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Geelong Deanery |
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Fr Philip Gambin: New Parish Priest at St Thomas Aquinas, NorlaneFr Philip Gambin was appointed to the Norlane parish in early September to replace Fr Colin Bourke who has gone on study leave for 10 months in Chicago. Fr Philip belongs to the order of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He entered the order at the age of 25 and was the first Victorian to do so. Fr Philip’s parents were originally from Malta and although he was born there, the family migrated to Australia in 1948, so Fr Philip grew up in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. He was very involved in parish life as he grew up and eventually decided to become a priest. Fr Philip was to spend the first year of his seminary training in Malta and then return to Melbourne, but it was decided that he would continue studying in Malta, which he did for 8 years. Two weeks after his ordination he returned to Melbourne and spent time helping out in several parishes, many of which were in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. The Missionary Society of St Paul order works mainly in two areas: in missionary countries and in migrant and disadvantaged areas. The order is in charge of a couple of parishes in various parts of Australia. One parish is North Sunshine and Fr Philip spent from 1972 to 1979 as assistant priest there. He then spent 14 years as parish priest in Horsley Park, Sydney, which had a Maltese population of around 98%. He spent 14 months in America working in New York and Brooklyn with the Spanish community, set up a retreat house in Wales, worked for 2 years in Peter McCallum in Melbourne and has spent the last couple of years living in the Paulist community at Wantirna South, supplying for the local parishes and working with the local youth in the YCW and Antioch. Fr Philip loves working with young people and has set up youth centres in America and Horsley Park. In fact the centre in America had over 500 members, and activities ranged from basketball teams to liturgy groups. He really misses his work with the youth and would like to see some sort of youth centre set up in the Geelong Deanery. Fr Philip also loves to preach and enjoys retreat work. Outside of church he has various hobbies, one of which is ‘showing’ his prize golden retrievers. His latest dog is called Murdoch (who has a brother called Rupert, of course!) who has already won many show ribbons. Fr Philip has permission from his superior to work in Norlane for at least 15 months, so we hope he enjoys his time in the Geelong Deanery. |
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