Fr James Ware SM (SVC 1975-77)

20.9.1937 - 13.8.2022

James was educated at Berrima Primary and Bowral High School. In the eight years between leaving school and entering the Society of Mary, James has an interesting and varied career.

After graduating in chemistry from the then new University of NSW (‘Kelso Tech’, he called it), he worked as a chemist in a Sydney brewery. He did his national service (air force) at Fairbairn Air Base Canberra, was a ‘bikie’ and plucked away at classical guitar in pubs.

James was Australian heavyweight judo champion and it was on a judo trip to Japan that he met Fr Des Bruton, the trigger that led him to the Society of Mary. James spent some time teaching at Chanel College Geelong, before entering he Marist formation program, with profession at Armidale on Jan 24, 1965, followed by philosophy and theology studies at St Peter Chanel’s Scholasticate, Toongabbie, NSW. In free time he made chapel furniture for the seminary and built garden furniture in local sandstone.

James was ordained at St Patrick’s, Church Hill, on 15 Aug 1970 and then spent four years at St John’s College, Woodlawn, NSW, where he oversaw he biggest Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme in the southern hemisphere. He then came to Claremont, Tasmania for three years of parish ministry – he was the St Virgil’s chaplain and lived on site (his room was where the clothing store is currently located). He followed this with a year of study in Sydney, including Japanese language with Fr Des Bruton at East Sydney TAFE. James then went to Japan for further language study before placements at Tomigaoka and Takada.

In 1984, James returned to Australia joining the team at St Patrick’s, Church Hill. He then moved to Hunters Hill as a base for inner city ministry with the homeless and destitute. In 1999 James became part of the small community at Leichhardt in Sydney’s inner west and continued working with the homeless and others in need. In a ‘hidden and unknown’ way he offered counselling and support to many othes, including priests ‘doing it tough’ and religious. After a brief illness, James died peacefully in Concord Hospital, two day short of being a Marist priest for fifty-two years.

A remarkable man – RIP Father Jim.

Don Mils (SVC 1945-52)

Don Mills made an outstanding contribution the community and the Catholic Church He had served through St Vincent de Paul since 1956 through distributing food vouchers, clothing and furniture, making home visits, working in Loui’s Van and providing assistance in times of disaster such as the 2013 bushfires. He has served the Society also as a State President and Overseas Chairman of the State Council.

Don has represented Clarence in cricket and football and served on the Cricket Tasmania Premier League Tribunal for more than a decade. As a member of the Howrah Bowls Club he promoted the sport to school students. He was an active member of the Shoreline Combined Probus and was a coordinator of a Parish Family Group.

Don’s outstanding contributions were recognized when he was named the City of Clarence’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ at the Australia Day gathering in 2014, and when he was named the 2018 St Vincent de Paul Society Volunteer of the Year for its southern conference.

Don passed away in the presence of his family at Fairway Rise on Wednesday December 7, and on Wednesday December 14 he was fareweled from Corpus Christi Catholic Church where he had given great service, particularly as an acolyte.

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