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Our Guest Speaker Fr. Paddy Sykes and President David. Fr. Paddy came to our meeting to deliver the annual Christmas address.
PP John Egan introduced Fr. Paddy who was born in Humula the eldest of six children. John gave us some interesting snippets of Paddy's life including that he received his Driver's Licence for Frank Fuller, attended Tarcutta primary school and Riverview Boarding School, studied Accountancy and is a qualified CPA, returned to the farm before entering the seminary inMelbourne to study in order to become a priest. After ordination Paddy was appointed to the Griffith Parish before becoming a Naval Chaplain for 12 years. He has been Parish Priest of Fatima South Wagga for 9 years and recently celebrated 25 years of Priesthood.
Fr. Paddy started his talk by stating that there is money in religion. He added to the various places of pilgrimage around the world where there is a huge market in accommodation, merchandise etc. Jerusalem itself and Jesus' alleged birth pace of Bethlehem, are examples of a large commercial enterprise feeding off religious belief.
The irony of this was pointed out by Paddy who said that Jesus message was essentially to the poor and outcasts of his time. The first people to learn of his birth were Shepherds who were at the bottom of the social class. The gospels have Jesus born in a stable. Jesus message is contained in the Beatitudes and summed up by His two commandments to love God and your neighbour.
The ideals of Rotary Paddy point out are founded on Christian principles: Service above Self: honest dealings, fairness and assistance to those who are less well off.
Doug Sutton gave a vote of thanks and presented Paddy with a bottle of Olive Oil to add to the Christmas table. Paddy's words were enhanced by his friendly manner and members responded with applause.