Kevin McFarlane spent his life as an accountant. Now retired, he is blessed with four children and eight grandchildren. He’s taught scripture to youth in the Diocese of Parramatta for around 22 years. He describes himself as an ordinary, faithful man by all accounts. But due to a series of consecutive coincidences (or divine providence) in 2008, it so happened that he met, and was blessed by, Pope Benedict XVI during the World Youth Mass among half a million attendees at Randwick Racecourse.
He wasn’t even planning to attend.
“I didn’t really think much about it,” he reflected.
Coincidence #1: the decision
Two days before the Pope’s visit to Sydney, when registrations had closed, and acolytes had been preparing for the Papal Mass for around six months, something stirred inside Kevin.
He felt God’s voice inside his heart, and decided to see if there was a chance he could still attend the celebrations. It was two days before the Papal Mass that he thought, “That wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
“I’d love to be at World Youth Mass … I’d really get something out of that.”
Coincidence #2: late registration
Having heard some late registrations were still being accepted, he travelled in winter to Hyde Park in Sydney and waited “for hours” in the cold to meet someone who could assist him. He eventually found someone who could help, and then that person disappeared.
“I was freezing to death,” he said. His companion gave up waiting and left, but Kevin hung tight.
“I thought, ‘I’ve got a feeling God wants me here. I’ve got a feeling there’s something going to happen in my life over this.’”
Coincidence #3: the pass
The person Kevin was looking to meet eventually returned. He told Kevin that he had found a spare pass for him, and gave him a red pass.
“I just assumed that was a pass to get in,” Kevin said.
Coincidence #4: John
On the day of the Final Mass, Kevin was walking past Gate 1 (nearest to the Altar) to Gate 10 (towards the back) where his fellow parishioners were. As he passed Gate 1, he recognised a lone parishioner he knew called John.
“John was part of God’s plan – putting people there to guide me,” Kevin said.
John saw Kevin had a red pass and told him it was actually for Gate 1. Those at Gate 1 included the Pope, the Australian Prime Minister and international leaders.
John told Kevin to go through Gate 1, so he did.
“And of course, there was no one there to talk to. They all had areas allocated to them. They knew what they were doing.
“I was a lost sheep,” he said.
Coincidence #5: the lost sheep
One of the passholders approached Kevin and said they noticed him “just standing around.”
Kevin replied, “Well, I’ve got a pass here, a red pass for Gate 1, but I’ve got no allocation of where to go. Nobody has told me where to go because I just got this pass yesterday.”
The other passholder was delighted, and told Kevin, “You’re a Godsend – I prayed all night for this.”
“I need to administer communion to all these dignitaries, and I can’t do it alone – you’re the answer to my prayer!”
The passholder asked Kevin to assist him in administering the Eucharist. Kevin was happy to oblige.
The passholder escorted Kevin to a ‘VIP area’, where he administered communion to the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.
After the Mass, Kevin realised he had been so busy administering communion, that he hadn’t had time to pray.
Coincidence #6: security
There were around 10 to 20 vans of security personnel and monitoring equipment on either side of a red carpet that led to the Altar.
Somewhat oblivious to the heavy security and police presence, cameras and CCTV monitoring, Kevin simply wandered up the red carpet and knelt before the Altar in deep personal prayer.
No one stopped him.
“There were 100 security people, and not one person looked at me,” he reflected.
Coincidence #7: the Pope
After praying before the Altar with his head bowed, Kevin looked up – and saw Pope Benedict XVI seated before him.
Kevin was stunned, he wasn’t expecting the Pope to still be there. He bowed.
Pope Benedict XVI smiled at him, raised his right hand and made the sign of the cross in a blessing.
It was a moment Kevin will remember for the rest of his life.
“Who would’ve thought … out of half a million people there, I was the person who got a personal blessing from the Pope.”
Coincidence #8: a smooth exit
Following the celebrations, Kevin thought, “How am I going to get out of here – there’s nearly a million people – how am I going to be able to get back to my car?”
He was still wearing his Acolyte robe, as he hadn’t had time to change.
“I didn’t take it off, and I grabbed my clothes and couple of things because I had my ordinary clothes underneath the gown, and I just walked out behind the Pope.”
“I just thought, ‘I’ll follow them out. I’ve got this far. Nobody’s shot me or arrested me yet.’”
“I walked behind the Pope. He got into his Popemobile, and I walked behind it without any problems.
“And then the Pope went to the right, I want to the left … walked around and 10 minutes later got in my car and drove home.”
Kevin believes it was divine intervention that made this all happen. He now has a delightful story to share with his grandchildren.
“The moral of the story is, if you put your faith and trust in God, He will do anything for you – if you need it,” he said.
“I obviously needed it.”
Coincidence #9: a stroke of luck
A few months ago, Kevin suffered a mini stroke. He said it saved his life.
In the hospital, doctors identified two seriously blocked arteries, and Kevin underwent immediate major heart surgery.
“I was told I’d probably be dead in a couple of months [had it not been found].”
Kevin lived an active lifestyle, including recreational cycling, umpiring cricket and playing golf – and had no signs that his health was in serious decline.
“I’d be dead by now if it wasn’t for that stroke,” he said.
Kevin doesn’t share his story for kudos, but to show his deep gratitude for the Lord’s mercy.
“All these things that happen – you start to see a pattern – and it all fell into place.”
Teaching scripture to youth
As a long-serving Special Religious Education Catechist, Kevin continues to teach scripture to primary students in Guildford and Merrylands, hoping that his experience of Word Youth Day and his unwavering faith in God will inspire his students.
“Teaching scripture was God’s way of getting me,” he said.
