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This article was originally published on 31 October 2023
The new Vicar General of the Diocese of Parramatta is a passionate parish priest who is well known for his homilies on Star Wars, love of Mexican cuisine and deep involvement in the Diocese of Parramatta.
Fr Fernando Montano takes over from Fr Christopher de Souza, who has left to become the General Secretary for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in Canberra. He joins current Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, Fr Peter Williams AM, who together assist the bishop in the administration and governance of the Diocese.
He comes to the job with 24 years as a priest under his belt, the last six of which have been at St Bernadette’s Parish in Castle Hill, a parish he describes as being his home.
As well as his new responsibilities as Vicar General, he will continue as Episcopal Vicar for Social Welfare and Pastoral Director at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Harris Park.
Fr Fernando’s journey to one of the most senior positions in the Diocese begun when he joined the seminary of the Guadalupe Missioners, a society of missionaries, as an 18-year-old in Mexico. Over more than two decades it led him across three continents, where he picked up several new languages along the way.
Fr Fernando Montano (centre) during his ordination ceremony at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico. Image: Supplied.
It also cemented his passion for pastoral work – especially as a missionary and parish priest – which was the catalyst for him deciding to remain in Australia and join the Diocese.
‘A place that needs priests’
Fr Fernando came to Australia from Hong Kong in 2006, after then-Bishop of Parramatta Kevin Manning had written to the Guadalupe Missioners in Hong Kong asking if they were interested in sending a priest to be the chaplain to the Chinese community in the Diocese.
Composite images of Fr Fernando Montano when he was ministering in Hong Kong. Image: Supplied
After consultations, Fr Fernando, a fluent Cantonese speaker who had spent more than a decade in Hong Kong as a missionary, including as Chaplain to the territory’s deaf community where he also learnt sign language, was appointed assistant priest at St Monica’s parish in North Parramatta, and Chaplain of the Chinese community.
In the years that followed, he gradually established himself in the Diocese, was appointed to the faculty of the Holy Spirit Seminary and became an Australian citizen.
During this time, one thing he says that struck him about religious life in Australia was how few people attended church compared with Hong Kong, which had a much smaller percentage of Catholics.
“That’s when I started to think, this is a place that really needs priests.”
So when he was due to finish his term as chaplain, with the possibility he could be sent back to Mexico to a non-pastoral role, “that’s when I did the jump into the Diocese”.
Fr Fernando Montano (left) with Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, during his time as chaplain to the Chinese Catholic community and Parish Priest of St Monica’s Parish, North Parramatta. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
“I like being in parishes, I like being in a mission country, so I said ‘no, I will stay here’,” Fr Fernando says.
In 2017, he left the order that he had been a member of for 30 years, was incardinated in the Diocese and joined the parish of St Bernadette’s, Castle Hill.
‘I believe in concrete examples’
“One of the joys of being the parish priest is just to enjoy parish life,” Fr Fernando says of St Bernadette’s, one of the biggest parishes in the Diocese.
In particular, he loves the “very vibrant community, strong Catholic faith and seeing the changes in Castle Hill as it has become a more multicultural parish”.
Parishes are important for priests, he says, “especially for priests like me, who come from overseas, They really become our homes, they become our families”.
Fr Luis Fernando Montano Rodriguez MG was installed as Parish Priest of St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill on Sunday 20 August 2017. Image: Diocese of Parramatta.
Fr Fernando’s commitment to pastoral work has also led him to become very involved in youth ministry in all the parishes he’s worked in, and he’s attended six World Youth Days – Cologne, Germany; Manila, Philippines; Sydney, Australia; Madrid, Spain; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Panama City, Panama.
Over the years, he says, he has come to realise that parishioners need to be engaged with the message that a priest is delivering, and in the way in which it is delivered.
“I strongly believe in concrete examples,” he says.
“Faith is practical, faith is action, faith is something we can see. And we can see the change in people’s hearts.”
One technique he uses when preaching is to ”keep it to five points so it’s not up in the air”, and people can remember the homily long after they’ve left Mass.
Fr Fernando Montano speaks during the homily during the Easter Vigil Mass at St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill, in April 2023. Image: Dennis Frketic, F Studio Photography/Facebook
Another is to preach about another love of his – movies, in particular Star Wars.
Fr Fernando has seen every Star Wars film, and has a homily to suit each one.
”When Obi Wan is killed by Darth Vader, that is a very good image of the resurrection.”
When he’s not engaged in parish work, Fr Fernando can often be found at home cooking up one of his favourite Mexican dishes, or at the gym.
Fr Fernando Montano is seen with parishioners during the 2023 Food and Fun Fiesta at St Bernadette’s Parish, Castle Hill, in May 2023. Image: Dennis Frketic, F Studio Photography/Facebook
He says keeping fit and healthy is important for priests as they have busy lives that are often physically demanding.
“When I was in Hong Kong, it was my role to do the payments for the priests and I saw the amount of money we spent on medication and doctors. And that’s when I started playing squash and later joined the gym.”
‘Not moulded in a particular way’
Fr Fernando says he was surprised and humbled when Bishop Vincent asked him to become Vicar General. He remembers saying to the Bishop: “If you think I can, I will help you. I will help you in any way.”
The timing of his appointment, effective from 1 October, 2023, also carries a special significance.
He was ordained as a priest on 1 October, 1999, at the Basilica of Guadalupe, in Mexico, and 10 years later on the same day he took up his first appointment as a parish priest in North Parramatta.
“That’s very providential, I think,” he says.
One of his hopes is that as Vicar General he can keep doing parish work and keep the contact with parishioners, as it is this experience that he believes has best equipped him for this new role. But he brings other qualities, too.
“What I bring is my experience as a priest of 24 years” he says about his ministry working around the world, in many different countries and communities. He feels that this aligns well with the rich diversity of Parramatta.
A composite image of Fr Fernando Montano. Image: Supplied
The fact that he was a priest originally from a religious order and is now an incardinated priest, gives him another unique viewpoint, and most importantly “the views and the love I have for the Church”.
He says while he knows the Diocese of Parramatta well, “and I love Parramatta”, his knowledge of and connections with other dioceses are limited and will be a challenge. But it is also an opportunity.
“The opportunity is I can bring something new because I’m not moulded in a particular way.”
Read more about Fr Fernando and his linguistic expertise and a reflection on his 20th priestly anniversary.
We wish Fr Fernando the best in his new role and ask that you keep him and all our priests in your prayers.
