Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
28 Feb 2012
The Rev Dr Gerald Iverson, former rector of St Patrick's College, Manly and Pastor Emeritus at Greystanes' Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish where he served as parish priest, has died.
Fr Gerry, as he was affectionately known, lost his courageous battle against the ravages of Parkinson's Disease on Friday, 24 February.
He was 75.
"There is a mixture of emotions among his many friends as we prepare to celebrate his funeral," says Fr Peter Confeggi, Parish Priest at St Patrick's Parish, Blacktown explaining that along with great sadness at Fr Gerry's passing there is also a sense of relief he is now free of the crippling effects of Parkinson's which claimed his voice and ability to eat himself making him "unable to share a glass of red wine with friends."
"I was privileged to spend the last evening of his life alongside him in ICU," Fr Peter says recalling how with the early light of a new day and the arrival of his brother, Fr Gerry had pointed to three letters on his spell chart...SMH.
"The Sydney Morning Herald was duly brought to him and this was typical of his engagement with life - the Gospel in one hand, a newspaper in the other!"
With his limitless compassion, profound faith as well as his humour, warmth and ability to engage with people of all faiths, all walks of life and all ages, Fr Gerry's passing is being mourned by all those who were lucky enough to have known him.
"He was a great parish priest, a great personal friend and a great leader," says Fr Peter Confeggi. "He was also a man who stood with people in times of change, crisis and transition, and helped them draw the best from the experience."
As preparations are made for a Funeral Mass to be held on Friday, 2 March at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Greystanes where he served as parish priest for 17 years, stories of Fr Gerry's many friendships and kindnesses have flooded the parish office with tributes being sent by text, phone, email as well as hastily written sympathy cards.
"Gerry had a wonderful capacity to gather people and build friendships," Fr Peter recalls. "I remember sharing breakfast with him the morning after 9/11. What can we do? he asked. And within weeks he had Catholic parishioners sitting down with Muslims from the Gallipoli Mosque at Auburn."
Along with Fr Gerry's compassion, was what Fr Peter describes as a "rare depth of emotional intelligence," a fine, agile mind and an unceasing zest for life which he lived to the full.
"By the time we met in midlife he had climbed in the Himalayas, kayaked in Antarctica and seemed to fit 30 hours in to most days," Fr Peter says and believes Fr Gerry in his relationships with people, put a human face on the Church and for those within the Catholic community and beyond, he was a voice of compassion and understanding."
The eldest of four children, Fr Gerry was born in 1937 to Claude and Kathleen Iverson and grew up in Albury where he was educated at St Brigids Primary School and Christian Brothers College.
At just 17, he entered St Columba's Seminary at Springwood. He spent two years there before continuing with his priestly studies at St Patrick's College, Manly. Many years later, when he became Rector of the Manly seminary, he used to tell his students that if he'd been Rector at that time, he would have said: 'Gerry Iverson go away and grow up a bit.'"
Celebrating his golden jubilee of ordination in July 2010, he talked about his vocation and said a number of things had drawn him to the priesthood. "A priestly vocation that had a lot more prestige attached to it than it does now," he commented and revealed that one of his teachers at College had also played a role in his decision to become a priest.
"Br Tom Davitt, a Christian Brother was a wild eccentric Irishman, but his love of the priesthood was profound and his influence on all of us was extraordinary. He showed us what a truly fulfilling vocation the priesthood was."
Ordained by Bishop Henschke on 16 July 1960, Fr Gerry served in various parishes across the Wagga Wagga Diocese under Bishop Frank Carroll who appointed him Administrator of the Cathedral parish where as a member of the parish team, he helped establish a marriage and counselling service as well as an agency providing services now provided by Centacare.
In 1979, Fr Gerry returned to academia studying for a masters degree at the Institute of Pastoral Studies in Chicago. Returning to Australia, he took over as Director of Marriage Education and Family Support by the Diocese of Wagga Wagga and then in 1985, the then Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Edward Clancy appointed him Rector of St Patrick's College, Manly.
Among the seminarians at St Patrick's when he took over, was Tony Abbott, the current leader of the Coalition.
"Fr Gerry did not quite order me to spend the following year as a pastoral assistant in a distant parish to sort myself out, because modern churchmen are not that authoritarian," Tony Abbott wrote of this period in his life, in his recently published memoir, Battlelines. "Under protest I went to Emu Plains but I sensed that it would work out well when the parish priest asked if I took my coffee with milk or with brandy!"
Fr Gerry loved his experience at St Patrick's and found being in charge of the formation of young people, and dealing with their enthusiasm and questions, immensely rewarding. But after five years in the role, he found he missed the variety and closeness involved in ministering to families, children and individuals that he had experienced as a parish priest.
Incardinated in Parramatta, in 1994 he was appointed to Greystanes during extremely difficult times for the parish. His role was to rebuild and reunite the parish. While many felt disillusioned and had walked away, many others recognised through Fr Gerry's compassion, energy and ministry, the chance of a new beginning.
For the next 17 years he remained parish priest at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, respected, admired and very much loved.
Equally at home as a behind-the-scenes confidante to Church leaders as he was in counselling those about to wed, praying and comforting the bereaved or visiting his fellow priests in prison, Fr Gerry led a life filled with God's love and laced with compassion.
In July 2011, Federal member for Mahon, Chris Bowen officially opened the $1.9 million Fr Gerald Iverson Language Centre at St Paul's Catholic College, Greystanes. Funded by the Commonwealth's BER stimulus scheme, the Centre creates new possibilities in learning and teaching. While commending these, Chris Bowen said he was also there to "specifically honour and pay my respect to Fr Gerry and the thousands he has helped through difficult circumstances over the many years he was parish priest."
Although battling his Parkinson's Disease, Fr Gerry attended the blessing and opening of the Centre named after him which stands as a fitting memorial and legacy to the esteem and love in which he was held by the parish, its schools and its people.
"The Church was blessed to have Fr Gerry's ministry. As many were blessed to have him as a friend," says Fr Peter.
A Vigil for Fr Gerry Iverson will be held at 7.30 pm on Thursday, 1 March at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Old Prospect Road, Greystanes. A Pontifical Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial for Fr Gerry will be offered at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes at 11 am, Friday 2 March. Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Bishop of Parramatta will be principal celebrant and Homilist for the Mass will be the Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus for the Archdiocese of Sydney, Most Rev Geoffrey Robinson.
Fr Peter Confeggi will deliver the eulogy. http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012228_1641.shtml
28 Feb 2012
Fr Gerry Iverson
Fr Gerry, as he was affectionately known, lost his courageous battle against the ravages of Parkinson's Disease on Friday, 24 February.
He was 75.
"There is a mixture of emotions among his many friends as we prepare to celebrate his funeral," says Fr Peter Confeggi, Parish Priest at St Patrick's Parish, Blacktown explaining that along with great sadness at Fr Gerry's passing there is also a sense of relief he is now free of the crippling effects of Parkinson's which claimed his voice and ability to eat himself making him "unable to share a glass of red wine with friends."
"I was privileged to spend the last evening of his life alongside him in ICU," Fr Peter says recalling how with the early light of a new day and the arrival of his brother, Fr Gerry had pointed to three letters on his spell chart...SMH.
"The Sydney Morning Herald was duly brought to him and this was typical of his engagement with life - the Gospel in one hand, a newspaper in the other!"
With his limitless compassion, profound faith as well as his humour, warmth and ability to engage with people of all faiths, all walks of life and all ages, Fr Gerry's passing is being mourned by all those who were lucky enough to have known him.
"He was a great parish priest, a great personal friend and a great leader," says Fr Peter Confeggi. "He was also a man who stood with people in times of change, crisis and transition, and helped them draw the best from the experience."
As preparations are made for a Funeral Mass to be held on Friday, 2 March at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Greystanes where he served as parish priest for 17 years, stories of Fr Gerry's many friendships and kindnesses have flooded the parish office with tributes being sent by text, phone, email as well as hastily written sympathy cards.
"Gerry had a wonderful capacity to gather people and build friendships," Fr Peter recalls. "I remember sharing breakfast with him the morning after 9/11. What can we do? he asked. And within weeks he had Catholic parishioners sitting down with Muslims from the Gallipoli Mosque at Auburn."
Along with Fr Gerry's compassion, was what Fr Peter describes as a "rare depth of emotional intelligence," a fine, agile mind and an unceasing zest for life which he lived to the full.
"By the time we met in midlife he had climbed in the Himalayas, kayaked in Antarctica and seemed to fit 30 hours in to most days," Fr Peter says and believes Fr Gerry in his relationships with people, put a human face on the Church and for those within the Catholic community and beyond, he was a voice of compassion and understanding."
Fr Gerry Iverson with St Paul's College
Year 8 student, Alexander Burke at
opening of language centre named
in his honour
At just 17, he entered St Columba's Seminary at Springwood. He spent two years there before continuing with his priestly studies at St Patrick's College, Manly. Many years later, when he became Rector of the Manly seminary, he used to tell his students that if he'd been Rector at that time, he would have said: 'Gerry Iverson go away and grow up a bit.'"
Celebrating his golden jubilee of ordination in July 2010, he talked about his vocation and said a number of things had drawn him to the priesthood. "A priestly vocation that had a lot more prestige attached to it than it does now," he commented and revealed that one of his teachers at College had also played a role in his decision to become a priest.
"Br Tom Davitt, a Christian Brother was a wild eccentric Irishman, but his love of the priesthood was profound and his influence on all of us was extraordinary. He showed us what a truly fulfilling vocation the priesthood was."
Ordained by Bishop Henschke on 16 July 1960, Fr Gerry served in various parishes across the Wagga Wagga Diocese under Bishop Frank Carroll who appointed him Administrator of the Cathedral parish where as a member of the parish team, he helped establish a marriage and counselling service as well as an agency providing services now provided by Centacare.
In 1979, Fr Gerry returned to academia studying for a masters degree at the Institute of Pastoral Studies in Chicago. Returning to Australia, he took over as Director of Marriage Education and Family Support by the Diocese of Wagga Wagga and then in 1985, the then Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Edward Clancy appointed him Rector of St Patrick's College, Manly.
Among the seminarians at St Patrick's when he took over, was Tony Abbott, the current leader of the Coalition.
"Fr Gerry did not quite order me to spend the following year as a pastoral assistant in a distant parish to sort myself out, because modern churchmen are not that authoritarian," Tony Abbott wrote of this period in his life, in his recently published memoir, Battlelines. "Under protest I went to Emu Plains but I sensed that it would work out well when the parish priest asked if I took my coffee with milk or with brandy!"
Fr Gerry joined Minister Chris Bowen
and other dignitaries at unveiling of
St Paul's College's new language centre
Incardinated in Parramatta, in 1994 he was appointed to Greystanes during extremely difficult times for the parish. His role was to rebuild and reunite the parish. While many felt disillusioned and had walked away, many others recognised through Fr Gerry's compassion, energy and ministry, the chance of a new beginning.
For the next 17 years he remained parish priest at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, respected, admired and very much loved.
Equally at home as a behind-the-scenes confidante to Church leaders as he was in counselling those about to wed, praying and comforting the bereaved or visiting his fellow priests in prison, Fr Gerry led a life filled with God's love and laced with compassion.
In July 2011, Federal member for Mahon, Chris Bowen officially opened the $1.9 million Fr Gerald Iverson Language Centre at St Paul's Catholic College, Greystanes. Funded by the Commonwealth's BER stimulus scheme, the Centre creates new possibilities in learning and teaching. While commending these, Chris Bowen said he was also there to "specifically honour and pay my respect to Fr Gerry and the thousands he has helped through difficult circumstances over the many years he was parish priest."
Although battling his Parkinson's Disease, Fr Gerry attended the blessing and opening of the Centre named after him which stands as a fitting memorial and legacy to the esteem and love in which he was held by the parish, its schools and its people.
"The Church was blessed to have Fr Gerry's ministry. As many were blessed to have him as a friend," says Fr Peter.
A Vigil for Fr Gerry Iverson will be held at 7.30 pm on Thursday, 1 March at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Old Prospect Road, Greystanes. A Pontifical Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial for Fr Gerry will be offered at Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes at 11 am, Friday 2 March. Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Bishop of Parramatta will be principal celebrant and Homilist for the Mass will be the Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus for the Archdiocese of Sydney, Most Rev Geoffrey Robinson.
Fr Peter Confeggi will deliver the eulogy. http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2012/2012228_1641.shtml
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