Melbourne's Anglican Ordination of Priests. By Uncle Monty.

Melbourne's Anglican

Ordination of Priests.

By Uncle Monty.

Photos By Alex Albion.

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If I failed to see and met Catholic

Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Canberra

while visiting Australia's capital two dayz

ago, I certainly didn't miss this afternoon

the chance to meet and chat with the

Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Dr.

Philip Freier. Plus, taking a number of up-

front photos of him in all his archiepiscopal

vestment. No sir, I did not ... Also present

was the Bishop of Melbourne and the Dean

of the St. Paul's Cathedral Rt. Rev'd Dr.

Mark Burton. They came towards me

at the close of the four-hour Service of

Candidates for the Ordination to the

Priesthood of the Church of Australia.

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The 27-page service booklet outlined

the ordaination rites of 9 female and 5

male candidates of those being called to

the ministry of the Anglican faith. The

cathedral was packed when I arrived

some two hours after the beginning

of the service with perhaps well over a

1,000 people present at Melbourne's

reknowned St. Paul's, which sits exactly

across from Federation Square that will

host the 6th World Homeless Cup 2oo8

that I am here in Australia to personally

and primarily attend. Melbourne also

hosted the 1956 Olympic Games and

the 2oo6 Commonwealth Games, too.

And, The National Eurcharistic Con-

gress in 1934 with the Papal Legate

under Pope Pius XI. I've just picked

up at the old Flinder Street bookshop

some rare b+w images of the congress

itself, which I will share later with you.

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A bastion of Australian Anglicanism,

St. Paul's is an impressive Gothic-

style cathedral that isn't as big as

London's own St. Paul's Cathedral.

Through the processional doors they

came did the mass of Aussie clergy

from the archbishop down to the

theological students at the close of

the ordination service. Along with

a canopy of retired bishops, visiting

bishops, and suffragan bishops

all in their full vestments.

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This year alone, I have now met

and photographed two Australian

archbishops - Archbishop Peter

Jensen of Sydney at the GAFCON

Meeting held earlier this year in

London - and today Archbishop

Philip Freier of Melbourne. Aside

from them, this year has been what

I call my "Archiepiscopal Year" upon

having now encountered and photo-

graphed the Archbishops of Albania,

Baghdad, Nigeria, South Cone, and

Canterbury. In all, 7 archbishops all

in one go. Not to mention a couple of

dozen other Anglican, Catholic and

Orthodox bishops to round out the year

of 2oo8 for me. Next, I can perhaps get

a writing job as religion critic for some

secular news media, yes? I don't

think so ... I'm too fond of all things

about The Church to write for the

secular and oftentimes godless media.

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Today, I also visited St. Kilda which is

just a tram ride outside of Melbourne

itself. Lined with palm trees and a gold-

en beach and cute Edwardian bunglows

with terraced front porches, it was a

glorious visit for me. Dogs went crazy

digging big holes in the sand and rolling

happily in the sand as if born free.

Children hopped, skipped and jumped for

sheer joy on the beach with a bouyancy

and happiness of such healthy kidz who

seem so much happier and healthier here

than I've seen of kidz in America or England

or Europe. Sun-tanned women are every-

where, too, with a style all of their own that

speaks of tasteful self-assuredness and

brimming self-confidence. In the bright

blue sky above my sunburned head, I

saw loadz of guyz and girlz para-board

sailing with their kite-like and coluorful

sails that allows them to fly on the surf

and wind of the sea. It was a thrilling

sight just to watch them doing their thing.

Birds that I've never seen before in my

life are also here at St. Kilda. I don't quite

know how to describe then accurately, but

all I can say was they were very noisy

and strange and fascinating to me. On my

tram ride back to downtown Melbourne, I

bumped into a British-born retiree from

Manchester who had lived here in Oz for

the past 51 years as a tool maker when

he emigrated in his early 20's. He said he

wouldn't be seen dead in England - "It's a

hole now. Who destroyed England should

be hung by the neck ..." I couldn't agree

more with the old fellow. I only wish I

was young again for I would emigrate to

Australia in a minute. It is just a wonder-

ful country to live in. If you're young

and hold a needed trade or skill, then

Oz is the place for you. Unlike cramped

and overcrowded and damp and rip-

off England, Oz is a living dream from

what I have so far seen of the people

and country. What it must have been

like 50 years ago for the tool maker I

met must have been even more welcom-

ing than it is now. The fellow told me -

still with his clear Northern accent - that

he'd pick up the paper back then and found

lists and lists of jobs for tool makers like

him. He seemed so happy and so glad he

has forsaken England for good and will

never go back for a million dolllars

that's for sure. I almost don't want to

go back myself now to "Broken Little

Britain" after now visiting enchanting

St. Kilda ... Pity, I cannot stay for

the rest of my dayz here at Oz.

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Your's, Uncle Monty.

+First Day of the Church Calender,

2oo9.

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