by: Mgr Greg Bennet, Tuesday 5 August 2014
FR Michael “Mick” Sheehy PE died Thursday 31 July in the care of the Sisters of Nazareth, Camberwell in the sixtieth year of his priesthood.
On 20 December 1954 the young Fr Sheehy received a letter advising him that he was to commence his supply in the parish of St. John’s, East Melbourne ‘over Christmas and the New Year’. In January 1955 Fr Sheehy received his first appointment as Assistant Priest in Northcote followed by appointments to Kyneton (1958), Kew (1965), St. Kilda West (1967), Preston East (1967), then as Parish Priest of Healesville (1969), Heidelberg (1971) and Doncaster 5 May 1979 until his retirement 22 July 2009.
One of his referees writing to Monsignor Fox VG in 1949 described Michael Sheehy as coming from an ‘excellent farming family’ and it would seem Fr Mick never lost his love of the land. His days in the parish of Kyneton allowed him once again to place his hands in the soil and he was known to have raised a sheep or two.
He was in many ways the ‘farmer of faith’ in all the parishes he served. He was a kind, diligent, encouraging and good pastor to his people. He was also entrepreneurial and able to achieve great things with his people. The Church of St Gregory the Great itself is a reflection of how Fr Sheehy was able to fashion in bricks and mortar a place of beauty where God’s people could bring their joys, hopes and suffering before the God who is the source of all beauty. His evident love of liturgy, prayerfulness and generous service to the people of Doncaster for over thirty years were acknowledged by many as he entered retirement to Justin Villa in 2009 and later to the care of Nazareth House.
We join in thanking God for Fr Sheehy and for his sixty years of priestly witness and service to the priests and people of the Archdiocese. We remember with gratitude all those who left Ireland with hearts of faith to tend the fields of Melbourne.
May the Good Shepherd lead him gently into paradise.
May he rest in peace.
Hear with favour our prayers, which we humbly offer, O Lord,
For the salvation of the soul of Fr Michael Sheehy, your servant and priest,
That he, who devoted a faithful ministry to your name,
May rejoice in the perpetual company of your Saints.
Vigil Mass
Thursday 7 August, 7:30pm
St Gregory the Great Church, Doncaster
Requiem Mass
Friday 8 August, 11am
St Gregory the Great Church, Doncaster
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