My First Moments of Awe

Friends, this weekend marks my last masses for this tenure of mine. As I’ve packed and moved, I’ve been reminiscing over some of the first memorable moments of my time here. I recall arriving at the round-about at Edmund St and beholding the sign of the water, and, among other things, thinking “oh wow!” It hasn’t lost its magic two and a half years later and only looks more dramatic on a stormy day. I recall my first morning waking up and catching the rich orange hues breaking from below the horizon and snapping up a photo of it again thinking “oh wow!”. Fr. Josh assured me he saw it every morning.

The first time I drove in, it had been in the weeks leading up to my start date. Fr. Peter, Fr. Josh and I filmed a video introducing ourselves and what the road ahead was going to look like as we shuffled into new roles. Despite it only being in 2021, the video seems a distant memory now. The various projects this parish has embarked on has kept me on my toes! I am in awe of this community, in what it has achieved and the scale on which it has done that. Not unrelated, I have often remarked to others how much of a “happy energy” I observed among you when I arrived, and have continued to observe. That enthusiasm is only more visible and audible whenever I see the ministry teams in action.

There have been other moments of “wow!” such as at our music program and at how well furnished our Churches are. I know I share these with other visitors who have passed through on various holidays or at funerals.

I thank God for the opportunity to have ministered here at OLR. I thank God also for the many friendships I have made. Tomorrow I formally begin my tenure as assistant priest at Upper Mt. Gravatt Wishart Parish. I welcome this new adventure, and will say again what I have said since my appointment was announced: do call in if you are down in Brisbane, and I will be happy to show you hospitality.

Farewell and God Bless,

Fr Francis