Father Leonse Kurian is our Parish Administrator as of January 2025. Here is his story...I come from a loving family of four siblings. My mother, who is in her early 80s, and my late father, who passed away in 2017, have been great sources of inspiration in my life. I am blessed to have an older brother and two sisters, all of whom are married with children.
In 1992, I felt the calling to the priesthood and joined the seminary. Completing my philosophical and theological studies over the next decade, by God’s grace, I was ordained a priest on New Year’s Day in 2003. I began my ministry as an assistant parish priest in the Diocese of Palai before answering God’s call to serve in Australia in 2015. I have had the privilege of ministering in Broken Bay, Darwin, and Adelaide.
In 2024, I joined the Archdiocese of Canberra and have been serving as a hospital chaplain since then. It is truly an honour to shepherd the St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Parish community. I look forward to walking with you in faith, supporting one another in prayer, and growing together in our shared journey with Christ.
Father Tom Thornton was our Parish Priest 2023-2024.
- Born in Goulburn (some time ago)
- One in a family of six.
- Ordained in Goulburn in 1980
- Served in the parishes of Young, Grenfell, Boorowa, Bombala, Batemans Bay, Moruya, Gunning, Pearce, Charnwood and Wanniassa
- Worked on the Marriage Tribunal - a canon lawyer.
Father Anthony Percy was our
Parish Priest 2019-2023. Father was born in 1963. He did primary and secondary schooling in Cooma, before finishing secondary School at St. Joseph's College Hunters Hill. He completed an honours degree in Finance from the University of NSW, and then studied for the priesthood at St. Patrick's College, Manly. Father completed a Licentiate and Doctorate from the John Paul II Pontifical Institute, Washington, D.C.
Father Anthony was ordained in 1990. He had a number of appointments across the Archdiocese.
In 2025 he was appointed as a bishop for Sydney .
From 2008-2019 Father Lachlan Coll was our
Parish Priest.Father was born in Ayrshire Scotland in 1940. After completing his primary school he migrated with his family to Australia in 1950 and settled in Tasmania. He completed his secondary schooling with the Christian Brothers at St. Virgil's College in Hobart. On leaving school he undertook the study of accountancy. In 1963 he moved to Canberra with the Commonwealth Audit Office. He was married at St. Christopher's Cathedral in 1964 and spent the next three years in Papua New Guinea. He has a son and two daughters and five grandchildren. His wife died in 1984.
Father Lachlan entered St. Paul's National Seminary for late vocations to the priesthood in 1988. He was ordained to the priesthood in August 1992 at Holy Family Parish, Gowrie. He served in a number of city and country parishes within the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. Father Lachlan retired in August 2019.
From 2003 to 2008 Father Mietek Markowicz was our
Parish Priest.
Father was born in Poland in the early 50’s in the beautiful Sudeten mountains where he grew up. While in Primary School he moved with his family to the city of Cracow and continued his Senior education there. During his latter years of senior school God called him to become a priest. So he entered Archdiocesan seminary when Pope John Paul II was Archbishop of Cracow.
He was ordained as a Missionary of the Divine Word and was sent to Ireland to learn English. After one year he went via Sydney to Papua New Guinea and spent 17 years working in the highlands in a very remote area and the small towns. He decided then to return to Poland but realised that in Australia there is a shortage of priests.
Father Mietek requested the Archbishop, Father Francis to accept him into our Archdiocese. From 2000 – 2003 he worked as assistant priest in Young and was introduced to Pastoral Ministry in Australia. On July 6, 2003 he was installed as our Parish Priest.
In July 2008, Fr Mietek became Parish Priest at Queanbeyan.
Father Mietek passed on to eternal life on Monday 20th September, 2010.
Prior to 2003, our parish priest was Father Peter Cronin.
Called to the priesthood when others may be looking to retire, Father Peter began his study in 1990, at St Paul's seminary in Kensington, Sydney. He became a deacon at Sacred Heart parish in Pearce in mid-1993 and was ordained in December, 1993.
Father Peter Cronin joined St Anthony's in April 94, became Administrator in October 94, and parish priest in August 1997. He served in the Parish for the next 6 years. In July 2003, Fr Peter moved to a new Parish before retiring in 2005. Father Peter was called to eternal life on Tuesday 28th June, 2016.
Father Peter Quirk served our Parish from 1982-1996.
Father Quirk was born in Tumut NSW 14 Jun 1930 and was ordained a Priest on 20 July 1964. He had a number of appointments, St Patrick's Braddon, St Christopher's Cathedral, Gundagai, North Goulburn, Jindabyne and finally St Anthony's Wanniassa.
St Anthonys was blessed with Father Quirk for 14 years until he passed on to eternal life in September 1996.
Our first Parish Priest was Father Gerard Monaghan. He was born in 1935. He
studied for the priesthood at St. Patrick’s Seminary, Manly and was ordained
on July 17, 1961.
He was appointed to St. Christopher’s Manuka from 1962-1967, and then to Cooma until 1968. Father Gerry was Director of Propagation of the Faith and Vocations from 1969-1971. He then went to St. Mary’s Parish, Young until 1976.
Father Gerry was appointed as St. Anthony’s first Parish priest in September 1976. The Parish was opened on Sep 18 when the late Archbishop T. V. Cahill celebrated Mass in the Parish house. Father Gerry remained as Parish Priest until September 1982.
From 1983-1990 Father Gerry was Parish Priest of Bega. He retired and moved to the South Coast and passed to eternal life 12th November, 2010.