Returned to God
Peter Michael Karam (14/01/1942 – 30/05/2025)
Father Peter Michael Karam passed away on Friday 30 May 2025. The Diocese of Lismore mourns the loss of a devoted priest who served with quiet strength, pastoral compassion, and dedication to the mission of the Church.
Born in Casino on 14 January 1942, Fr Peter was educated by the Sisters of Mercy and the Marist Brothers in Casino, before undertaking theological studies at St Columba’s College, Springwood, and St Patrick’s College, Manly. He was ordained a priest on 23 July 1967 at his hometown parish in Casino.
Throughout his ministry, Fr Peter served in a number of parishes across the Diocese, including South Grafton, Maclean, Macksville, Murwillumbah, and Lismore. In 1995, he was appointed Parish Priest of South Lismore, where he continued his pastoral work for 29 years. Parishioners remember him as a comfort in times of need and strength in times of uncertainty. This was illustrated most clearly in 2017, when he retired just one day before the devastating Lismore floods – only to come out of retirement to support and minister to those affected in his community. He retired on 2 August 2024.
Fr Peter played a significant role in shaping the Diocese’s public voice. As Mass Media Co-ordinator and long-serving Director of Mass Media, he was instrumental in giving the Diocese a strong media presence during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He served as editor of Catholic Life magazine for over 25 years, using the publication to share stories of faith, hope and community across the Diocese. Fr Peter also managed and updated the Diocesan website during a time when the world was becoming more globalised and advanced technologically. He was also a talented radio presenter, using the airwaves to share the Gospel and engage with the broader community on 2LM Lismore and Vatican Radio.
A deeply private man, Fr Peter was known for his fierce loyalty to the Church and his protective care for its people. May he rest in the eternal peace of Christ whom he served so faithfully.
Michael Leonard Brady (24/05/1950 – 21/06/2025)
It is with sadness that we share news of the passing of Father Michael Leonard Brady, Parish Priest Emeritus of Tweed Heads, who died peacefully on Saturday 21 June 2025 at Tweed Valley Hospital, Kingscliff, aged 75.
Born on 24 May 1950, Fr Michael entered the seminary aged 32 and was ordained six years later. His path to priesthood was shaped by a deep love of God and the Eucharist, and a desire to serve others with humility and faith. “Bringing the Eucharist to people for their spiritual nourishment is very humbling and a privilege,” he once reflected.
Fr Michael’s ministry spanned numerous communities across the Diocese. He served as Deacon in Port Macquarie and Murwillumbah, and later as Assistant Priest in Murwillumbah, Lismore, Grafton, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour and Tweed Heads. In 1998, he was appointed Parish Priest of Sawtell, where he ministered for six years. In 2004, he returned to Tweed Heads as Parish Priest, serving the community with quiet strength and devotion until his retirement on his 75th birthday in 2025.
Those who knew Fr Michael remember him for his kind and gentle presence and deep pastoral care, and above all, of holy perseverance. He made a lasting impression for the unwavering care he had for those in his community and often spoke of the privilege of walking with others, calling the priesthood “a very fulfilling and joyful life.”
At Fr Michael’s funeral, Diocese of Lismore Vicar General Fr Paul McDonald said, “To be a priest is to become a bridge between heaven and earth, between God and His people. Fr Michael was such a bridge. He listened patiently, celebrated the sacraments faithfully, and he walked with his people through joy and suffering alike.” We give thanks for Fr Michael’s life and ministry and pray that he now enters the peace of the Father’s house.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
PAUL GARLAND (12/12/1934 – 18/05/2025)
Paul, a Melbourne priest, served in the parishes of Fawkner, Brunswick, Clayton and Doncaster as assistant priest. From 1968 to 1977 he was assistant to the Director of Catholic Education, and in 1978 was appointed Parish Priest of Mooroolbark. He was Episcopal Vicar for Tertiary Education from 1986. Both offices he retained until his resigned in 1999.
Paul was a man of many interests. He was also a man of habit, and despite all the bravado and mimicry that characterised his public image, he was a quiet and private man. Paul was an only child. His mother, Nellie, was a staunch Baptist, and his father Don, a passionate Catholic, Labor man and South Melbourne supporter. Paul inherited all his father’s virtues, and never got over the South Melbourne Swans becoming the Sydney Swines. From Nellie he received his love and skill for the piano.
After being educated by the Christian Brothers, Paul went to Corpus Christi Seminary, and was ordained on 24 July 1960. Paul was an intellectual and a philosopher. He studied Marxism and gave all of us as seminarians an appreciation of why Marx critiqued capitalism and why all Catholics should too. He lectured at Catholic Theological College in 19th Century philosophy and also did some sessional work at Latrobe University.
The Eucharist was his “food for the journey”, and Paul connected the Eucharistic meal with his love of good food and wine, friends and warmth. The liturgy was where he was at his best, with thoughtful and clear homilies, and a familiar but gracious liturgical style. Paul moved gently from this life to eternal life. In the last years when dementia robbed him of coherent speech he did not lose all the quirky characteristics of his life.
May the love of Christ carry Paul forward to that place where the food for the journey is no longer needed, and the Bread for Eternal Life is met in person face to face.
(Excerpts from the homily in Paul’s requiem Mass delivered by Fr John Salvano)
Brian McMahon (21/01/1936 – 05/06/2025)
Brian was born into a family of dairy farmers, the youngest of five siblings. They lived in Sunbury at the Goonawarra Homestead built by James Goodall Francis, the premier of Victoria from 1872-74 on a vineyard and dairy farm. After Brian left school in 1952 with a Year 10 certificate he worked full-time on the family dairy farm. Brian was soon elected as the foundation president of the Sunbury YCW and soon after started to think about becoming a priest. At age 21 he went to St Bede’s College in Mentone as a boarder to obtain Matriculation English and Latin. Thus, he arrived at Corpus Christi College Werribee in early 1959 as a mature 23-year-old.
He was ordained at St Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne on 23 July 1966. After ordination he served as an assistant priest in the parishes of Doveton, Strathmore, St Albans, Blackburn, and Geelong. In 1979 he was appointed Parish Priest of St Stephens Parish in East Reservoir where he remained for 33 years until his retirement in 2012 at age 76 and returned to his farm in Carlsruhe to look after his cattle and enjoy the peacefulness of the area.
Mons Tony Kerin VG made the comment in his homily at Brian’s Requiem Mass: “Farmers have an earthiness about them, and they tend to see life like the seasons, and the weather as a gift to be embraced, but never taken for granted. Dairy Farmers have that added sense of duty that calls them to the milking shed daily. Not for them the planting of crops and then waiting for the harvest. Their duty is a daily commitment, and it was this sense of obligation that marked Brian’s pastoral endeavors all his life.”
Brian’s kindness, generosity and friendship left a lasting impression on the people of East Reservoir, and a 23-unit retirement village he built there on parish land remains a monument to his pastoral energy.
Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Bonello (21/01/1956 – 11/07/2025)
Father Emmanuel (Manny) Bonello passed away early in the morning of July 11, at St Vincent’s Hospital, Fitzroy aged 69 years. His funeral was celebrated at St Joseph the Worker parish, Reservoir North, July 23.
Manny was born in Gozo, the eighth of nine children to his parents. From an early age he was deeply attracted to the mystery of Christ among us. He was an altar boy from an early age and created a choir of altar boys in his home parish. Fr Manny was ordained a priest on the 25 June 1983 at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Gozo, Malta, and three months later journeyed to Melbourne where he was to spend the greater part of his priestly ministry.
After his arrival, Fr Manny was appointed as the Assistant Priest at Flemington Parish, 1983, Keilor East Parish, 1984, Moonee Ponds Parish, 1989 and Reservoir North Parish 1994 and later that year was appointed as the Parish Priest of Hadfield Parish. He was appointed Vicar Forane for the Northern Region in 1995, and this appointment is indicative of the esteem with which he was regarded by the priests of the archdiocese. In 2007 Fr Manny was appointed Parish Priest of St Joseph the Worker Parish (Reservoir North) where he remained for 17 years until his retirement in late 2024. He was incardinated into the Archdiocese of Melbourne in 2008. His papers of excardination were signed by a fellow Maltese year mate from Seminary days, Cardinal Mario Grech, the current Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops.
Cardinal Grech sent a letter to Melbourne on learning of his death, which was read at his funeral, along with another letter of appreciation from the current Bishop of Gozo, Bishop Anton Teuma. Cardinal Grech referred to his name, Emmanuel, and how he had lived out his name of “God with us” throughout his life.
His best friend from Malta, Fr Eddie Zammit, travelled to Melbourne for the funeral and delivered the homily. Over many years Fr Manny fostered the connection shared with his fellow Maltese priests, gathering them together on ANZAC Day for their annual BBQ.
Fr Manny will be remembered for his gentle priestly manner and cheerful disposition, despite constant pain from his arthritis which made walking extremely difficult in his later years. He was loved by all his family and well liked and much appreciated by his parishioners and his brother priests. The archdiocese is saddened by his death, but much the better for his 41 years of untiring service.
Peter Downes (29/07/1936 – 02/08/2025)
Peter was born to be a Shepherd. Born in Three Springs to Frances Catherine Louise (nee Hackett) and Charles William Downes setting up Meadowbrook farm in Yandanooka, Western Australia. After the death of his father in a farming accident in 1947, Peter immediately promised his mother he would look after her. Not so much as a shepherd at this stage but as we call them in the country a ‘sheep farmer’. Peter was smelling the sheep well before the late Pope Francis urged that priests be shepherds with the ‘smell of the sheep’. After only two good growing and harvest season in 20 years (1948-1968), change was upon the Yandanooka district and families. Peter faithfully remained working on the farm.
Drawn into the Cursillo Catholic movement in 1977 he had a dramatic awakening and after 35 years of wheat, sheep and cattle farming, he entered St Charles Seminary Guildford, in 1980, then in 1981 commenced studies in St Francis Xavier Seminary, Adelaide where this shy and quiet country-boy earned the name “Rowdy”.
Peter died on the 2nd of August, two days before the Memorial of ‘the Cure of Ars’ St John Vianney. St John Vianney, like Peter was a “delayed vocation” and, like Peter overcame various obstacles including great difficulty with their seminary studies.
In spite of all this, Peter was ordained in St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Geraldton, in January 1986 by then-bishop Barry Hickey. Peter served in 13 parishes in the Diocese. Peter never forgot his roots. Up to his last few years he attended many of the local Agricultural Expos, catching up with the people he served as shepherd of the Church, checking out the big, green and sometimes red, machinery, a vast difference from the Massey 585 harvester they had on the farm. Finally, he would visit the real sheep in their pens, noting that the smell of real sheep had not changed in over 70 years.
In his final years, Peter entered Nazareth House in Geraldton as chaplain, then due to failing health progressed to being a patient. Peter was laid to rest at Utakarra Cemetery Geraldton with his brother priests after a Pontifical Concelebrated Requiem Mass. Principal Celebrant Bishop Michael Morrissey DD, Concelebrants: Bishop Emeritus, Justin Bianchini DD and Priests of the Geraldton Diocese. May his soul rest in the peace of heaven.
Peter John Elliott DD (01/10/1943 – 06/08/2025)
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, has expressed his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Bishop Emeritus Peter John Elliott MA STD DD.
Bishop Elliott, who died in Melbourne on August 6 aged 81, made a significant contribution not only to the Archdiocese of Melbourne but the wider Church.
Born in Melbourne on 1 October 1943, Peter John Elliott was the elder son of the Reverend Leslie Llewellyn Elliott and Irene Ann (June) Rooke. After early education in government schools, he attended Melbourne Grammar School (1956–1961).
He went on to earn a Master of Arts in History from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Arts in Theology from the University of Oxford. While there he was received into the Catholic Church, then entered Corpus Christi College, Glen Waverley, to prepare for priestly ministry.
He was Ordained to the Priesthood on 19 February 1973 by Lawrence Cardinal Shehan, Archbishop of Baltimore and Papal Legate, during the Fortieth International Eucharistic Congress held in Melbourne.
Bishop Elliott’s early pastoral ministry saw him serve in various parishes. A gifted scholar and teacher, he undertook doctoral studies at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, specialising in the Theology of Marriage. In 1987 was appointed an Official of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and over the next decade, Bishop Elliott travelled extensively in this role, returning to Melbourne in 1997, and authored numerous books and articles on theology, liturgy, marriage, and catechesis.
On 30 April 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Titular Bishop of Manaccenser and Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, responsible for the Southern Region of the Archdiocese. He was consecrated Bishop on 15 June 2007.
In the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, he served on the Bishops’ Commission for Liturgy and was the Delegate of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith for the establishment of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross for former Anglicans. He also served as a consultor to the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
Bishop Elliott retired from active ministry in 2018, but continued to write, teach, and support the Church he loved so deeply.
Chris Riley (24/11/1954 – 31/07/2025)
Father Chris Riley AM, founder of Youth Off The Streets, passed away at home on 1 August 2025 following a long period of ill health. He was 70. Father Riley established Youth Off The Streets in 1991 with a single food van providing meals to young people experiencing homelessness in Sydney’s inner city. He served as the organisation’s CEO for almost three decades before moving onto the Board as Founder and Executive Director in 2020. He stepped down from this role in 2022 due to illness. From modest beginnings, Youth Off The Streets has grown to a staff of over 220 dedicated experts providing wraparound support services and education pathways to children and young people aged 12–24 in NSW and QLD.
Anne Fitzgerald, Chairperson of Youth Off The Streets’ Board, says: “The Youth Off The Streets family mourns the loss of our founder, Father Chris Riley.
He was a tireless advocate for homeless and disadvantaged youth, and he inspired and changed thousands of young lives. Father Riley will be remembered for his compassion, tenacity and unwavering belief that every young person deserves the chance to reach their full potential.”
Judy Barraclough, CEO of Youth Off The Streets, says: “Father Riley’s dedication to supporting and empowering young Australians in need has left a powerful legacy. His vision, drive and determination will continue to inspire our organisation as we strive to provide growing numbers of disadvantaged children and young people with safety, support and education for a better future.”
Peter Stasiuk (1943 – 2025)
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, has paid tribute to the late Bishop Peter Stasiuk, Emeritus Bishop of the Ukrainian Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne. Bishop Stasiuk died aged 82 in his birth country of Canada. Entering the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) in 1962, he was ordained a priest in 1967. His early years of ministry were spent in Canada, where he developed a deep love for the Ukrainian people and for the Eastern traditions of the Church. In 1992, Bishop Peter was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Eparch for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, a role he fulfilled faithfully for nearly three decades until his retirement in 2020. “The death of Bishop Peter Stasiuk brings to an end a life of dedicated service to the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia and New Zealand,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“Bishop Peter, a member of the Redemptorists (CSsR), was also a significant contributor to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, and a constant reminder to the bishops of both the presence and the importance of the Eastern Catholic Churches as a vital part of the Catholic community here in this land.
“As we thank God for the gift of Bishop Stasiuk to the clergy and people of the Ukrainian Eparchy in Australia, we pray for his eternal rest.
“May his death also serve as a reminder to us all to continue to pray for a just and lasting peace in the country whose faith and traditions he valued so highly.”
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