Biography:
Early Background
William Bustelli was Victorian by birth, having been born in Essendon on November 24, 1907. His early education was at Christian Brothers College East Melbourne and then at Xavier College, Kew.
Expressing an interest in the Redemptorist Congregation he went to the Juniorate in Galong, NSW and later to Ballarat. It was in Ballarat that he was ordained to the priesthood on February 11, 1933.
He came to work in the Archdiocese of Adelaide in May 1942 and on June 4, 1942 he was appointed as Locum Tenens at Pinnaroo, where he stayed initially for three months. On September 18, 1942 he undertook a position as full-time Army Chaplain and served in that role for four years.
At the end of the war he returned to work in the Archdiocese and again went to Pinnaroo as priest in charge, and remained for just on 10 years. During these years he made a deep impression on many, one of whom, Kevin O’Loughlin, who was later to become a priest himself. Kevin recalls that these were the years he grew from a 10-year-old boy to a young man of 20 years. Looking back, he thought that Bill became a father-figure for him. He had great admiration for him and was his regular server at Mass for all of that time, travelling to Churches in Lameroo, Parilla and Murrayville, over the border in Victoria, and also to Mass in the hall at Peebinga and in Dempsey’s home in Parrakie.
Renaissance man
Bill was a man of many talents, a Renaissance Man. He was a scholar, and gave us the benefit of that scholarship in the form of 45-minute sermons at Sunday Mass.
Before coming to Pinnaroo, Bill had been a lecturer in liturgy with the Redemptorists in Melbourne prior to coming to the Adelaide Archdiocese as a secular priest. His vast handyman skills enabled him to build, fix and restore things in his workshop. Books covered the walls of the presbytery living room and beautiful classical music filled the rooms of the house through speakers he set up in the corners of every room.
Bill was a good driver who loved cars and like many in the country, drove them fast. He was one of the first to own a Peugeot 203. Bill became a great advocate for Peugeots and had several over the years. He was delighted when a Peugeot won a Redex Trial, driven by a local driver from over the border.
A liturgical pioneer
Because of Bill’s love and knowledge of the liturgy Pinnaroo had a Missa Cantata once a month and the parish was one chosen to trial the new revised Easter Vigil liturgy in the 1950s, two or three years before it came into general use.
After 10 years at Pinnaroo, on February 1, 1956 Fr Bill Bustelli was appointed Priest in Charge at Kapunda. It seems that Bill had not yet been incardinated into the Archdiocese and thus he was only ‘Priest in Charge’. This was rectified later that year when Bill was appointed “RI” (Rector Irremovable) which meant he was formally Parish Priest.
At Kapunda here again Fr Bill Bustelli demonstrated his great knowledge and love for the liturgy. These were the heady days of the Second Vatican Council which Fr Bill took great interest in.
Bill had a great interest in fostering vocations and his influence at Pinnaroo surely had some bearing on the two O’Loughlin young men, Jim and Kevin being ordained to the priesthood. And while at Kapunda Bill took great pride in having three ordination ceremonies in St Roses Church: John Swann in July 1957, Robert Tully in February 1958 and William Modystack in July 1960.
These were the days when the Archdiocese had plenty of Priests. Bill had an Assistant Priest, Peter McIntyre in 1957 and the following year the parish was divided with the Barossa Valley becoming a separate parish.
On October 30, 1963 Bill was appointed Parish Priest of Salisbury, a large and rapidly growing parish. In April 1964 Bill was appointed a Member of the Diocesan Committee for Sacred Liturgy, Music and Art.
Resignation
Sadly, on September 7, 1967 Fr Bill Bustelli resigned from the priestly ministry to marry. However he never lost his faith or his love for his Church. When his wife died and his own health was failing he was reconciled with the Church, and in May 1989 he took up residence at Beovich Villa at Myrtle Bank where he was able to celebrate Mass privately in the chapel. At this stage he was nearly blind and in poor health.
He died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on January 8, 1994. His con-celebrated Funeral Mass was in the Lourdes Valley Chapel. Bill was basically a good man who contributed much to the Church of Adelaide.
May he rest in peace. |
