Sharing
the Eucharist with Ruth then aged four when she asked
"Could she have some special bread too” (at Neutral
Bay
and the mafia reported you to “the cathedral”.
Standing
so many traditional Gospel interpretations on their
head and making of them contemporary and pertinent sense.
Your
courage and rage in working for justice for our Aboriginal
brothers and sisters.
Your
defiant anticlericalism in making over the presbytery
for their care.
Your
telling quotes from Australian and Irish poets and their
insights in expanding your theology.
Your
book Who
Is Worthy?
and
its compassionate embrace of the gay and Aboriginal
communities and those wounded and cast out by the institutional
post-3rd century Church. It has helped give
a new hope to so many whom I know personally and for
whom I know it has shown a new way to the true face
of Jesus.
That
great quote from Tertullian.
Your
abundant hospitality and refuge on so many occasions
at Burrawang and sharing its special magic.
Your
wit and ironic understatement.
Maintaining
the vision and challenge of the John XXIII post-Vatican
II Church
Your
courage in continuing to celebrate the Mass and share
the Eucharist with us way past the point when health
would have dictated to 99.9% of people that they retire,
my profound thanks Ted.
Your
guts in your struggle generally with your ill-health
and remaining intellectually productive. Your good company
shared over a glass of good red (and not so good).
Above
all your acceptance of our shared human frailty.
This
of course is not to canonise you. You old bastard. Thank
you for your perception on the day you asked me to do
the readings at Redfern that opened the garden gate
to the path back into the human race.
A
deep and warm thank you Ted from both Ruth and Kate
for your support of us during some huge crashing surfs
and vicious undertows. God love you Ted.
by Jack Callaghan
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