Faith Matters – Commitment

As a new Semester begins we are preparing for two important celebrations which I think illuminate a vision for the remainder of the year. This coming Sunday representatives of the College will participate in a mass to celebrate the diamond jubilee of Fr Des Panton and two weeks later we will celebrate the feast day of our patron, St Ignatius of Loyola. Each of these celebrations will focus upon the dedication and commitment to the community required to give up a ‘normal life’ for one of service to the community and the Church.

Many families at the College will remember Fr Des Panton who was for over thirty years the parish priest of St Thomas Parish Drysdale. Fr Des was a driving force behind the consolidation of Catholic Regional College to Drysdale, a keen supporter of the transition to becoming an Ignatian Companion School, oversaw the development of St Thomas’ Primary School from its inception and the construction of St Thomas Church which links the local parish and schools. Fr Des offered so much to our local community and more broadly as the president of the Canonical Administrators and the Deanery. Since his retirement Fr Des has continued to offer mass where possible and has maintained strong pastoral connections with many parishioners and families.

In his time St Ignatius also gave up a ‘normal life’ for one of service. His desire to serve was guided by his spiritual conversion at Manresa and the transformation that occurred due to his mystical encounters. The commitment required to continue to lead and serve the Jesuits during the remainder of his life was extraordinary. His letters illustrate the depth of his care, wisdom and pastoral guidance which today are a source from which the Jesuit and Ignatian communities draw insight from.

These two examples allow us the opportunity to contemplate where we place our energies and whether we sustain our commitment or vary our focus over time. Contemplate for a moment what you truly enjoy and how much time each week you offer that thing. Do you consistently offer the time and attention required to maintain or improve in this area? Assess the level of commitment you currently have for this aspect of your life.

Our lives have a natural ebb and flow in all areas but in the areas that are life giving there is a tendency for us to offer more time and attention. The things that we are committed to are the things that fulfil us the most. These are thin places where the distance between God and ourselves is small. When we are committed we find the effort enjoyable and the need for affirmation or reward minimal.

Both Fr Des and St Ignatius offer us an understanding of service and how commitment can transform entire communities, if not the world. Their lives also show us that it is through service and the love of God that sacrifice and dedication are virtues that make us whole.

As you contemplate these thoughts I encourage you to pray for Fr Des. For his service and in celebration of his 60 years of service to the community as a priest. The chorus of his favourite hymn might be a fitting:

I thank my God each time I think of you.
And when I pray for you I pray with joy.

Yours in Christ,

Brendan Nicholls
Liturgy Coordinator