Congratulations to our newest priest in the Diocese, Fr Anthony Crook RAN, who was ordained to the priesthood on Saturday 11 July 2020 by Most Rev Bishop Brian Mascord DD Bishop of Wollongong.

(Extract from Ordination booklet)

Before his Ordination, Fr Anthony had been ministering at the parishes of St Thomas Aquinas Bowral and St Michael’s Mittagong alongside Fr Sean Cullen. On the 15 July 2020, Bishop Brian appointed Fr Anthony as Assistant Priest to St John’s Parish, Campbelltown, under the guidance of Parish Priest Fr John Ho. Fr Anthony will continue to act in a Reserve capacity with the Royal Australian Navy and will work alongside Fr Ho and Fr Feleki Tautunu in ministering to the people of Campbelltown.

A prayer for Fr Anthony as he begins his priestly ministry:

O Jesus, our great High Priest, hear our humble prayers on behalf of your priest, Father Anthony.

Give him a deep faith, a bright and firm hope, and a burning love which will ever increase during his priestly life.

In his loneliness, comfort him; in his sorrows, strengthen him; in his frustrations, point out to him that it is through suffering that the soul is purified. Show him that he is needed by the Church, he is needed by souls, he is needed for the work of redemption.

O loving Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordinations, and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much. Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy.

 Amen.