Serving Faithfully
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Serving Faithfully Newsletter of the Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services Published by the Diocesan Curia. Editor: Brigadier Alan Hodges AM, KCSG (Ret’d) SPECIAL EDITION JUNE 2021 Retirement Bishop Max Davis AM, DD here was national Teenage years T rejoicing on 15 August During Max’s high school years, the 1945 when news arrived that Japan family moved to Bassendean, north‐east formally surrendered to the allies. For of Perth near the Swan River. He was at Catholics, the day had special extra Christian Brothers’ colleges at significance – it was the feast day of Leederville and Highgate during which the Patroness of Australia, Mary Help he developed an interest in language, of Christians (now also the Patroness reading and science and obtained sound of the Military Ordinariate). The front skills in technical drawing, although he page of the Townsville Daily Bulletin of had an enduring aversion to 16 August showed a section of the mathematics. As a teenager, he found crowd gathered in Flinders St sport rather more appealing than Townsville. academic pursuits. It was during this That day was also auspicious for period too that he developed an interest the Davis family as their first child, Max in the lives and examples of the Saints. Leroy, was born. He recalls that, ‘The The proud father, Warrant Christian Brothers Officer Pilot Frederick Davis RAAF, was were impressive in still serving as a bomber pilot and had been stationed in a very positive way. They showed us what Townsville for much of the war with deployments into areas of a difference a strong spiritual life makes in operation to undertake missions in the Pacific and Indian all aspects of our interface with the world. Oceans. The equally proud mother, Marion (née Murray) came I remember that standard handouts from to Australia as a child with her family from Northern Ireland, the Christian Brothers were two little settled in Cairns and became a nurse at Park Haven Hospital in booklets, “The Christian Gentleman” and Townsville. When demobilization eventually occurred, some “Christian Politeness and Counsels for months after cessation of hostilities, the Davis family settled in Youth”. These were very inspirational in Perth, WA. Early on they were blessed with twins but, sadly, connecting good and proper Christian they did not survive. values with ordinary everyday Early years experiences.’ During primary school years Max lived at In looking back at his teenage Wembley Downs on Perth’s northern beaches on a four‐acre years, Bishop Max said, ‘Summer was block with some horses, a cow, and some show‐quality spent swimming, bush walking, horse bantams and pure‐breed Scotch Collies, which were frequently riding and running, while winter sport was mainly football (the placed in shows. His mother continued nursing and his father real stuff!). I used to like tinkering around with my father in resumed his trade as a boilermaker/welder until a wartime things mechanical too and, as his health declined, I was able to back injury resulted in his being classified as Total and do some of the heavy lifting for him. Then there were the Permanently Disabled. opportunities to engage in other social activities, like the For the first three years of primary school, Max Saturday Night dances which were a feature of the day, and attended the local parish school, Our Lady of Victories, staffed going to the movies once a month where I was able to mix with by Presentation Sisters. He completed primary school at others, especially the girls that I had come to know on the daily Mary’s Mount School in the suburb of Kalamunda as a boarder. public transport to and from school.’ Bishop Max also This school was run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of the remembers being attracted by thoughts of becoming a priest, Apparition, an order of French origins, which arrived in but these were fairly quickly dismissed on three grounds: Fremantle in 1855. They subsequently established primary and ‘1. They talk in a funny language (Latin). 2. They wear strange secondary schools in Perth and rural WA, an aged‐care home, clothes. 3. They can’t get married.’ Nevertheless, he continued and a hospital in Fremantle. In the seventies the nuns to be moved by the ceremonies in the Church, especially in St. commenced withdrawing from schools and devoted efforts in Mary’s Cathedral where the family went to Solemn High Mass such directions as educating adults in the faith, catechetical at least once a month. programmes for children attending government schools and The Davis parents instilled a strong religious faith in providing counselling to the poor. In recalling his impressions their son. They would pray the rosary each evening and attend of these times, Bishop Max said that, ‘I have only pleasant Mass each Sunday. Grace at meals was standard and special memories of the Sisters. The way they communicated that efforts were made to celebrate the major religious festivals. they really cared about each one of us is a lasting impression.’ His father would not leave the house without his rosary in his pocket and was habitual is raising his hat whenever he passed priest, a monk from New Norcia, influenced Max to offer a church. Although the family was not foreign to financial himself to the Abbot at New Norcia to undertake the hardship, and did struggle at times, there was never any sense equivalent of a first year of Seminary studies and also to be of despair. The strong religious foundation was most introduced to the spiritual and prayer life of the monks. important, and their faith strengthened them to have the Further training for the priesthood was undertaken for confidence that, if they did their best, God would always make two years at St Columba’s Seminary at Springwood and then at sure they had what was necessary. St Patrick’s Manly. He recalled that Professor Walsh at St Honesty and treating others with dignity were very Columba’s said, ‘I know that philosophy can be difficult, but it strong principles of life. They were generous towards those in is the coat hanger on which you hang the coat of theology so it need and would often share what they had, while at the same keeps its shape.’ Max describes the following five years of life time being most reluctant to accept help from others. at Manly as very monastic, ‘We were required to wear a In the workforce soutane at all times, even when gardening (with a Following completion of high school ‘grot’ soutane), although on Thursdays we were Max worked for Pellegrini’s religious goods allowed to walk back streets to Manly shops, BUT company in Perth, first in the storeroom and then not to the Corso or the beach.’ in sales in the shopfront. After about six months Ordination followed on 31 October 1971 he went to the RAAF Recruiting Office where the at New Norcia by Bishop Quinn, Auxiliary Bishop medical examination revealed that he had an eye of the Archdiocese of Perth with students from problem that would prevent him from flying both St. Benedict’s College and from St duties. With hopes dashed, he then went next Gertrude’s College (a girls’ boarding college) door to the RAN Recruiting Office. When it was combining for a Folk Mass. One of the older confirmed that he could go to sea, the formalities monks described it as, ‘Sacrilegious twangings in were completed. In 1959, at age 16, Max signed an antiseptic sanctuary.’ His mother was proudly up for nine years as a recruit for the electrical able to see her son ordained, but not his father branch. who died in December 1966. For the next 12 months at HMAS CERBERUS Bishop Peter Quinn with The ordination was a ‘big show’ for New Fr Max Davis following Norcia and the local garage, general store and he attended Recruit School and Navy’s Electrical ordination in 1971 School. A highlight was playing for Navy pub did a roaring trade. Among the in the Victorian Inter‐Service Aussie many attending was Father Harry Rules competition. From there he was Brennan (then full‐time Army Chaplain posted to the Sydney‐based destroyer in Perth) who had already drawn up HMAS QUIBERON, which joined the Far papers for Fr Max to enlist in the Citizen East Strategic Reserve for deployment Military Forces! during Indonesian Confrontation. Action Following ordination, Fr Max stations were activated on a number of assisted at St Benedict’s College at New occasions when being shadowed by an Norcia while being appointed as an Indonesian submarine and in support of Assistant Priest to Moora about one‐ an opposed landing of some British hour drive away. He said, ‘Of all the forces in Sarawak. He recalled, ‘As the many wonderful things the PP Fr landing forces were leaving HMS ALBION O’Brien taught me about Parish Life, his we were close enough on QUIBERON for expertise in marriage preparation was me to see the chaplain on the carrier’s singularly lasting. He also encouraged Quarter Deck. I was so impressed to me to be involved in the social life of the realise that he was giving them general Parish, such as the local football and absolution. When we returned to basketball competitions.’ Fr Max was Garden Island, some of the survivors of also posted to 28th Battalion Royal the HMAS VOYAGER were posted to our Western Australia Regiment as a CMF ship and we did our very best for them chaplain. After two years he became to help them to “settle” down.