Lazarus Centre Chaplaincy Newsletter - Christmas 2023
A Retrospective: reflections on my years as priest at St Peter’s and chaplain to the Breakfast Program
It was August 1995 when I first walked into worship at St Peter’s Eastern Hill. I immediately loved the liturgy, the music and the quality of the preaching. All this I had heard by reputation and wanted to experience first-hand. What did surprise me was the earthiness of the fellowship that followed Mass. People were welcoming and interested - and there was wine and cheese. I was hooked from that moment.
I gladly accepted the invitation of then vicar Fr David Farrar to join the staff as part-time assistant priest. This was during the parish’s 150th Celebrations in 1996. Fr Colin Holden took time out from writing his history of the parish, From Torries at Prayer to Socialists at Mass, to school me in the intricacies of St Peter’s liturgy. I remember once holding forth at Evensong when a very loud voice interjected. I thought it was the director of music correcting some misstep but it was one of our well-known characters voicing his opinion of the quality of worship that night. 1996 was a busy year but I remember at our weekly staff meetings Fr David would at some stage call a halt to our planning and organising and say, ‘Now what about the people!’ We knew it was now time for the all-important pastoral matters. It was at one of those meetings that Fr David told us that he had been elected Bishop of Wangaratta. I nearly fell off my chair in shock!
One highlight for me in those days was chaplaincy at Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute with the late Margaret Robbins. Every Friday morning we would visit the Anglicans on our list. About halfway through the morning we would meet up in the cafeteria to debrief, encourage one another and share a few St Peter’s stories.
It was during the following incumbency of Fr John Davis that I returned to prison ministry. In 1999 I began visiting the Melbourne Assessment Prison and Port Phillip Prison, the very same prisons I work in today all these years later.
By far the most important event for me at St Peter’s in that year was when Jenny and I were married. We were overwhelmed by the support we received from the parish. From time to time people remind me they were there with us on the day. Jenny and I then moved to her home diocese of Bathurst to take up the appointment of joint-rector in the parish of Mudgee. Six years later we were invited to return to Melbourne to the parish of Holy Trinity Surrey Hills with Jenny as vicar. I combined parish work with prison ministry again. In 2010 we concluded our ministry at Surrey Hills and Jenny resumed intentional interim ministry. Something she feels a real calling to.
It was soon after that I received a call from Bishop Graeme Rutherford asking if I would come back to assist him during the interregnum. I gladly accepted. This time it fell to Dr Guy Churchman to help me recall the wonders of St Peter’s liturgy. It was then I began celebrating Mass on Friday mornings. I remember that on my very first Friday I got to the church very early. Someone had told me that the code for the alarm was still the same as it was when I was last here. I put in the numbers as I remembered them and went on into the sacristy. Then all hell broke loose as the alarm went off and would not stop no matter what numbers I keyed in. I expected that police and wardens would turn up to confront an unwelcome intruder. Then after about ten minutes, as suddenly as it started, the alarm stopped. There was no sign of anyone, no police, not even a bleary-eyed warden. The first person on the scene was dear Fr Don Edgar who had turned up for Mass. ‘I can’t get into the sacristy; the code isn’t working!’ I thought my first Mass would be a flop but Fr Don said in what I would soon come to know was his calm way, ‘Oh I know the code.’ ‘Thanks be to God!’ I said, or something similar.
I thought that I would be saying goodbye to St Peter’s when Fr Hugh Kempster was installed a vicar. But Fr Hugh envisaged a priestly role that engaged parish liturgy with the Breakfast Program. In 2012 I accepted his offer to become chaplain to the Breakfast Program and associate priest. At first I was keen to try to get across all the literature about the causes of homelessness and the ‘what works’ programs that are meant to help. I was overwhelmed by the professional workers who knew the right diagnosis and the right resource to help. So, I just sat down with our people and listened, lamented and laughed with them.
There are two short stories among the many I have heard that stand out for me. One of our people told me that he was once standing outside St Francis’ Church when someone walking past pressed a five dollar note into his hand. He tried to tell the person that he was OK and didn’t need it and that he should give it to someone else. But the passerby was insistent. As hard as he tried my friend could not get the man to take his money back. Standing there with the note in his hands he wondered what he should do. He just could not accept it. So he went into the church and put the money in the ‘poor box’. I didn’t have the presence of mind to ask him to stand outside St Peter’s!
Another person told of his long battle against depression following a business collapse, relationship breakup and family tensions. He lost everything and became homeless. After more than six years he was now on his feet again. He told of an experience he had driving past a property he used to own. The experience filled him with horror as all the bad memories came back. Despite all his former wealth and all he had endured he said he would never go back to that life again.
Thanks be to God and to all those who have allowed me to share in such a rich ministry. Especially to the Foundation for ongoing support and Fr Michael Bowie for his warm and gracious acceptance of me and my many faceted expressions of priesthood. I am so glad that Mother Kathryn (pictured with Fr Philip and Lazarus Centre social worker, Jason Keenan) will be continuing in the role of chaplain. We have had a handover over coffee when I was able to tell her all I know about being a chaplain. But I forgot one thing. I once had an experience that showed me much, not all, but much of what chaplains do… I was sitting with a young man in a yard of one of our prisons. One of his friends came over and began to make fun of him. ‘Why are you talking to the chaplain bro’ are you falling apart or something?’ Without missing a beat, the young man replied. ‘I’m having a decent conversation for once. Now get lost!’ Or words to that effect.
Every blessing and thanks to all who have supported, encouraged and challenged me in ministry at St Peter’s.
Fr Philip Gill
A Christmas Reflection
Those who gazed into the manger on that first Christmas Day were looking into a changed world. Along with the world, their lives would never be the same.
At the foot of the cross while most of the others had abandoned him, Mary hears her son entrust her into the care of John the beloved disciple. She is there to care for the body of her son at the end. Luke tells us that Mary is with the others in the upper room following the ascension of Jesus.
The journey of St Joseph in the imagination of Christian devotion, from accepting his vocation as the legal father of Jesus to a central place in the daily devotions of Pope Francis is one example of God choosing to bring about salvation through the lowly rather than the powerful. The young woman, the carpenter and baby survive all that is thrown at them to ensure that the message of salvation comes to us and makes a difference.
Also gazing into the crib scene were the shepherds. In many ways they were unlikely witnesses to this greatest of events. Marginalised because they found it difficult to keep the demands of the Law and too poor to own land, they were not the people who would be ‘A listed’ for invitations to a gala performance. But at least they might well have been awake in the dark night keeping watch over their sheep. They would forever be known as being among the first witnesses to the incarnation. And the symbolism of their intimate relationship with their sheep would influence Jesus’ stories about the love of God.
The obedience of Mary, the faithfulness of Joseph and the wonder of the shepherds illustrate the difference that the birth of Jesus continues to make in the world and gives us every reason to proclaim a Merry Christmas!
Fr Philip Gill