Volume 19, Issue 7

 I last saw Archbishop Sir Frank Little on Sunday 6 April. It was for a Confirmation at St Christopher’s Church, Camberwell, the centre of the German-speaking Catholic Community in Melbourne. The Archbishop arrived before 10am. After greeting everyone in the sacristy, he promptly signed the Confirmation certificates that had been prepared. The server, Christophe, asked Sir Frank if he could hold the crozier even though he had no cloth. Sir Frank joked and said he would give Christophe the polish afterwards. He had brought his own alb with him as I discovered after the ceremonies had ended when I was going to hang the alb among the vestments.

PHOTO SUPPLIED BY BARBARA BLOCH

 I last saw Archbishop Sir Frank Little on Sunday 6 April. It was for a Confirmation at St Christopher’s Church, Camberwell, the centre of the German-speaking Catholic Community in Melbourne. The Archbishop arrived before 10am. After greeting everyone in the sacristy, he promptly signed the Confirmation certificates that had been prepared. The server, Christophe, asked Sir Frank if he could hold the crozier even though he had no cloth. Sir Frank joked and said he would give Christophe the polish afterwards. He had brought his own alb with him as I discovered after the ceremonies had ended when I was going to hang the alb among the vestments.

The Archbishop greeted everyone and apologised profusely for not being able to conduct the liturgy in the language of the community. The pastoral associate, Sr Elizabeth Scheer, conducted a small choir near the organ side of the chapel. The German Bishops have approved certain musical settings of the Gloria which do not follow the text of the Gloria. When the choir had finished, the Archbishop asked, “Are you going to sing the Gloria?” Sister Elizabeth had to answer: “We have just sung it.” Smiles all round!

Wearing his mitre and with his crozier in his left hand, the Archbishop preached from the pulpit, often gesturing with his right hand. He spoke well, with energy and wit, praising the faith of the two young people, Ellen and Jan Philipp, who were about to be confirmed, as against the doubts of the two disciples on the Emmaus road. He especially called out the two sponsors of the confirmation candidates, and singled them out for their support.

After the anointing with the chrism, I had an accident with the glass bowl in which the chrism container had been placed. The bowl broke, not the chrism container. Afterwards in the sacristy, Sir Frank joked that the bowl was the most expensive Waterford crystal around, costing thousands of dollars!

The people had the chance to meet and talk with the Archbishop, first in the church yard and then in the community centre afterwards, where everyone gathered for coffee and cake. Quite a few photos were taken of Sir Frank with the newly confirmed young people and their families. In the meantime, a magnificent meal was prepared in the parish house for the family and friends of the two who had been confirmed. Sir Frank was in great form, enjoying the presence of the married couples that sat either side of him. He would not take the head of the table position, saying that taking the first place was no longer for him.

During the meal there was a loud thump and the shattering of a glass window. Young blond Yannick, all of four years old, had kicked the soccer ball too hard! The food was splendid, the wines were good, a true Babette’s Feast: we had coq au vin for the main course as Ellen’s mother is French.

No one left the table. When Sir Frank left he simply had to walk through the church yard and cross the road to the house opposite, where he lived. It had been a wonderful and memorable celebration. How unbelievable was the news 40 hours later that Sir Frank had died in his sleep on Monday night. Those of us present had seen Sir Frank at his very best: pastoral, warm and loving to the end.