Celebrating Michael Sims MSC, 60 years ordained
Michael was ordained on the Feast of St James in 1964.
The Melbourne community joined with him, the Little Sisters of the Poor and the residents at St Joseph’s Northcote for his anniversary Mass.
During the Mass, Michael remembered his life and vocation, his years at Port Keats and Bathurst Island and his many decades in Eastern Papua, including ten years on Rossel Island. Earlier this year Michael celebrated his 88th birthday.
He spoke of first encountering aboriginal art at Port Keats, the circles and dots, the circles of life and the dots, people in one’s life. Hearing confessions there, he could not understand much of what was being said and he applied for time to study the language in Darwin, then mixing with people and becoming more familiar.
At one Easter, Michael remembers hearing a man movingly say that it was the first time he had heard the story of God’s love for us in his own language.
The Superior of the Community, Sister Shanti, spoke warmly of Michael’s commitment in his Chaplaincy and his continued ministry at St Joseph’s.
The MSC community were treated to a wonderful lunch and the Sisters and residents joined us for the cutting of the 60 years’ anniversary cake.
[And, God’s special bonus at this time, Carlton is second on the AFL ladder.]
Photos, Peter Malone and many thanks to Hoa for some extras.
