West Wyalong farewells Fr Emil

Fr Emil with parishioners from St Mary’s parish, West Wyalong.

On December 29, St. Mary’s parish of West Wyalong and the surrounding villages in the Western Mission farewelled their Parish Priest, Father Emil Milat.

He has been transferred to the City Diocese in Canberra. Fr. Emil had been with the Parish since January 2015 and was instrumental in quite a few changes to the Church and the surrounding areas.

His devotion to Mary was passionate and he passed that feeling for her onto all his charges. He dedicated all the Churches in his care to Mary and the Rosary was said before Mass.

He had a great affinity with the School and its’ pupils. School masses were said each month, a special time for all. He was very good with the students and had his own special sermons for the School Masses, bringing God to his charges through the modern way.

The Masses were a delight as the children had special hymns and they sang them with great gusto. He went to the Youth Rallies and then to Fatima, but bought all this back to his parishioners to share with them.

Father Emil saw to the wiring of our church. It had the original wiring – over 100 years old- and it was his main repair priority. The lighting in the church has been updated featuring our beautiful main altar. There were other revamps in the pipeline, but he will have to leave them to his successor.

His affinity to Bolo Chapel at Tullibigeal was strong and he and Brother Dominic had many tourists out there to see this amazing “Church in the Paddock”. He helped with the construction of the Stations of the Cross on the Hill and it is a beautiful tribute to him.

He “inherited” Lake Cargelligo parish when their PP Father Mayne-Murphy passed away and they will miss him too.

He may have been a “City boy” but soon adapted to the country life and his parishioners loved him for it. He was a quick learner and found the lifestyle suited him. He was even on the winning bowls team for St. Vincent de Paul and was their other office when the Conference wasn’t available to the people who needed help after hours.

The parishioners of the Western Mission will miss him greatly. He was a quiet achiever and did things well and with advice from his Committees, both Parish and Finance.

We wish Father Emil every happiness in Canberra and any further venture he takes on.

Contributed by the West Wyalong parish