Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Long-serving St Stephen’s Cathedral sacristans looking forward to going back to work

byPeter Bugden
27 June 2020
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA

Welcome back: Veteran sacristans Lloyd Eikenloff and Bob Crapnell are pleased to be able to return to St Stephen’s Cathedral after being away for months.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Welcome back: Veteran sacristans Lloyd Eikenloff and Bob Crapnell are pleased to be able to return to St Stephen’s Cathedral after being away for months.

A COUPLE of the more familiar faces are starting to reappear around Brisbane’s St Stephen’s Cathedral.

As health authorities begin to ease COVID-19 restrictions for public gatherings, long-time sacristans Lloyd Eikenloff and Bob Cracknell have started to return.

Regular visitors to weekday Masses at the cathedral would be used to seeing the men serving at the altar.

Each of them has been assistant sacristans for decades, and they were itching for the day they could be back at St Stephen’s.

“I tell you what … It’s very good to get back,” Mr Crapnell said.

“I just like the place and the atmosphere, and meeting people and things like that.

“That’s my whole motivation …  and of course, getting back to Mass.” Mr Eikenloff, who’s been helping at the cathedral, one way or another, since 1967, has received a papal honour for his services.

He has not returned officially, but has popped in to the cathedral for a visit.

Because of his age and a health condition, he needs a doctor’s certificate to clear him to return to official duties.

“I’d say, the actual cathedral itself and the Mass, would be the main things I’m missing, but (also) the priests I meet every week, the people I meet every week and then you get other people who come in and just want to have a talk … It’s just a good thing,” Mr Eikenloff said.

Related Stories

Passion Play is a part of village life for actor who will play Jesus

Navigating the first few weeks of school in a Covid storm

School start delayed by two weeks

“I just like the atmosphere around there.” Mr Eikenloff began serving at afternoon Masses at the cathedral after work, in 1967, and then, when he retired from a government job in 1999, he was asked to work around the cathedral carpark and at the archbishop’s residence at Wynberg and St Patrick’s Church, Fortitude Valley, as a groundsman Former cathedral dean Fr Ken Howell (now Bishop Howell) then asked Mr Eikenloff and Mr Crapnell to fill in for an assistant sacristan.

“It sort of just grew from year to year,” Mr Eikenloff said.

Mr Crapnell has not resumed serving officially yet either, but he’s been helping out when he’s been needed.

He just loves being there.

Asked if regulars returning to the cathedral would be wondering where he was, Mr Eikenloff joked, “They’re probably saying, ‘What’s happened to that old joker that’s been hanging around here for years? What’s his name …?’”

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Hoarding – when a room full of clutter turns into an unhealthy condition

Next Post

Pope Benedict returns to Vatican City after visiting his ill brother Msgr Georg Ratzinger in Germany

Peter Bugden

Related Posts

Passion Play is a part of village life for actor who will play Jesus
Culture

Passion Play is a part of village life for actor who will play Jesus

6 May 2022
Navigating the first few weeks of school in a Covid storm
Family

Navigating the first few weeks of school in a Covid storm

3 February 2022
Education

School start delayed by two weeks

10 January 2022
Next Post

Pope Benedict returns to Vatican City after visiting his ill brother Msgr Georg Ratzinger in Germany

Every time Brendan Wong looks back on his life, he can see God working in it – 'I’m where I need to be'

Refugee who escaped West-African war zone among Queensland Day award winners

Popular News

  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

by Joe Higgins
20 May 2022
0

BRISBANE grandmother Gwendoline Grant has clocked up 15,000 hours cuddling and caring for sick and premature babies...

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022
Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

Francis offers advice on politics: Seek unity, don’t get lost in conflict

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping