August 2014 www.cdd.org.nz Issue No 200 Prayerful Congratulations from the People of the Diocese of Dunedin Bishop Colin - 10 years as our Bishop, and Bishop Len - 10 years as Bishop Emeritus. Leonard Anthony Boyle, Fifth Bishop of Dunedin, was Heavenly Father, ordained priest on 31 July 1961. He was appointed Coadjutor- From age to age you call forth and anoint Bishop for the Diocese of Dunedin on 27 January 1983, and was ordained Bishop on 3 May 1983. He succeeded to the see on shepherds to tend your flock. the death of his predecessor, Bishop John Kavanagh, on 10 July We give thanks for the pastoral leadership of 1985. Bishop Boyle retired on 24 May 2004. Bishop Colin, and the welcome presence and support of Bishop Len, during the past ten years. Colin David Campbell, Sixth Bishop of Dunedin, was ordained priest on 27 June 1966. He carried out further studies in London May they continue to be blessed with holiness and Trier, Germany, and holds a B.A. degree from Massey of life, wisdom and longevity. University. He was ordained Bishop for the Diocese of Dunedin by his predecessor, Leonard Anthony Boyle, on 9 July 2004. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. The Tablet August 2014 Bishop Colin’s Funeral Homily; Fr. Brian Fenton Holy Family Church, Wanaka, 1 August 2014 In the Gospel you have just heard read, Fr. Ray Browne says it applies principally to church officials who ministered for the community. And whether it refers to the second coming of the Lord or to one’s own personal summons, the principal point is for the person always to be ready. Like Abraham in the Old Testament or like the monks of Egypt in the 6th and 7th centuries who were always on the look-out for the coming of the Lord (and they used to arrange different watches in the night to always be alert). I mention this because Fr. Brian was one who was firstly always conscious of God and his call upon him; he was conscious of all creation being the domain of God and secondly that he was always ready to greet him when He comes. He would be ready, lamp burning and ready to answer the door; it was why he never really believed in retiring; he was one who would die with his boots on! Fr. Brian’s life has been a colourful one in the sense that all of us who knew him have stories or anecdotes about him. From early days in South Invercargill, his schooling at Marist and St Kevin’s, his rugby prowess, which probably ended when he tackled Kevin Skinner and for his trouble suffered a broken leg. His ordination to Priesthood in 1953 at South Invercargill, to which he had invited a young man, Len Boyle from Winton, and that Brian later claimed it would have been instrumental in his vocation. Throughout his life he was a man of prayer, his life centred on the Mass, and he had a great love for devotions which he fostered in the parishes where he was Parish Priest. He spent most of his life in country parishes but whether there were local issues or world-wide ones you could always count on Brian to have his say and usually in the rich-red savour of the English language richly embellished with quotes and statements to support his case. Brian saw the world in the words of John Wesley as “the whole wide world my parish”. Topics as diverse as race, nuclear armaments, ecology, secularism, climate change occupied his mind, heart and prayer before committing to paper where the fruit of it ended up on the desk at the Otago Daily Times which was then categorised as accepted, rejected or abridged (and the latter he abhorred as it curtailed that magnificent florid flow of the English language which he had laboured so arduously over). To say that he was often not involved in robust and vigorous debate would be an understatement! I well remember at table one day when he jumped to his feet and declared “I have never heard anything like that in all my 23 years of priesthood”. Fr. Martin turned and said “Oh, that’s a long time”. When we look back over his life I often felt that Brian struggled somewhat in the post-Vatican 11 Church. While always obedient to its challenge and call, you had the impression that his heart was more in the pre-Vatican church, the one he was ordained into in 1953. Indeed, I felt that Brian would have been more at home in the 1920’s and 1930’s and that he would have considered this as a golden age of the Church. It would be a world that spanned the era of Downton Abbey, Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh, P.G. Wodehouse, Graham Greene and 2 August 2014 The Tablet Fulton Sheen.These were the years when giants of the church like Hilaire Belloc, Arnold Lunn and G.K. Chesterton were converting to Catholicism and having an impact on the world. For Brian these were his mentors and inspirations of the Faith; and in his mind this was heralding a golden age of church inasmuch as like those people it would be that the scales of blindness would fall from the eyes of secularists, agnostics and atheists and they would finally see and embrace the truth of the Catholic Church and come streaming in. It was no co-incidence that the Comino that is so popular for people to pilgrimage in Spain saw Brian undertake another kind of Comino that humble, self-effacing, man of prayer, plant life on our planet- of trees, shrubs began in England and traced down ascetic, contemplative, reverent, fiery in and roses. Evidence recently his robust through France and Italy because this the pulpit and single-minded for God. defence of Pembroke Park that it stay as was the road that Belloc in his conversion Taking a leaf out of the Cure’s book might a park and not become a depressing tar- took on his road to Rome. see a kinship of a measured rigidity with sealed car park! This was why for Brian those of the regard to certain issues. Perhaps the His family were a great support to him; household of the faith needed to be comparison stumbles when we come Jim and Helen and the girls; they were a informed Catholics. He was strong on to the dinner table. A meal of Bluff close family and there was a great bond apologetics so that they could explain oysters, a tender Rib eye steak, veges, among them. With Brian’s love of films, their faith rationally and cogently to trimmings washed down with a superb literature and stage Jim’s wonderful interested and enquiring people. There Pinot Noir would stand in stark contrast stage productions in Invercargill saw was to be none of the scenario of our to the Cure’s meagre diet of old boiled their most loyal supporter in his brother. friend Fred who at the pub one evening potatoes. Brian loved company, loved a Brian was an interesting contrast; so his friend asked him “Now Fred you go to party and he was a wonderful host. Who often for many things strategic planning Church..tell me what you believe.” “Oh, I would forget the oyster nosh nights was not a strong suit for him; yet in the believe what my church believes.” “Well in Bluff in mid winter, his promotion of matters of faith, he was always ready. what does your church believe?” “Oh, my the Parish Ball which was the best Ball in Look at his last day on planet earth; he church believes what I believe.” “Well, Bluff. An invite from Brian was not to be was at Little Sisters, he preached on what do you and your church believe?” treated lightly and you needed a good the feast of St Joachim and Anne- at “Oh well, we both believe the same excuse not to be there. He saw meals some length- went to Hospital in the thing.” not as a necessity but an event almost afternoon, received the Sacraments and Such would be anathema to Brian; with sacramental dimensions. We might later in the evening received the Lord in he would call for informed Catholics of eat, but Brian dined. Meals were to be Communion as Viaticum and died soon which we would all agree; the difference relished, drooled over and time taken. after. In his thinking he had died with his might be how we went about it. None of this fast food carry on! boots on; he was there with the candle His model in priesthood was of course, Fr Brian was always a man of gratitude, lit and ready to answer the door of his the Cure of Ars, St John Vianney. This thanking you for any favour done. He Master returning priest of post-Napoleonpost Napoleon France was the was the soul of hospitality. He was a To you then, Jim and Helen, Sarah, epitome foforr BBrBrianriian of priesthood-priiestht ood- the good communicator, often sending Mary-Jane and Dave, Brigid and Clare you clippings or notes that he thought we offer you our deepest and prayerful you ought to be aware of but always sympathies on your loss of a dear in a spirit of joie de vivre and humble brother, brother-in-law and uncle. acquiescence. To all the relatives and friends and He was a man who revelled in God’s his clergy colleagues we offer you our creation i.e.