Simon was born in Nottingham England on 18 May 1945. When he was four his family moved to Australia and settled in Albany where his father opened his own practice as a GP. He spent some time in England before returning to WA where he, his mother and sister, were received into the Catholic Church by Leo Leunig at Cottesloe.

Fr Pat Creed – retired and a resident of Calare Nursing Home in Orange – died on Monday 10th August 2009, aged 80 years. Over 200 parishioners form Orange, Blayney, Bathurst, Cowra and Dubbo, along with 30 priests from the diocese, gathered for his Mass of Resurrection in St. Mary’s Church in Orange on 17th August.

While John Francis Dwyer retired from active priesthood in 1984 and was liaised, he never drifted far away from his passionate search for the Divine. John died on October 30, aged 60 after losing his battle with cancer. He was ordained on August 31, 1974, in the largest ordination group from St Charles since its foundation in 1942 by Lancelot Goody.

Humphrey O’Leary CSsR, an internationally renowned Canon Lawyer, died in New Zealand in early November. He was buried in Auckland on 20 November. R.I.P.

Originally from Perth and baptised Peter, Justin he entered the Perth Diocesan Seminary at the age of 13. At the seminary he came across Passionist literature, and although he had never met a Passionist, decided that was the call he wished to follow.

Abbot Placid was an exceptionally good and prayerful man. He knew what God had done with him in his becoming so. While he could accept our gratitude for God’s gifts to us through his ministry, he would not accept personal praise as being of much value in life or death.

John was a faithful priest, a caring pastor, a prayerful man. He was a gentle friend who radiated calm joy – a wonderful companion in ministry. His ability to laugh at himself and share his cheeky humour endeared him to all who knew him – and those who knew him, loved him. May his dear soul rest in peace.

The Diocese of Parramatta lost one of its most-loved priests with the death of Fr Kevin Dadswell, aged 79, on 9 July 2009.

To many people on the fringe of the institutional Church, Joe was the very compassionate and understanding face of Catholicism. Joe was one of the initial members of the Young Christian Workers movement founded in St Raphael’s Parish, Parkside, in the 1940s. The Cardijn method of seeing, judging and acting in applying Gospel principles in society was an essential aspect of Joe’s priesthood.

He is remembered as an outstanding priest, a true son of Don Bosco, and as an academic. He was one who loved bushwalking and sport. It is said that he arrived at the Salesian Novitiate at the age of 18 with a suitcase in one hand, and a cricket bat in the other.