This August, our parish community has the profound honour of celebrating a truly historic milestone. Fr Damien Heath is marking the 70th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood – a remarkable “Platinum Jubilee” representing seven decades of faith, intellectual depth, missionary courage, and untiring service to the People of God.
To honour this extraordinary occasion, Fr Damien will concelebrate Mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on Saturday, 8 August at 5.30 pm. Following the liturgy, all parishioners are warmly invited to gather for a time of hospitality and fellowship in the Gathering Space. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to express our collective gratitude for a lifetime of ministry.
Fr Damien’s journey began in the Western District town of Casterton, raised in a lively family of seven children. When his father passed away at a young age, the family was anchored by their extraordinary mother. A true trailblazer, she was one of the first women to graduate from Melbourne University with a Master of Arts, balancing academic brilliance with a deep commitment to teaching English and history.
Growing up in the country, the family experienced the tight-knit warmth of a supportive community. Fr Damien went on to be educated at St Patrick’s College in Ballarat. His call to the priesthood came early and he entered Corpus Christi College in Werribee, a place fondly remembered by his family for its annual open-day picnics.
Ordained in July 1956, Fr Damien belongs to a historic generation of priests; today, he and Father Arundel are the only two surviving members of their ordination group. His first Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Victories Basilica, followed by warm hospitality provided to the family by the Josephite nuns.
A lifelong scholar and theologian, Fr Damien’s ministry has always been fuelled by an insatiable love for reading. To this day, his home remains beautifully crowded with books spanning every room. His theological pursuits took him across the globe to pursue more studies in Spain, USA, and England. If you were to ask him what he might have done had he not answered the call to the priesthood, his answer is immediate: he would have been a teacher, following proudly in his mother’s footsteps. He fulfilled that passion by teaching theology at the seminary in Clayton and Suva, and indeed, his love for education left a lasting legacy, including instructing future leadership within the Church.
Perhaps the most gripping chapter of his priesthood took place between 1967 and 1974, when Fr Damien served as a missionary in Chile during a period of intense political turmoil. Amid deep poverty and hardship, he drove a truck loaded with industrial oxygen to care for the sick, witnessing firsthand the profound resilience of people facing severe hunger. Despite infrequent contact with home through occasional letters, his family held him close in prayer during these challenging years.
Now 93 years young, Fr Damien has returned to his roots, living in Coleraine, just an hour from where he was born. Though he “retired” after years of dedicated service in the Apollo Bay and Lorne regions, those who know him know he is far from idle. He remains fiercely independent, managing his own home and tending to a sprawling, magnificent vegetable garden and fruit orchard filled with apples and nectarines.
Furthermore, his pastoral heart remains active. Fr Damien regularly provides supply Mass across the Western District, traveling to Coleraine, Casterton, Balmoral, Harrow, and Goroke to feed the faithful.
His upcoming visit to Our Lady of Good Counsel is a beautiful family homecoming, allowing him to celebrate alongside his beloved sister, Anne Hopkins—the only other surviving sibling of their seven—and his extended family.
Please join us on August 8 to wrap this faithful servant in the warmth of our parish hospitality and thank God for his seventy years of priestly ministry.
Based on a conversation with Anne Hopkins, younger sister of Fr Damien.
Photos kindly provided by the Heath family.
19 Brenbeal Street, Balwyn VIC 3103
Telephone: 03 9816 9291
Email: [email protected]
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