Fr Alex Osborne welcomed by a packed Cathedral
Fr Alex Osborne, after his ordination on Friday night. Photo Luwyl Ambida.
Addressing the congregation, Fr Alex Osborne said that if you’d have told him some years ago that the Cathedral would be packed for his ordination, he wouldn’t have believed you.
And yet, from front to back, each pew was filled and there was standing room only at the Ordination of Fr Alex Osborne at St Christopher’s Cathedral on Friday, August 30.
Around 80 priests and 25 seminarians, many from outside of the Archdiocese, joined with Archbishop Christopher Prowse who celebrated the ordination. Friends and family of Fr Alex travelled from around the country and from overseas to celebrate the occasion with him.
In his homily, Archbishop Christopher praised Fr Alex’s parents for the Christian upbringing they had provided for him, and also recognised the impact Fr Neville Drinkwater had had on Fr Alex as his parish priest for much of his upbringing.
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”216″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_slideshow” gallery_width=”600″ gallery_height=”400″ cycle_effect=”fade” cycle_interval=”10″ show_thumbnail_link=”1″ thumbnail_link_text=”[Show thumbnails]” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]Archbishop Christopher said that Fr Alex had chosen to dedicate his life to the Church at a difficult time in the Church’s history, but that Fr Alex was hopeful and excited about being a missionary disciple within the Church that he loves so much.
The Archbishop described Fr Alex as a young man with a great thirst for learning, particularly as related to his theological studies.
“He has often told me how much he has enjoyed the studies at the seminary and relished in the essays,” Archbishop Christopher said.
“I have sometimes heard him preach and delighted that he was able to integrate his theological training in being able to produce a Homily that drew people to truly believe in all the Catholic Church proclaims to be truth.”
Archbishop Christopher quoted a recent article in which Fr Alex said his love of learning about his faith developed from about the age of 15.
“There was something inside of me that was so hungry to learn more,” Fr Alex said in the article.
“It was around this time I fell in love with the Church. She wasn’t old, grey, cynical, negative and unwelcoming. She was the Bride of Christ, young, beautiful, intriguing and radiant with the reflected glory of God.”
In his talk to the congregation, Fr Alex cautioned the Archbishop that he didn’t know what he’d gotten himself in for. Mixed in with a large measure of humour, Fr Alex thanked his family and friends who had supported him in his journey of faith and said he was excited to begin his life as a priest.
Family, friends, clergy and well-wishers joined with Fr Alex in an equally packed Haydon Hall after the ordination for specially prepared cakes and a wide range of food.
Fr Alex will take up his first appointment as the Assistant Priest of the Goulburn Mission from Tuesday, October 1.
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Congratulations to the photography who capture the radiant joy Father Alex showed in his beaming smile immediately after his ordination.
Congratulations to Father Alex himself for accepting his calling to the priestly life in Canberra-Goulburn, We need you. May God bless you and your work among us for many many years.