FORMER Brisbane parish priest Marist Father John Worthington has died aged 74 after years of declining health.
Fr Worthington died on April 1 in Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney.
He had been admitted with COVID-19, his condition exacerbated by many health preconditions suffered overed recent years.
“We have lost a dedicated Marist, who has served the mission of the Society generously in secondary education, in formation in Africa, and in pastoral ministry particularly in Brisbane,” Australian Marist Provincial Father Anthony Corcoran said.
“’John courageously bore a number of health issues following his stroke sixteen years ago. In recent years his health has deteriorated.
“He was very frail on his entering hospital with the virus.
“His death is a merciful release from these burdens. May he rest in peace.”
In a social media post from the Brisbane Oratory in Formation they said: “We pray for the repose of the soul of Fr John Worthington SM, a former Parish Priest of our parish. We also remember in prayer Fr John’s family and friends, and the Marist Fathers, at this time.”
Fr Worthington ministered in Annerley parish, The Gap parish and often celebrated weekday Masses in St Stephen’s Cathedral.
Fr Worthington was born at Murwillumbah on December 29, 1948, second of two girls and four boys.
His primary schooling was with the Presentation Sisters at Mt St Patrick’s school followed by secondary education at the Marist Brothers High School, Darlinghurst, where he lived with a great aunt and two great uncles.
He joined the Marists at Toongabbie after the Leaving Certificate in 1965 and was professed in Armidale in 1967 in a group of eight.
After two more philosophy years he was in the first group to do university studies at Macquarie University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1972.
He spent 1973 at the Matrist seminary at Greenmeadows NZ where he was ordained deacon.
In May 1974, Fr Worthington was ordained to the priesthood and began teaching at Marist College, Burnie, Tasmania.
In 1978, he spent a year in Belmont parish Perth to complete a Diploma of Education after which he taught at St Paul’s College, Bellambi, NSW, in 1979 and 1980 before commencing seven years at St John’s Woodlawn as Rector.
Enrolments over the period lifted to 429, all boarders.
In 1988, Fr Worthington pursued Marist Studies in Rome and then a program of spiritual renewal at ISL in Chicago, concluding with a Master of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University.
In 1990 and 1991 he taught at Marist colleges in Burnie, Tasmania, and Bellambi, NSW.
In 1992, Fr Worthington joined the Marist Mission District of Africa, based in Yaounde, Cameroon, working with African Marist seminarians.
He became superior of the formation community, and worked in vocation ministry, English teaching and radio and retreat work.
In 1998, he returned to Australia where he worked at St Patrick’s in Sydney before taking up parish work on the southside of Brisbane.
In 2006, Fr Worthington enjoyed a period of renewal.
On return from a family wedding in France and as he began a new appointment at The Gap parish, Brisbane, he suffered a life-threatening stroke from which he partially recovered but which was to affect his health in subsequent years.
Fr Worthington joined the Marist community at Herston, Brisbane, and engaged in pastoral work in the archdiocese for some years before retiring at Montbel, Hunters Hill, where his health continued to decline.
In the days after being admitted to Royal North Shore hospital with COVID-19 virus and his condition exacerbated by many health preconditions, Fr Worthington died peacefully on the morning of April 1.
Fr Worthington’s Requiem Mass was celebrated at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, Hunters Hill, Sydney on Thursday, April 21.
