This year, father Patrick and father John O'Neill are 86 years old. Sixty years ago, on March 16, 1958 they were ordained together in the Redemptorist Order in Ballarat, Australia.
Although they were called from childhood, the two brothers never discussed or exchanged with each other. They only know each other's vocations when they intend to be priests.
“That is the secret of vocations,” Father Patrick said. Why do I want to be a priest? I don't know, but I know it's a happy life." I wouldn't choose any other. Father John added: “I have always wanted to be a priest.” "Always"
Growing up together in Goulburm with six siblings, Father Patrick and Father John say they had a wonderful upbringing from the sisters during their elementary years and with their brothers in Christ. at high school.
They joined the Redemptorist class at the age of 15. They then entered the novitiate at Pennant Hills and attended the Academy at Ballarat and Mayfield.
During their years of study, the teachers decided that only one should pursue a religious vocation and the other to marry, and they tried to see which of the two brothers had a religious vocation.
Father John said, “We are like two peas. They said we couldn't have the same vocation and they wanted to separate us to see who had a real religious vocation. I was the one who was promoted to the upper class and Patrick's father had to stay in one class.”
However, what humans do becomes useless. Both were priests of the Lord.
Father Patrick laughed and said, 'nothing happened after separating us and they brought us back together where we came from. We graduated from the same class'.
After ordination to the priesthood, the two fathers followed different pastoral works. After studying together in Rome, Father John returned to Australia to teach in the seminary, while Father Patrick continued to study moral theology.
In the following years, Father John did pastoral work in parishes throughout Australia. It was the important pastoral work of his priestly vocation. After that, he also went to Africa to do missionary work there for 22 years and only returned to Australia after a stroke in 2007.
Meanwhile, Father Patrick has served in various roles within the Redemptorist Order including teaching, accounting, and gardening at Galong Academy. But he also spent three years as a missionary in Townsville, which he considers the 'best' three years of his life.
When John's father suffered a stroke in Africa, Patrick's father flew to Rome to meet his brother and bring John's father back to Australia. They are reunited once again.
They are currently living together in the Redemptorist community in Kogarah.
Preparing for the 60th anniversary of priests on March 16, 2018, Father Patrick and Father John said that it was the hand of God that guided them.
Father Patrick explained to the young people about his decision to become a Redemptorist priest about 6 months before they were ordained.
Father John said, “God will change. If you follow what God directs, desire. He knows where the children are. You don't need a plan. Just wait until God needs you. So, the miracle is that God takes care of all this for us.”
Vietnamese direction, Thai Ha Media