Bracing the cold in Cooma

Fr Adrian rugged up outside the presbytery at Cooma

THE town of Cooma has a reputation for being bitterly cold in winter and newly arrived priest Fr Adrian Chan is ready.

When the Catholic Voice visited on Monday Fr Adrian was rugged up in a wooly jumper that he won’t be taking off.

“I have my jumper on and it stays on all day and all night,” Fr Adrian joked.

The Singapore-born priest, who was ordained at St Christopher’s Cathedral in 2018, joined Fr Mick MacAndrew at St Patrick’s Parish in Cooma at the beginning of April, when the lockdown was starting.

He has been clocking up the kilometres driving to towns including Bombala, Adaminaby, Nimmitabel, Numeralla and Jerangle.

“There is lots of driving in the ministry here,” Fr Adrian chuckled.

“On Sunday we had Mass at Adaminaby and there were 10 people there which was wonderful.  It was a month since we last saw them.”

The smaller towns each have about 10 Mass-goers which is perfect given the current regulations only allow for 10 parishioners.

Bombala and Cooma have much bigger parish communities.

“These communities are small but they are vibrant,” Fr Adrian said.  “Everyone knows everyone.  It is a wonderful time to be in ministry; I am feeling reinvigorated.”