The Catholic Leader Flipbook - Issue 5577 - November 10

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The Catholic Leader, November 10, 2019
News
Cultural
presence:
Members
of the
Tokelau
Islands
community
bring forth
the Gospel
in proces-
sion at the
ordina-
tion of Fr
Emene
Kelemete
at Ignatius
Park Col-
lege in
Townsville
on Octo-
ber 31.
Photos:
Diocese of
Townsville
New priest for Townsville
“I say, ‘Who’s Mary?’
“They say, ‘That’s Jesus’ mother,
(and) He’s the Son of God, He’s the
one who came to show us’.”
Fr Kelemete said, for him, just being
with them, sharing a meal with them,
and going down to the park to play
touch football with them, were the
simple things that showed “someone
cared for them”.
“It allowed them to feel the Holy
Spirit within their lives,” he said.
Five of them showed up to Mass at
Christmas, enthused to see the Body
and Blood of Jesus.
“I was over the moon,” Fr Kelemete
said.
“These kids have been in trouble
with the law quite often, but when it
came to the Eucharistic Prayer, Fr Mick
(Lowcock) got up there and said, ‘This
is the Body of Christ’.
“They were stunned … they were
kneeling the whole time.”
Easter came around and 30 of them
showed up then, with the original five
promising the newcomers, “The body
and Blood of Christ is coming”.
At the Sign of Peace the young
people were shaking hands and smiling
and laughing with parishioners, some of
whom they had broken into their homes
or cars.
“They were looking for something
that had deep meaning and they were
just so overwhelmed to be there and
they stayed back for the meal,” Fr
Kelemete said.
It was moments like these that he
wanted to pursue in his priestly min-
istry.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said, too, for
those who were discerning a vocation.
“Hold onto your faith and recognise
that it’s about the relationship they have
with God and what God’s calling them
to and to take hold of that, and there is
always support there.”
For now, Fr Kelemete is based in In-
gham and will receive his appointment
later in the year.
Warm wel-
come: Towns-
ville diocese’s
new priest
Fr Emene
Kelemete is
welcomed by
parishioners
and members
of the commu-
nity (above);
and Townsville
Bishop Tim
Harris (right).
Fr Kelemete
gives personal
blessings after
the ordination
Mass (left).