Steve Dives MSC, from Deputy at Treand House to Community Leader, Kensington

In case you missed this from the MSC Magazine, here it is for cyberspace security

THANKYOU and FAREWELL

By Meta Jackman, Professional Standards and Safeguarding Office, Treand House

When Fr Steve Dives announced his decision to step-down as Deputy Provincial and take up the role of Superior of the Kensington Monastery, it was a day of mixed emotions for the MSC Professional Standards & Safeguarding Office. 

As Deputy Provincial, Fr Steve was called upon to balance the voices and expectations of victims/survivors of abuse, with the rights of his fellow Priests and Brothers. He also had to turn his attention to what is now referred to as ‘secondary victims/survivors’ including not only family members of victims and perpetrators of abuse, a parish or school community, but also another often-overlooked group, the other MSC Priests and Brothers within the Province whose sense of priesthood, religious life, identity and ministry may have been affected.

While all Treand House staff will miss his calmness, wisdom, sense of humour and genuineness, we know that our loss is a tremendous win for the men at the Kensington Monastery who are very blessed to have him as their new Superior.

Before I leave you with some notable facts about Fr Steve, it is timely to remember that Pope Francis has consistently claimed that Church leaders must take the lead as true shepherds and guardians, to protect the vulnerable out of love for the Gospel, truth and justice. Fr Steve’s leadership in this area has been significant and he undertook the role with integrity, humility, kindness and compassion. Such attributes show his depth of character, and how he is an example of the compassionate heart of Jesus, truly being on earth the heart of God.

When you look back to your time as Deputy Provincial, what achievements are you are most proud of and why?

Establishing the MSC Professional Standards & Safeguarding Office together with setting up the Professional Standards & Safeguarding Advisory Board is something I am most proud of.  After the Royal Commission and its findings, and the complexities involved with managing professional standards matters, it was integral that the Province employ a lay person to manage these matters.

In terms of the Professional Standards & Advisory Board, the members all have such a wealth of experience and knowledge across the areas of litigation, child protection, church governance, education, complaints management and audit that we are really fortunate to have them oversight all the work of the MSC Professional Standards & Safeguarding Office.  There is a professionalism now, we are not “just stumbling along in a very complex area of professional standards matters”, but rather as a result of the Royal Commission and its subsequent findings, there is acknowledgement that we need to ensure that we are accountable and transparent with all that we do and that we now have professional people assisting us to manage such matters and ensure that we have safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

Another achievement I am proud of is setting up the MSC Aged Care Committee to follow on the suggestions from the Chapter, and keeping the Province informed about its members, current news, and health matters etc.

You have been in the role of Superior for a couple of months now, how is it going and what are you hoping to achieve within the community for your men during your term?

Well, it has been heavy going, there has been a lot to do here, and the new model of aged care for the Province is going to make a big difference.

The finances have to be tidied up, and despite getting a subsidy from Coogee we have to try and be as self-sufficient as we can. I want to try and make this an MSC community and not an Aged Care community. I want everyone to feel valued, respected and loved.  I want to try and make it a harmonious community where everyone can be free to make their own decisions, as opposed to a rigid, authoritarian community. 

Most MSC here are retired men who have served the MSC Congregation and Church all their lives and, while they may have less involvement in ministry now, this is their home and one of their main ministries is praying for the Congregation and the Church. It is very valuable work that they can still do.

I am committed to ensuring that our men receive the best care they need in terms of clinical care, personal care, pastoral care and their physical needs. I want them to be able to make their wishes known, while also trying to make the community feel homely and welcoming so that their friends and relatives can visit. I am looking forward to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions, so that the men can venture out more, socialise, and that the Kensington community is not seen as just an old, aged care home.  The members here are very conscious of that and see themselves as very much MSC and try to live what it means to be an MSC, and how can they best live it.

How old were you when you joined the MSC?

I joined the MSC in 1972, at the age of 29.

Previous life before joining MSC?

I left school and worked with an Electrical wholesale company for a couple of years and started doing messages for them and then became their Purchasing Officer.

I then took a job as a Trainee Manager with Ashley’s Division of Woolworths and was an Assistant Manager in Wollongong before then becoming a Trainee Manager with the aim of being promoted to Store Manager in the future.

I couldn’t see myself doing this for the rest of my life, so in 1968 the YCW (Young Christian Workers) Headquarters in Melbourne contacted me to start work with them as an extension worker and I supported myself there for two years. In my final 18 months with the YCW, I worked fulltime and was supported by the Diocese Port Moresby and worked in the Children’s Court in Port Moresby and with groups of young workers around the area. It was there that I had my first contact with the MSCs. I was immediately drawn to their heart spirituality centred on the unconditional and personal love of good for everyone and especially the poor and little ones. I then decided that this is what I want to give my life to.

In 1972, I came back to Sydney and stayed at the Kensington Monastery. As I hadn’t completed Matriculation in high school, I went to Randwick College, completed Matriculation and then in 1973, I did my Novitiate at the Croydon Monastery in Victoria and took my first vows.

In 1974, I came back to St Paul’s and was ordained in the Wollongong Cathedral in 1977.

In 1978, I went back to Port Moresby as Curate in a Parish in Waigani with Fr Artie Clune and then in 1979 -1980, I was at the Cathedral in Port Moresby and also MSC Vocations Director.

I was ordained in 1977 and from 1978 – 1979 I was appointed to Waigani.  From 1980 – 1982, I was Vocations Director and then until 1985, I was the Director of the Spiritual Year for the Diocesan Seminary in Ereva in the Southern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.

From 1987 – 1989, I was appointed as the Rector of De Boismenu Seminary in Bomana, Port Moresby and in 1990, I completed my Masters Degree in Theology in Toronto, Canada at the Jesuit School of Theology.

In 1991, I was appointed Rector at the MSC College at the Fiji Seminary and was also Superior for the Fiji Region from 1992 – 2002.

In 1994, I was appointed Superior of the Pacific Union and moved to Kiribati where the Province headquarters were before moving these headquarters to Fiji along with the Novitiate in 1997.

In 2003, I returned to Australia and was appointed Superior of the Douglas Park community.

In 2010, I went to Melbourne and did the Siloam Program in Spiritual Direction and continued at Douglas Park in the community and Retreat House until I took the role of Deputy Provincial in 2018.

For all these sins I was moved to the Kensington community in 2021.

Favourite ministry to date and why?

I can honestly say that I haven’t been in a ministry or a place that I haven’t been happy with or enjoyed working there.

All the places that I have worked in have been very enriching, challenging and rewarding.

Favourite food?

Lobster or any kind of seafood.

Favourite pastime?

Being lazy – but I haven’t been doing that.

Watching movies, going for walks.

Any goals you hope to achieve for 2021?

Walk more and be kind and loving.

Anything remaining on your bucket list?

I was a HAM (Hotel Alpha Mike) raid operator in the Pacific, and I still have my equipment so perhaps when I retire one day, I would get back to that and communicate with people all over the world.

In closing, can you please share with us a few words to best describe who Steve Dives really is?

Quiet, friendly, joking, can laugh at myself. Responsible, kind, like to get things done.

Immersed in spirituality of the Heart and Eco-spirituality.