EVERY Wednesday morning Gerard Hickey visits the office of The Catholic Leader in Brisbane city to pick up the latest edition.
He’s likely our first reader of the paper for the Sunday ahead, and all the staff greet him by name.
Gerard’s visit on August 25 was amid much talk about another task he’s well known for – altar serving.
The 78-year-old has served at the altar since 1941 and on August 15 marked 23 years of serving in Gordon Park.
Gordon Park pastor emeritus Fr Terry Madden spoke of Gerard’s “quiet and gentle way”.
“Gerard’s been a faithful altar server and has helped in the formation of new servers – girls and boys,” Fr Madden said.
“He’s seen a few parish priests come and go … and has a phenomenal memory for names and faces.”
Celebrations and words of gratitude on August 15 were tinged with a little sadness however – as Gerard now needs to retire the serving “boots” due to ill-health.
“I have to give it away,” he said, agreeing Mass attendance will be “different” from the perspective of the pews.
Regardless, Gerard left our office with his latest edition in hand, off to catch up with sister Mary Dann.
Mary was emotional about her brother’s involvement in the Church.
“If Gerard hasn’t been on the altar he’s been serving with St Vincent de Paul,” she said.
“I think it was Fr Terry who said he’s been at the altar since he was a school boy.”
Gerard was born in Pialba, near Hervey Bay, north of Brisbane, into “a proud second-generation railway family”.
He began altar serving in Wallangarra in 1941 trained by older brother Brian.
In post-World War II times the family planned to move but “were unable to find suitable accommodation in Caboolture and had to live in Elimbah some five miles away”, Mary recalled.
It was here that Gerard first showed his “steely determination”.
“Gerard continued to serve Mass on a daily basis,” she said.
“Each morning he would catch the 6.15am rail motor and would arrive in time for the 6.45am Mass.
“After Mass he would travel home on the 7.30am rail motor in readiness for school at the small state school in Elimbah.
“This was his daily routine for the next 22 months.
“Sometimes he would miss the rail motor and on those few occasions he would walk home.”
In 1944 Gerard’s father was transferred to Nambour with “much rejoicing by the family” because they could “become part of the very strong Catholic community”.
“These were the ‘glory days’ for Gerard,” Mary said.
“Dr Doody, later to become Bishop of Armidale, and Mother Austin were great leaders of faith and great friends to Gerard.
“Gerard was given opportunities to serve Mass daily, sometimes twice on Sunday and on certain Sundays he would accompany the priests to Maroochydore, Montville and Kenilworth.
“This, coupled with weekly Benediction, weekly holy hour, weddings and funerals gave Gerard’s life a wonderful broad tapestry of church experiences.”
Following “wonderful years” in Nambour, again a transfer was eminent, this time to Gympie where “there was no opportunity for Gerard to serve Mass as rosters were filled”.
“While Dad was transferred to numerous places across Queensland, our family home, was in Pialba and we returned for at least four weeks’ holiday each year until 1963,” Mary said of that compromise.
“Here Gerard had opportunities to serve Mass as there was always space for him in the holiday rosters.”
In 1950 the family moved to Emerald.
“Emerald had a vibrant Catholic community and Gerard was more than happy to become a regular altar server,” Mary said.
“(But) he was unable to serve daily Mass as he had joined the workforce.”
Then Chinchilla beckoned and all the while, altar serving remained a constant.
Brisbane was in their sights in 1959 where the family first lived in Fortitude Valley.
“Gerard commenced serving Mass both at St Patrick’s and the Crypt and, through Fr Shand, Gerard joined (the) St Vincent de Paul (Society).
“He has maintained a lifetime commitment to ‘Vinnies’.”
In late 1964 John and Essie Hickey (nee O’Doherty) retired to their “beloved home in Pialba” and Gerard remained in Brisbane.
Unfortunately that didn’t last long.
“In early 1965, Dad became quite ill and needed medical care,” Mary said.
“(And) with our parents’ retirement dreams in tatters, a decision was made to return to Brisbane and buy another home.”
That home was, of course, in Gordon Park.
Mary said it was “a new era of family life with St Carthage’s (church) a central focus” and “a legacy providing the next generation with so much”.
John died in 1965 and Essie in 1968, their daughter saying “their spirit lives on” in all of their children, “especially Gerard”.
Asked in 1987 to return to altar serving and even train the younger generations, Gerard “relished the opportunity”.
“It became one of the most important things in his life,” Mary said.
“I know it has been a privilege for Gerard to play such a role in our parish life for the last twenty-three years.
“He just loves being part of such a wonderful faith-filled community under the outstanding leadership of our pastor emeritus and recent golden jubilarian Fr Terry.”
On August 15, as part of Gerard’s official retirement from altar serving, Mary publicly thanked all those families “who have taken an interest in Gerard’s well-being”.
In particular she noted the support and love given by Brett and Ellen Goodman, Millie Davis and family, and Pam and Michael Hayes.
Pam and Michael’s daughter Jo shared fond memories of Gerard’s presence in their parish church and family home.
“It’s people like Gerard who keep our parishes going,” she said.
“Gerard’s had a special place in our family since Mum and Dad moved to Gordon Park parish in the early 1980s.
“They struck up a friendship with Gerard and almost every Sunday afternoon that I remember growing up involved him coming over for afternoon tea.”
The last Mass Gerard served for was the parish’s jubilee celebrations for Fr Madden, alongside Fr Bill O’Shea and Fr Kerry Cronan, on July 9.
And while retirement means a somewhat slower pace for Gerard there’s no doubt The Leader staff will be greeting him again next Wednesday, God willing.
