Michael Sims MSC, A Missionary’s Story
By Ray Carroll (coach: Assumption College, Kilmore). The Northern Central and Whittlesea Review.
While interviewing St Patrick’s parish priest Father Prakash recently, I also spoke to one of his friends briefly visiting.
Father Michael Sims, a Brunswick boy, has spent more than 40 years as a missionary in the Northern Territory and Papua New Guinea.
His dad, John, died in Bairnsdale when Michael was just five and he has much to his mother, Ellen, who passed from this life in 1994.
Educated at primary school in North Brunswick, then St Patrick’s East Melbourne, Michael’s tertiary education included study of philosophy and theology.
After ordination his priestly journey took him via Canberra’s Daramalan College, then Douglas Park, New South Wales, Port Keats in the Northern Territory, then Bathurst island in the Tiwi Islands from 1971 to 1976.
It was during the latter period he introduced Kevin Sheedy to the rich vein of indigenous talent on the islands. He is held in high regard by the legendary Sheedy.
Beyond the Tiwi, Michael served the people of Milne Bay province in PNG for 35 years and has great memories of the people he encountered. The life could be tough and often spartan, the warmth of the people was a standout.
After faithful service for more than four decades, Michael in recent times has been domiciled at St Joseph’s Northcote.
There he tended to Dave McCormack, the father of magpie “great” Peter, an ex-Assumption College student. Dave passed away recently age 100.
The most influential people in this fine priest’s life were his mother and grandfather and also heroic saints and the achievements of good people.
His advice to youth is to simply is simply “loyalty to the motto of your school” and “listen to the wisdom of folk who have lived a long time”.
Michael’s plan is now are to continue as St Joseph’s chaplain, remain interested in daily events and write his life story.
Always interested in sport, he recalls the year he left Melbourne for good – it was 1956 – Melbourne Olympics year.
As a teenager he won a radio 3XY racecourse tipping competition and the final of Kia Ora sports parade, age 16.
Before he thought of a priestly life, Michael worked in insurance.
Walking to work one morning along Flinders Lane, he heard an inner voice urging him to venture to a higher calling.
Father Michael Sims is a truly good man and his life has been one of faithful service to God.
