Fond memories for Indian priests
People
Adjusting to a much slower lifestyle was all part of the learning curve when Missionaries of St Francis de Sales priests Fr Manu Kumbidiyamackal Varkey and Fr Shibu Jacob arrived in Adelaide from India in 2013.
As Fr Manu explained, when someone wanted to show him “Adelaide peak hour traffic” he wasn’t sure what they were talking about. Coming from Bengaluru, with a population around 14 million, he was used to seeing many, many more cars and lots of commotion.
Now after 12 years ministry here, he has returned to take up the position of Rector and Superior of the MSFS order’s seminary in Kerala, India.
Prior to his departure, Fr Manu, 51, spoke to The Southern Cross about some of the differences he found serving the Church in India and Australia.
“The system here is a little more of a corporate culture when it comes to the functioning of the Church,” he said.
“Indians are more expressive with their faith, but here I saw the more practical side of faith – seeing organisations like Vinnies and the work they do in the parish. It is not just about spending all the time in the church but the outreach to the community is important.”
After settling into Adelaide, Fr Manu was appointed by the late Archbishop Wilson to serve as the assistant priest at the Modbury/Para Hills parish. One year later, after the retirement of Fr Peter Milburn, Fr Manu took over as parish priest and served there for another nine years. In 2023 he moved to the coast to become the parish priest at Henley Beach.
During his time in SA, Fr Manu was also a member of the Bishop’s Council of Priests, and Diocesan Pastoral Council, formed in 2023.
Speaking of his vocation across two continents Fr Manu commented that a “priest belongs to Christ” and where he serves “doesn’t really matter”.
“The support and encouragement I have received from people beyond my culture, who have now become part of my life, points to me at every moment of my life that God cares for me,” he said.
Fr Manu was particularly grateful to the two Archbishops he served under and the parishioners at Modbury/Para Hills and Henley Beach for their support.
Moving back to India, he said he would miss a couple of his favourite Australian pastimes – long distance cycling and fishing.
His good friend, Fr Shibu, said he was sad to leave the Salisbury parish after serving there as the assistant priest (2013-17) and parish priest (2018-25). Coming from an academic background in India, there was much to learn about ministry in a parish.
“The biggest challenge (coming to Adelaide) was that I had never been in a parish before,” he explained.
“Salisbury was my first parish, and to this day it remains my only one. As I had no prior experience in parish ministry, I had to learn everything about being a parish animator.
“In some ways, it was a blessing because I did not have to unlearn anything; I simply had to learn all about parish life and ministry. Fr Roderick O’Brien and Fr Francis Phat were excellent mentors and supporters, along with the parish leadership team in Salisbury.”
Fr Shibu, 53, said another challenge was adapting to the multicultural nature of the northern parish. With more than 30 countries represented, this meant there was a diverse range of faith experiences and no ‘one way’ of doing things.
On reflection, he said parish ministry was “incredibly fulfilling”.
“In a parish, life is so exciting; every day you meet people with varying needs, and one never knows what the day has in store. In an institutional setting, we are familiar with what to expect,” he said.
“I have enjoyed being part of the parish, working alongside fellow clergy, parishioners, schools, hospitals, and other organisations.
“I will miss all my friends here. Salisbury is family in some way, and it feels as though I am leaving my family behind.”
In addition to his ministry as a parish priest, Fr Shibu also served the Archdiocese on various committees including the Diocesan Finance Council (2015-25), Clergy Care Council (2016-23), Diocesan Priests Council (2015-22), and as a member of the Australian Catholic Lutheran Dialogue (2019-25), and dean of the Northern Deanery (2018-23).
He also expressed his gratitude to the Archbishops and Vicar Generals during his time here, saying they were “immensely helpful and supportive”.
Now back in India and settled in Bengaluru, Fr Shibu has assumed the role of vice principal at one of the MSFS colleges which provides both graduate and postgraduate degrees.
In farewelling Fr Manu and Fr Shibu, Archbishop O’Regan expressed his “profound thanks” to them for their service to the Archdiocese.
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