Hot on the heels of his final parish day, Fr.Austin Healy is preparing for the next chapter in his life. After six good years here in Kimmage the popular curate will head back to where his heart is and back to Africa. We caught up with him and asked him about his time in Kimmage, his pastoral life so far and what the future holds.
The 1st thing that strikes you about Fr.Austin is the joy in his heart, Fr.Austin is not glad to be leaving Kimmage but as with most priests he realises nothing is forever in this life and as soon as you are settled somewhere it is time to move on. I asked him did he request a move back to Africa and his answer assures me he was genuinely surprised when he heard the news. It was holy week he recalled and Fr.Michael Kilkenny passed him on the e-mail he received from Fr.Martin Keane. Fr.Martin was looking for someone to come out and promote in Tanzania, Fr.Austin was very familiar with West Africa from his 33 years in Sierra Leone but this was something different.
Despite his obvious love for Africa and everything it possesses Fr.Austin was unsure and he took time to make his decision. In the end, he would go there for 3 months and see how things go, the option is there to come back to Ireland at Christmas if things don't work out and there is no doubt Fr.Austin is happy with this.
36 years of his life has been spent in that continent. From the time he left these shores back in 1962 by boat and got off at Freetown in Sierra Leone, he has spent the best years of his life there teaching and helping build schools educate the young and spread the word of God. It was not easy a young man going to a foreign land not knowing the language not knowing whether he would be accepted by the locals, as he tells us he spent time in different parts of Sierra Leone and the language and the cultures were different in both. It is very difficult for us that have never experienced this to understand it. With the exception of a few small trips stateside to refresh himself, Fr.Austin spent almost 33 years solid in Africa and it is clear even when he returned to Ireland the affinity he had with the local people. He has a great relationship with that many African Students that have passed through these grounds and that too have a great respect for them.
He then shows me the T-Shirt that he received whilst over at Michael Wilson ordination in 2008. Fr.Austin had met the student during his time in Ghana between 2001 and 2004 and was delighted to attend his ordination back in Africa in the summer of 2008. As he talks intently of the stories he experienced and the people he met, he also remembers the tougher side of life and the war that raged and sadly the people he knew who lost their lives in this conflict, innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Having carried out parish work both in Africa and here in Ireland, I asked him what was the difference ? He paused for a moment and replied "Joe Duffy". I was slightly confused, he said any wrong doings over here are reported to Joe Duffy on the airwaves for all the country to hear. However in Africa there is no "Joe Duffy" and there is a high price to pay for those who don't sing to the chief's tune. And with that I bid Fr.Austin good luck and wished him well on his latest adventure. He won't be departing for Africa till Friday August 13th, but as he said himself, he will have Abbeyleix and the US in his suitcase before then.
Fr.Austin experienced his 1st taste of Parish life in Ireland right here in Kimmage and we were very fortunate to have him here. He had a unique style of preaching, we will never forget his opening line "What are we thanking God for Today " and a great sense of humour, but he had great affection & care for his parishioners and he will be sadly missed. We don't yet know who will step into those footsteps but they have big feet to fill. Fr.Austin bon voyage and we hope you will have fond memories of your time in Kimmage to take with you.
