Brother Rick Gaffney, 20 November 2025
Brother Rick Gaffney has experienced many different contexts and worlds. After joining the De la Salle Brothers as a young man, he taught in Melbourne for 6 years before being asked to go to South Africa for an experience before his perpetual profession. His decision to go was based on the excitement of seeing lions and elephants; he hadn’t really considered what teaching there might be like. However, his six months turned into a year, and it “changed my outlook on ministry”. He was introduced to the realities of First Nations and indigenous peoples, and learned a lot.
Rick was then asked to go to Papua New Guinea, where he had “an awesome experience” serving for twelve years. He taught in many places, mostly outside of urban centres. Then, in 2005, he was called to return to Australia, to a small community in the north of Western Australia, connected with both the Great Sandy Desert and the Tanami Desert.
Before Rick arrived in Wirrimanu/Balgo, he had very little interaction with Australian indigenous people. He arrived as a teacher and stayed on as principal, altogether for 11 years. After another spell in Papua New Guinea, Rick returned to Balgo and, this time, has been there for 4 years, working as Religious Education Coordinator and School Engagement Officer.
Liturgy in Balgo is quite unique compared with other contexts in Australia. The constants of the church and faith are the Church Leaders. This group of mainly women and one or two men have been around for more than twenty years, while the priests often stay three-four years. The Church Leaders help the priests understand the local community and guide all public prayer and liturgical celebrations. This includes leading the rosary and coordinating prayer and Mass of sorry business, when someone has died.
The Mass itself is celebrated according to the Mass of the Land of the Holy Spirit (Missa Terra Spiritus Sancti), which was developed in the Kimberley and is practised in local language and according to cultural norms. This liturgy was given official permission by the Bishop of Broome in 1973, was approved by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in 2024 and is awaiting final recognition by the Vatican.
The Church Leaders direct the liturgical actions and moments, helping the priests grow in their own understanding of culture and ceremony. There is also a permanent altar outside the church building, and Masses are even more popular when celebrated outside.
Rick finds the Easter Saturday Vigil, in particular, stands out every year. The church is “absolutely packed…it really brings the community together.” The Easter fire is a drawcard, as fire and smoke are so important and relatable to the culture. A solid core group stays with the liturgy the whole time, while others move in and out. Baptisms are the highlight on this night – this year there were 14 babies and two children. Finally, it concludes with the church hosting a meal – bringing together faith, culture and social gathering.
Baptisms also have a very significant meaning in Balgo. The people see it as the second step for the baby to become a member of the community. The first step is a smoking, which is a blessing of the culture and Creator Spirit. While this ritual has always been there, baptisms have found a place since the Catholic church arrived in the 1930s. The other sacraments of initiation become part of the growing up process, and are proud family moments.
Such appreciation for faith and culture has touched Rick greatly. His role is to support the school staff, Church Leaders and families of children who “fall through the cracks”. However, his perspective has changed over time. In the past, he understood ministry as going to places to proclaim the Good News. Rather, he discovered that God was already present and waiting for him to come. Rick says, “I need to find how God wants me to interact with them to learn from them and give support.”
Balgo started as a Catholic Mission, and like many Catholic churches in Aboriginal contexts, it led to harm such as the removal of children. Nevertheless, there remains a great respect for the Church and its personnel. Rick knows that as a non-indigenous person he will never see things fully from an indigenous perspective, yet he receives much more than he can give.
Rick knows that Pope Francis wanted the Church to go out, to be at the margins. While it is true, Balgo is only remote for “people like me”. The local people are living on country, and it is the centre of their lives. They do not see themselves as being ‘on the margins’ at all. Rather, they have the grace of 50,000 years of living culture. However, here Rick learns that he, and those like him, are “forever at the margins”, with the challenge to move to the centre of the local cultural experience and context. What a place from which to grow and share.
Liturgy on the Margins 