After 46 years in the priesthood, Father Francis ‘Frank’ Buhagiar is set to retire.
On Wednesday, January 25, Father Buhagiar will celebrate both his last official day as a priest and his 75th birthday.
Father Buhagiar was ordained as a priest in 1971 in his village of birth, Siggiewi in Malta, after studying at the University of Malta and Corpus Christi College in Glen Waverley.
He has been based at St Andrew’s Catholic Church in Werribee since June 2000. He also served in the parish between 1976 and 1980.
During his career, he worked at churches in Fawkner, Moonee Ponds and Maidstone.
Father Buhagiar said he enjoyed the fellowship in St Andrew’s, including social events such as the annual parish fete, its tennis club and the St Andrew’s Theatre Company.
“I’m very proud of the fellowship here in Werribee, it brings people together on a social level and people of all different cultures together,” he said.
“The whole idea is we don’t just pray, we have a sense of community.”
Father Buhagiar said during his time in Werribee, he had helped to oversee the refurbishment of the St Andrew’s church, parish office and presbytery, which was established in 1898.
He said he was “very grateful” to the maintenance team and volunteers who helped on all these projects.
“Volunteers are the lifeblood of the parish, I would like to salute all the volunteers,” he said.
“I have also been very blessed with a tremendous support team from my brother priests and the leadership from St Andrew’s parish.”
Father Buhagiar said he planned on spending his retirement years visiting his family in Malta and going on nature walks.
