Embedded Files
The priests who have shaped and served St Joseph's Parish, O'Connor.
St Joseph's Parish has been shaped by a succession of dedicated priests whose gifts, personalities and leadership have each left their mark on the community. From the founding energy of Fr. O'Shea to the care of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers today, each has brought something distinctive to the life of the parish.
Fr. Lloyd Reynolds, 1959 – 1961
When St Joseph's was formally established as a parish in 1959, its appointed Parish Priest was not yet available to take up the role. Fr. Lloyd Reynolds stepped in as Parish Administrator for the first two years, providing steady leadership during the critical early period of the parish's life. His service gave the new community a foundation on which to build.
Fr. William O'Shea, 1961 – 1977
Fr. William O'Shea was the founding and defining figure of St Joseph's Parish. A man of deep faith, considerable drive and strong Irish identity, he shaped the parish, and the church building itself, in ways that endure to this day.
Fr. O'Shea took up his position in 1961, having been asked by Archbishop O'Brien to continue for a time as Archdiocesan Inspector of Schools. He inherited a young parish with significant debt, limited resources and a rapidly growing congregation drawn from many cultural backgrounds. He proved equal to all of it. Under his leadership the parish introduced the Canvass (planned giving) in 1962, established a second school in Lyneham to manage overflowing enrolments, and built a genuine community among parishioners from Poland, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands and beyond.
Fr. O'Shea's greatest legacy is the church itself. Securing Archdiocesan approval to commission architect Kevin Curtin, he was closely involved in every aspect of the design, insisting on the Celtic Cross ground plan, the second Celtic Cross atop the tower, and the Irish stained glass windows by Harry Clarke's Dublin studio. He personally selected the window designs. He also conceived the remarkable altar, shaped as the barque of Peter, bearing the Chi-Rho monogram, and incorporating a fragment of Mass Rock from County Kerry as a memorial to the Irish faithful who practised their faith at the risk of their lives.
Ill health forced Fr. O'Shea's retirement in 1977. He left behind a parish of considerable vitality and a church of enduring beauty.
Fr. John Bartley, 1977 – 1987
Fr. John Bartley succeeded Fr. O'Shea and led the parish through a decade of significant development. It was during his tenure that the Parish Centre was constructed, a substantial building clad in Canberra bluestone to match the church, located between the church and Boronia Drive, which became the focal point of parish activities for over two decades until it was destroyed in the 2007 fires.
Fr. Bartley also oversaw the addition of the stained glass work at the base of the tower, providing a stylised representation of the Holy Trinity, the Burning Bush, the Crown of Thorns and the Dove. A notable moment in his time came in February 1986 when Jim Monaghan, a native of O'Connor, was ordained to the priesthood in St Joseph's Church. Later that year the parish took a significant part in celebrations marking the visit of Pope John Paul II. Fr. Bartley retired in 1987 due to ill health.
Fr. Vince Pierce, 1987 – 1994
Fr. Vince Pierce brought steady pastoral care to the parish during his time as Parish Priest. Among the practical achievements of his tenure was the replacement of the stained glass window frames, which had begun to bulge and required attention to protect the historically significant Harry Clarke windows. During this period the Parish Pastoral Council also approved assistance in resettling Vietnamese refugees, a number of whom settled in the parish and remained active in parish life for many years. Fr. Pierce also saw the formation of trained Acolytes and the recruitment of lay readers to assist at Mass.
Fr. William Kennedy, 1994 – 2015
Fr. William Kennedy served St Joseph's for more than two decades, one of the longest tenures in the parish's history. He brought particular energy to lay participation in parish life, quickly recruiting Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and convening a parish meeting to establish Family Groups, an initiative to foster friendship among parishioners and provide genuine hospitality and community. St Joseph's was among the first parishes in the Archdiocese to establish such groups.
Fr. Kennedy's years in the parish were not without hardship. He survived a brutal physical attack outside the church, saved by the vigilance of members of the St Vincent de Paul Conference who found him and ensured he received medical care.
The most devastating event of his time came on the Feast of Mary MacKillop in August 2007, when arsonists destroyed the Parish Centre and caused catastrophic damage to the church. Fr. Kennedy was deeply affected by the fire. In its immediate aftermath he was able to enter the damaged building and remove the Sacred Vessels and the Blessed Sacrament to safety. He oversaw the years of reconstruction that followed, and was present when the restored church was reopened on the Feast of St Joseph, 19 March 2009. Fr. Kennedy continued as Parish Priest until his retirement in 2015.
Fr. Tony Percy, 2015 – 2016
Following Fr. Kennedy's retirement, Fr. Tony Percy, the Vicar General, administered the parish during the interregnum. During this period he commissioned a full refurbishment of the presbytery residence, and oversaw the arrangements that allowed the Syro Malabar Community to begin sharing the parish's church buildings, an agreement that had been reached with Fr. Kennedy during his final years in the parish.
Fr. Paul Nulley, 2017 – 2023
Fr. Paul Nulley formally took up his appointment as Parish Priest in January 2017. Under his leadership, a new and enthusiastic Parish Pastoral Council was established, along with a separate Finance Committee. He introduced a number of new parish initiatives and faith-based groups that meet regularly, bringing renewed energy to parish life. Fr. Nulley was also instrumental in welcoming the Syro Malabar Community into the parish's shared life.
In February 2023, Fr. Nulley departed to undertake post-graduate studies at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain.
After two and a half years immersed in study and cultural exchange in Spain, Fr. Paul Nulley has returned to Canberra to take on a new role as administrator of St Christopher’s Cathedral Parish in 2025.
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, 2023 to Present
From July 2023, St Joseph's has been served by the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers: Fr. Anthony (Thonn) Riosa SSS, Fr. Renoir Oliver Jr SSS and Fr. Sebastien Luistra SSS. Fr. Riosa was appointed Parish Priest and also Moderator of the Canberra Inner North Catholic Community (CINCC), a grouping of the individual parishes of St Joseph's (O'Connor), Canberra Central (St Brigid's, Dickson; St Patrick's, Civic), St Thomas More (Campbell) and Blackfriars Holy Rosary (Watson).
In October 2023, the parish joyfully celebrated its Golden Jubilee, fifty years since the opening of the church in 1973. The Jubilee year had been inaugurated in October 2022 with the blessing of a new statue of St Joseph and Jesus by Archbishop Christopher Prowse, a fitting symbol of a community that continues to look forward with faith and hope.
Priests who served St Joseph's Parish, O'Connor
Fr. Anthony Riosa SSS 2023 –
Fr. Paul Nulley 2017 – 2023
Fr. Tony Percy (Administrator) 2015 – 2017
Fr. William (Bill) Kennedy PP 1994 – 2015
Fr. Vincent Pierse PP 1987 – 1994
Fr. John Bartley PP 1977 – 1987
Fr. William (Bill) Kennedy (Administrator) 1972 – 1972
Fr. Jacobus (Jim) De Mooy 1972 – 1974
Fr. Brian Hassett 1971 – 1972
Fr. John Fitzgerald 1969 – 1971
Fr. Patrick Cusack (Administrator) 1968 – 1968
Fr. Thomas Hunt 1963 – 1969
Fr. Paul Bateman (Administrator) 1959– 1963
Fr. Lloyd Reynolds (Administrator) 1959 – 1961
Fr. Morgan O’Connor (Administrator) 1959 – 1959
Fr. William O’Shea PP 1959 – 1977
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