Dominican priest Fr Anthony Van Dyke OP will return to the Order’s priory in North Adelaide on February 26 after spending an unprecedented 15 years in Perth.
Fr Anthony told The Record last week he had only ever expected to be in Perth for a few years when initially posted here in 1999.
“Usually you stay in a place four, five or six years, but I’ve been here 15 years,” he said.
“Many years ago one of the friars was transferred from Melbourne friary to Sydney, and he came and hadn’t even unpacked yet and another letter came transferring him to Brisbane, so you never know.”
Fr Anthony has been based at the Dominican priory in Doubleview, assisting at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish and elsewhere in the Archdiocese.
He has previously spent time at the St Laurence’s priory in Adelaide, as well as Dominican priories in Brisbane and Sydney.
Fr Anthony said although he knows many Catholics in South Australia, he’ll miss WA.
“I love it here… I’ve become a sandgroper really, but I’m happy to go too,” he said. “We have four postulants coming in this year, so it will be good to communicate with them.”
Chairman of the Doubleview parish council Kevin Susai said Fr Anthony would be greatly missed.
“Fr Anthony has been a close friend of my family for many years,” he said.
“I know him as a simple, soft-spoken and gentle person who has a friendly demeanour, living in the example of St Dominic, ever ready to respond to one’s spiritual needs.”
Mr Susai said Fr Anthony has been the spiritual advisor to the group of Dominican laity in the parish, attending regular meetings and sharing his knowledge of the Scriptures.
“Without doubt, he is bound to enrich lives in his new parish just as he has lovingly touched the hearts of many families and young people in Perth who by now have probably adopted him as a member of their family from his regular visits,” Mr Susai said.
Parishioners at City Beach parish hosted a farewell morning tea for Fr Anthony on February 23, to thank him for his assistance at the parish.