Father Ben brings stability to Westbury and Deloraine parishes

Father Ben Brooks, a new face for the Catholic parishes of Westbury and Deloraine. Photo supplied

by Sharon Webb

FATHER BEN Brooks has an unusual background for a Catholic parish priest. For 17 years he worked for Aurora Energy.

Only five years ago he was accepted as a seminarian and was ordained in 2019 at Hobart’s St Mary’s Cathedral.

Father Ben is now the shiny new priest for Deloraine and Westbury, and is loving the job.

‘It’s a bit daunting being a parish priest out on my own, but people here have been supportive’, he said.

‘Before I came here I spent a year in a Launceston parish and was a supply priest to the Meander Valley. Now it’s good to be getting to know people at a deeper level.’

Discussing the job of priest in the Meander Valley could be a bit awkward for Father Ben.

The last permanent priest, Father Nicholas Rynne, turned out not to be a good fit.

In early 2019, only six weeks into the job, he sacked the board of the Westbury and Deloraine congregations and decreed Mass at Westbury would be in Latin.

Many lifelong Catholic parishioners were distressed by Father Rynne’s ultraconservative attitude to church rituals and women playing a significant role in church activities. They described his actions as divisive and by May 2019 the Catholic Church had removed him.

‘I’m on a journey with people here after those events’, Father Ben said.

‘We’re rebuilding where there was disruption. It’s a positive thing and I feel there’s a real purpose to being here.’

Westbury parishioner Lucy Menzie said the switch to a full-time priest was a positive move.

‘I think both Westbury and Deloraine are really happy with the way things are going now that we have some stability’, she said.

‘It was good having priests come from Launceston but I think we lost our identity a bit. The two congregations tended not to come together so often, and of course that was affected by COVID too.

‘We’re looking forward to getting back to our regular afternoon teas and pizza nights.’

Father Ben was appointed to the Meander Valley in August and said it’s early days to make substantial plans for the future.

He’s working with parishioners on establishing a new parish council to be in place early next year and building connections in the community.

‘I’m currently getting to know other members of the Combined Churches in this area and seeing how the Catholic Church can contribute to life in the community’, he said

As a Tasmanian who grew up in Bellerive on Hobart’s eastern shore, As a Tasmanian who grew up in Bellerive on Hobart’s eastern shore, Father Ben understands Tasmanians and has worked for the church in small communities.

He regularly spends time at Our Lady of Mercy Primary School in Deloraine and Ashley Detention Centre.