4:7). Providentially, the symbolic object of this retreat (an earthenware vessel) synthesised well with the symbol of the Kintsugi object in the priests’ retreat earlier in the year. Several key presentations were made during the in-service. Dr Chris Hayes, Chief Catholic Mission and Learning Officer of Catholic Education Sandhurst, made two presentations on the theme of Finding God’s Traces in All Things. Fr Jake Mudge presented on the human dimension of priestly ministry. Bishop Shane, drawing on his experience as a Synod member, presented on the theme of Synod for a Synodal Church. It was not all talking and listening; there were opportunities for leisure time together to build camaraderie. An innovation this year was time given to sacramental confessional practice, drawing on a number of hypothetical situations of sexual abuse presented in the confession, and discussion of best pastoral practice. I have made reference in this report already to documentation formatted and prepared on the life and ministry of Sandhurst priests. The Diocese takes its responsibility for the care and formation of its priests seriously. On alternate years a seminar is run at Moama for overseas priests (incardinated or on loan) ministering in the Diocese. On other years a similar seminar is run for those priests recently ordained (five years and under). In March 2023 a seminar was run at Moama for recently ordained priests. A welcome innovation was the inclusion of recently ordained priests from the Dioceses of Sale and Ballarat. The three rural Dioceses of Victoria were thus represented. Because almost all of the priest participants were seminarians together at Corpus Christi College, the priests knew each other well. The Diocese of Sandhurst was the host. There were ten participants from Sale, four from Ballarat and eight from Sandhurst. All three Bishops attended the whole program. The theme of this gathering was Reflections on Lived Experience of our Priestly Ministry. The emphasis was not so much on talks and presentations, but rather on input which then invited reflection together. Thus, there would be a presentation, for example, on safeguarding those in our care, or human formation and priestly identity, or synodality in parish ministry, followed by facilitated discussion in which clergy were invited to draw upon and share their own experience. Sandhurst Diocese relies on, and is enriched by, the presence of many priests born overseas now ministering in our parishes. In 2023 we welcomed Fr Boniface Kamulegeya who ministered with great pastoral effect in the parish of Rutherglen. The Rogationist Fathers assumed the pastoral care and leadership of the South Shepparton and Nagambie parishes late this year. Fr Rene Remirez RCJ leads a community of Filipino priests in South Shepparton. Fr Henry Onyirioha who ministered in Yarrawonga parish for several months in 2022 has expressed an interest in returning to our Diocese. There have also been other enquiries from priests in India. The presence and pastoral ministry of priests born overseas and now working in our Diocese is much appreciated. There were many other celebratory occasions in 2023 when the Sandhurst priests came together. We gathered at the Cathedral in Holy Week to celebrate the Chrism Mass with our Bishop. On 25 July we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the ordinations of Fr John Ryan and Monsignor Peter Jeffrey. Together these two priests represent 120 years of priestly ministry. At the celebratory luncheon both gave a speech, drawing on anecdotal stories of parish life as well as sharing more profound reflections on the priesthood itself. Sadly, in 2023 we noted the passing of Fr Steve Bohan, beloved parish priest of Yarrawonga, and of retired priest, Fr Peter Quinn. In 2024 Fr Jake Mudge will become the new Director of Clergy Life and Ministry. I have exercised this ministry for the last five years. It has been a privilege to work with brother priests, young and ministry old in their ministerial formation, particularly in the contexts of retreats and in-services. With these celebrations and gatherings, the Sandhurst clergy mark another year of ends and beginnings.
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