Adelaide mourns death of Deacon Nick Kerr
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Adelaide’s Catholic community is mourning the death of Nicholas (Nick) Kerr - much-loved and highly respected deacon, religious journalist and pastoral worker with the African Catholic community.
The 81-year-old father, grandfather and devoted husband of Eveleen died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on July 27.
He was ordained to the permanent diaconate on September 12 2009 and held leadership positions in the Church, including chair of the National Association of Deacons and delegate to the Executive of the International Diaconate Centre (IDC).
As a religious journalist, Deacon Nick had a long and illustrious career writing for and editing Christian publications, including The Southern Cross and the Uniting Church’s New Times.
Pope John Paul II knighted him (Knight of St Sylvester) for his work in religious journalism. He was awarded the Gutenberg Award for excellence by the Australasian Religious Press Association and was granted life membership of the Australasian Catholic Press Association.
Deacon Nick had a strong commitment to religious unity and served as executive officer of Diocesan Ecumenical and Interfaith Council.
In 1998 he was part of the World Council of Churches communications team at the World Assembly in Zimbabwe. Afterwards he went to Nairobi to meet Sudanese refugees and on two other visits spent time with refugees in the Nairobi slums, in the Kakuma Refugee Camp and in displaced people’s camps. Deacon Nick supported African refugees in Australia, welcoming many into his home and sponsoring a number of refugees.
In his retirement, he continued to serve the Church as a deacon at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral and through his pastoral work with the African Catholic community.
Archbishop Patrick O’Regan said Deacon Nick would be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by all clergy, Religious and people of the Archdiocese and beyond.
“He will be grieved by us all, but our hearts and prayers go first to his wife Eveleen and their children Christian and Mariot,” he said.
A Memorial Mass for Nick will be held on August 19 at 7pm in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral.
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