Have you ever stopped to reflect on your favourite part of being Catholic?
All those who share the Catholic faith are incredibly blessed to have access to countless gifts that nourish our souls and strengthen our relationship with God.
Among the greatest of these gifts are the seven sacraments made available through the ministry of our priests.
This sacramental ministry reflects the traditional Latin expression Sacerdos alter Christus, meaning “the priest is another Christ”. It describes the priest’s calling to make Christ present through his ministry, particularly in the celebration of the sacraments. For Fr John O’Neill, this expression captures the blessing and privilege of his priestly vocation.
“That’s what Baptism and the Sacraments are for, especially the Eucharist, to form us into Christ. Christ comes into us.
“It’s awesome, what a priest can do,” he says of more than 60 years of active priestly ministry, including more than 40 years in St John Vianney Parish, Doonside.
“To be the face of mercy for someone in confession, combined with the wonderful power of absolution. Especially if someone has been away from the church for years. At the end of it, we say forget about all that pain. We’ve washed it away with absolution.”
During his years as a priest, it became his joyful duty to lead, guide and provide support to the parishes that God entrusted to him. “They were my life, weren’t they? My family, my flock. You develop a great love for them.” Like the Good Shepherd, Fr John helped lead people to home to Christ – not only those who were lost or wandering, but also those who had once strongly opposed the Catholic Church.
After spending more than six decades caring for others, Fr John has entered a new chapter in which the Catholic community now has the opportunity to care for him.
Fr John O’Neill with Ellen Small, Clergy Healthcare Coordinator, in Fr John’s home. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
This support is provided through the Clergy Support Foundation. “It’s very supportive. It takes away your worries about how you’re going to survive and all that.”
The Clergy Support Foundation provides individualised care to retired and unwell priests across the Diocese of Parramatta. Support and care such as transitioning into retirement, moving into new homes, and performing simple tasks such as arranging transport to doctor’s appointments and coordinating their healthcare needs.
Fr O’Neill recalled how Dr Mark Buhagiar, Head of Clergy Health & Wellbeing, helped him arrange meaningful possessions in his new home. These familiar items connected Fr O’Neill with his family, his heritage and the parish communities he served throughout his life.
“That’s the O’Neill coat of arms,” he says, pointing to the wall. Other possessions included old family furniture, pictures, and a piano, which he joked the only excuse to play was to “irritate the locals.”
Parish Priest Fr John O’Neill blesses a child during his farewell celebrations at St John Vianney Parish, Doonside, in December 2025. Image: Diocese of Parramatta
Helping Fr O’Neill settle into his new home was one small but meaningful part of the personalised care provided by the Clergy Support Foundation.
Ellen Small, Clergy Healthcare Coordinator and registered nurse, has supported retired and unwell priests for more than nine years. She explained that the Foundation’s role extends beyond practical and medical assistance. It is also about companionship and trust.
“It’s really about walking alongside the priests. Getting to know them, their medical history, their circumstances and where they live, and seeing what we can do as the Clergy Support team to improve things for them.”
“We care for our priests just as if they were our own family members, because they are our spiritual fathers, and have given their whole lives to us, the laity.”
With thanks to the faith community, the Clergy Support Foundation helps meet the healthcare, accommodation, transport and wellbeing needs of retired and unwell priests, easing all financial burdens associated with ageing and healthcare, allowing them to focus on living well.
Retired priests, our spiritual fathers, are men who have offered up their whole being, body and soul, for the sake of the Church. Through their ministry, they have sought to reflect the very love that Christ poured out for us. After giving their lives in service to the Church, they deserve to be supported with dignity, gratitude and care.
This Father’s Day, the Diocese of Parramatta invites the faithful to honour our spiritual fathers by supporting the Clergy Support Foundation. Click here to donate.
Your generosity will help support our ageing priests’ health and wellbeing during retirement.
