Fr Jim Monaghan, 19 March 2026
Woomera, in the north of South Australia, was a “declining town” when Fr Jim arrived as parish priest of Woomera/Roxby Downs in 1999. The local population was small, the Catholic school was closing and the secret US Air Force base was shutting down. There were protests every year on Palm Sunday.
Yet two months later, Philip Ruddock announced that the Woomera army barracks would now reopen for people arriving by boat without visas. For Jim and everyone else, it was “pretty huge”. Some of the locals were very supportive of those seeking asylum and others did not want them in their backyard.
In the beginning, Jim, Sister Anne and Rev Tom Atherton visited weekly to supply the spiritual needs of the detainees, in services held inside the immigration detention centre. A mix of Catholics, Orthodox, and Sabean Mandaeans would pray together, with Liturgy of the Word in common, then the Eucharist for the Christians. There was a memorable visit from the Termidah and Ganzibra of the Sabean Mandaeans, from Sydney. After Tom retired, it was mostly the Catholic Church continuing to provide spiritual support inside the camp.
Jim says, “Around that time I became aware of Pope John Paul II’s 1985 World Migration Day Statement. He said that a parish etymologically means a place where the newcomer or traveller is able to feel at home.” He realised that they were in a perfect position to respond to that teaching. And Sister Anne “was great; she became a grandmother to everyone and was a voice of moderation in this intense environment.”
The detention centre was not only horrible for the people detained, but also for the staff who worked there. It was a place of anger, graves, hunger strikes, slashing on razor wire, riots, tear gas and water cannons, which attracted even more protests. When the families were split – men in the camp and women and children outside – the women and children were permitted to come to Mass in the town. Initially, the officers came to make sure they didn’t run off. However, several officers were also part of the congregation, as well as journalists, lawyers and local Catholics.
It became an oasis for all of them and “a very moving Eucharist” for Jim. By then, there were no other religious or Christian services in town, so they would come from all sorts of backgrounds. “People were just glad to be in a place to hear the word of God.” One Mandaean woman would come with her son of about 8 years. He really wanted to become an altar server, and she was happy for him to participate like that.
Even the immigration manager of the camp would attend. Jim remembers the manager commenting, “The feeling of the presence of God was palpable in this gathering with all these people.” Another detention officer would attend and ask Jim or Anne to buy practical things like maternity gear or textbooks.
This experience in Jim’s ministry followed a time as national chaplain of the Young Christian Worker movement. “The YCW work, both as national chaplain and a local chaplain, really changed my priesthood” and solidified what he had learned in the seminary about the role of the church in the world. He was not only to concentrate on people’s faith in Jesus and getting liturgy correct, but applying Catholic Social Teaching to working life, young workers, families, friendships, housing, wages, accommodation, etc. Jim learned that this was central to the life of the Catholic Church.
The Bishop of Port Pirie also assigned him to responding to child sexual abuse. It was “a huge unexpected thing” that became a very big part of his priestly life. This was about “meeting victims and learning of the catastrophic damage it had done to people and their families.” In particular he was the diocesan port-of-call for the Royal Commission. Jim has also been immersed in a great deal of administrative work over the years, which while not his first choice, has been a valuable way to support the pastoral life of a diocese.
This was all a far cry from Jim’s first thoughts of becoming a priest in third form at high school. At the time he was among about a third of the class with this calling. However, he let it be for some years, thinking he was not worthy or running away from the hardships of life. Jim graduated as a geologist instead, and went up to work in the Pilbara. Then, while employed at the mines in Whyalla SA, he encountered a very active parish with lots of lay involvement. To “get it out of my system” he went to the seminary in Adelaide. Finally, he realised that while he would never be worthy, God is trustworthy and Jesus is attractive to walk with on the journey.
What he has found over this time is that ordained ministry is very important, both in the liturgy and in the sharing of one’s life. Although lay people can “stand in” for priests, Catholics value “the face of the ordained” person, knowing – especially for celibate priests – that “you belong to them and their life.” Giving your life for the church is a “unique grace”.
However, “it is terribly sad that the only people who have been able to give their life in that way are men… The Holy Spirit is providing gifts that we need to use. The ministry of women would be enhanced by being ordained at least as deacons. It is about the sign value, the sacramental value – knowing that God is providing us with people who are here for us.” This is currently missing and with women would make it more effective, while not changing the quality or calibre of the ministry.
At Jim’s Thanksgiving Mass, he heard in the homily that he was ordained “not to be above or outside, but at the centre, where people are.” And he hopes that women can also be visibly appointed as lifelong committed servants of the people. Thank you, Fr Jim!
Liturgy on the Margins 