Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT9 Feb 2012
Roads were cut off. The airport closed. The town under water. But this wasn't going to stop Wee Waa parish priest, Fr Paul Anthony Aguilar.
Determined to reach Armidale to attend the installation of the 10th Bishop of Armidale at New England's Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph, the intrepid priest boarded a small boat and putt-putted his way out of the flooded region. Then he managed to catch a lift by road and made it to Armidale in time.
The Episcopal Ordination and Installation of Bishop Michael Kennedy as the 10th Bishop of Armidale took place at 10.30 in Armidale this morning, 9 February.
The retired former Bishop of Armidale, the Most Rev Luc Matthys officiated with the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell and Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga both co-consecrators at the all important ceremony.
More than 800 attended the installation including dignitaries and clergy from across Australia as well as many parishioners not only from Armidale but from across the sprawling 91,500 sq km Diocese and its 23 parishes.
With floods inundating much of the western region of NSW, triggering road closures, washing out bridges and isolating towns as well as properties in the area, some of the faithful who had been eager to attend and had booked special buses, found themselves instead stranded by fast rising rivers in what has become a vast inland sea.
Mud, slush, flooded roads and swollen billabongs and creeks was not going to stop Walgett parish priest, Fr James Poovathinkal. As soon warning came the fast-rising Barwon River would threaten the town, he grabbed a lift out of the region on a small plane. That was two days ago and since that time, the Barwon has continued to rise, isolating the entire community and stranding more than 2300 of the town's residents.
The SES is now forecasting the Barwon River will not peak at Walgett until Monday, 13 February when it is expected to reach a record 13.4 metres, and means Fr Paul will be unable to return home for almost a week.
Two other priests who were equally resolute in their determination to participate in today's Episcopal Ordination of the Armidale Diocese's new Bishop were Moree's Fr Paul McCabe and Fr John Macdonald.
Fr Paul is the long time priest of the St Francis Xavier Parish while newly-ordained assistant parish priest, Fr John Macdonald is the popular former teacher and coach in charge of track and field at Sydney's St Ignatius College, Riverview where he was known as "Mr Athletics."
Moree was one of the first towns in the New England-Darling Downs area to battle major flooding after the swollen Mehi River overflowed its banks, cutting the town in two and surging through the main shopping streets and business area. By the weekend, the river had finally peaked. But not until after it had reached levels not seen since the 1976. By now the entire town was cut off by road and RAAF Hercules aircraft had to be employed to drop supplies and bedding for thousands of residents, many of whom were sheltering in one of several of the town's evacuation centres.
Fr John and Fr Paul pitched in, doing what they could to help. But although the parish church of St Francis Xavier was on high ground and safe, with highways and roads in and out of Moree closed and reports of bridges being washed away, it seemed they would not be able to make it to Armidale for today's service.
From Monday the waters in Moree began to recede and although many roads were still closed, the priests managed to make it to the Gwydir Highway early this morning. They drove as far as the Gwydir Bridge at Gravesend but with the bridge flood-damaged and closed to all traffic, they made a detour to Elcombe and Bingara which added some 50 minutes to their journey.
Nevertheless they made it into Armidale in time and were inside the Cathedral when the Episcopal Ordination and Installation ceremony began at 10.30 this morning.
"The installation of our new bishop is very much a landmark event and people from across the entire diocese wanted to attend. But with such widespread flooding, sadly not everyone who wanted to be there was able to," says Gabrielle Kelly from the Catholic Viewpoint, Armidale's official Diocese magazine.
Bishop Luc Matthys who at 75 has reached retirement age, has been Bishop of Armidale since May 1999.
His successor, Bishop Michael Kennedy was formerly a priest with the Wagga Wagga Diocese and at 43, becomes the youngest prelate in Australia.
The youngest of nine children, he grew up in the small Riverina town of San Isidore and was educated by the Christian Brothers in Wagga and later at Xavier's Catholic High School in Albury.
Fr Michael who studied for the priesthood at Vianney College was ordained in 1999.
Last Sunday, he moved to Armidale to take up residence. "Geographically, the Armidale Diocese is much larger than Wagga. However, I am accustomed to long drives on country roads in the course of my duties. I am looking forward to seeing the New England North West region. When Bishop Matthys took office almost 13 years ago, he made it a priority to visit every Parish in the Diocese in his first year. Bishop Matthys has recommended that I should try to visit as many Parishes in as short a period of time as possible so people have the opportunity to meet me," he says and adds with so many people in the Diocese devastated by floods this is now his priority.
Credit "Images: Gary Fry/Danieli Studios, Armidale"
Family and friends gather
for the Ordination Bishop Kennedy
for the Ordination Bishop Kennedy
Determined to reach Armidale to attend the installation of the 10th Bishop of Armidale at New England's Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph, the intrepid priest boarded a small boat and putt-putted his way out of the flooded region. Then he managed to catch a lift by road and made it to Armidale in time.
The Episcopal Ordination and Installation of Bishop Michael Kennedy as the 10th Bishop of Armidale took place at 10.30 in Armidale this morning, 9 February.
The retired former Bishop of Armidale, the Most Rev Luc Matthys officiated with the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell and Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga both co-consecrators at the all important ceremony.
More than 800 attended the installation including dignitaries and clergy from across Australia as well as many parishioners not only from Armidale but from across the sprawling 91,500 sq km Diocese and its 23 parishes.
With floods inundating much of the western region of NSW, triggering road closures, washing out bridges and isolating towns as well as properties in the area, some of the faithful who had been eager to attend and had booked special buses, found themselves instead stranded by fast rising rivers in what has become a vast inland sea.
Moree transformed into an inland sea
The SES is now forecasting the Barwon River will not peak at Walgett until Monday, 13 February when it is expected to reach a record 13.4 metres, and means Fr Paul will be unable to return home for almost a week.
Two other priests who were equally resolute in their determination to participate in today's Episcopal Ordination of the Armidale Diocese's new Bishop were Moree's Fr Paul McCabe and Fr John Macdonald.
Fr Paul is the long time priest of the St Francis Xavier Parish while newly-ordained assistant parish priest, Fr John Macdonald is the popular former teacher and coach in charge of track and field at Sydney's St Ignatius College, Riverview where he was known as "Mr Athletics."
Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga, co-consecrator
at the Ordination service
with his brother Robert Hanna of Armidale
at the Ordination service
with his brother Robert Hanna of Armidale
Fr John and Fr Paul pitched in, doing what they could to help. But although the parish church of St Francis Xavier was on high ground and safe, with highways and roads in and out of Moree closed and reports of bridges being washed away, it seemed they would not be able to make it to Armidale for today's service.
From Monday the waters in Moree began to recede and although many roads were still closed, the priests managed to make it to the Gwydir Highway early this morning. They drove as far as the Gwydir Bridge at Gravesend but with the bridge flood-damaged and closed to all traffic, they made a detour to Elcombe and Bingara which added some 50 minutes to their journey.
Bishop Michael Kennedy,
new Bishop of Armidale
new Bishop of Armidale
"The installation of our new bishop is very much a landmark event and people from across the entire diocese wanted to attend. But with such widespread flooding, sadly not everyone who wanted to be there was able to," says Gabrielle Kelly from the Catholic Viewpoint, Armidale's official Diocese magazine.
Bishop Luc Matthys who at 75 has reached retirement age, has been Bishop of Armidale since May 1999.
His successor, Bishop Michael Kennedy was formerly a priest with the Wagga Wagga Diocese and at 43, becomes the youngest prelate in Australia.
Bishop Kennedy's extended family
Fr Michael who studied for the priesthood at Vianney College was ordained in 1999.
Last Sunday, he moved to Armidale to take up residence. "Geographically, the Armidale Diocese is much larger than Wagga. However, I am accustomed to long drives on country roads in the course of my duties. I am looking forward to seeing the New England North West region. When Bishop Matthys took office almost 13 years ago, he made it a priority to visit every Parish in the Diocese in his first year. Bishop Matthys has recommended that I should try to visit as many Parishes in as short a period of time as possible so people have the opportunity to meet me," he says and adds with so many people in the Diocese devastated by floods this is now his priority.
Credit "Images: Gary Fry/Danieli Studios, Armidale"
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