Biography:
Early Life
Francis Smyth was born at Alma on March 8, 1884 in the mid north of South. Australia, some 93 kilometers from Adelaide. His parents were James Smyth and Catherine Smyth (nee Mulvanny). He was baptised at Sts Peter and Paul Church, Gawler, then under the care of the Carmelite Fathers.
In 1900 at the age of 16 he came in contact with an Irish priest, Fr John Healy who had been made the first Parish Priest of Thebarton in 1885. Fr Healy had a great concern for the welfare of the poor and dismay about the abuse of alcohol that was reigning the lives of a number of his parishioners. To counteract the latter he founded the Total Abstinence Society of St John the Baptist – a patron chosen because of his traditional association with abstinence and atonement for sin.
As early as 1890 he had recruited a few members of the Guild (as it came to be known) to form a new Institute of consecrated religious life under the patronage of St John the Baptist.
In 1893 Fr Healy bought 25 acres at Brooklyn Park and the members of the newly formed Institute began to live as a community for the first time. With Bro. Jerome Luddy as first Superior a parochial school for boys was established at Thebarton in 1895.
By 1898 Fr Healy had turned his attention to other charitable works i.e. a refuge for discharged prisoners and a reformatory for delinquent Catholic boys.The Brothers of St John the Baptist assisted him in these works.
However, the austere life of the Institute failed to attract many new recruits to the brotherhood. His most promising new member was Francis Smyth of Alma who joined the Institute in 1900. Fr Healy arranged for Francis Smyth to go to St Patrick's College, Manly to train for the priesthood to give some continuity to the work he had established. He was ordained a priest in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney on November 30, 1910 by Cardinal Moran. Not surprisingly on his return to Adelaide Fr Francis was made Assistant Priest to Fr Healy, not only to help in the charitable works of the Institute but also to minister to the large number of parishioners in a wide-spread parish of Thebarton. What was one parish became four in the early 1950s with Lockleys, Brooklyn Park and Richmond being cut off from the original Thebarton Parish.
Parish Priest
On December 15, 1921 Father (now Monsignor) Healy died and Fr Smyth succeeded him as Parish Priest and Spiritual Director of the Institute of the Brothers of St John the Baptist. Fr Smyth was destined to continue both these ministries until he died on May 21, 1955 – 45 years of priestly work in the same parish. Simple and almost austere in his own life he seldom, if ever, went on a holiday. Only once he travelled to Western Australia to visit his sister, a Sister of Mercy. There was never an appeal to which he did not respond.
During the depression in the 1930s he was a father to those in need, dispensing charity, often anonymously, through a trusted parishioner. As one of his parishioners remarked "he was his own St Vincent de Paul Society".
His parish achievements included the building of Queen of Angels Church on South Road, Thebarton Girls School and St Joseph's Convent nearby, St John the Baptist Boys' School in George Street and later Boys' Technical School – all testimony to his zeal and devotion to the cause of religion.
Fr Frank Smyth was technically a Diocesan, Priest and not a member of the Institute of St John the Baptist but he lived with the Brothers as his predecessor had done, acting as Spiritual Director, financial administrator and Superintendent of the Reformatory. Unfortunately as younger members joined the institute in the I930's Fr Smyth's continued presence at Brooklyn Park caused much division and discontent among the Brothers.
Brother John McMahon had become Superior after Brother Jerome Luddy died in 1931. Out of deference Bro. John was allowing Fr Smyth to be the "de facto" Superior of the Institute. Archbishop Beovich therefore asked Fr Smyth in 1940 to set up his Presbytery in Thebarton proper Fr Smyth from then on became a full-time member of the Diocesan Clergy.
Fr Smyth was destined to spend the whole of his priestly ministry in the one parish – 11 years as Assistant to Fr Healy and a further 34 years as successor to him as Parish Priest. Prior to 1955 his health had been failing for a number of years. As he neared the end of his life on earth he was confined to Calvary Hospital and the loving care of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary.
Only a few hours before he died he received his last Holy Communion and Anointing from Fr Cuthbert Hoy M.S.C. assisted by Monsignor John Gatzemeyer, Vicar General.
In the edition of The Southern Cross on May 27, 1955 his death and funeral were recorded under the banner headline "Great and Worthy Priest". In the absence of Archbishop Beovich, then in Rome on his ad limina visit, Monsignor Gatzemeyer presided and preached the homily at the Funeral Mass.
His many qualities
Of Fr Smyth he said he had known Fr Smyth as a student at St Patrick's College, Manly, was present at his Priestly Ordination by Cardinal Moran in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney on November 30, 1910 and stood by his bedside when he received the last Sacraments.
Not only had he been with him at the beginning and closing of Fr Smyth's priestly life but had come into contact with him very frequently during that life. The deceased priest who had shown great patience and fortitude in his last illness will be greatly missed by his fellow priests, his parishioners and many other friends and acquaintances who admired his charitable, manly and straightforward character".
The celebrant of the Solemn High Mass was Fr Gavan Kennare, his Assistant Priest with Fr John O'Donohue, Deacon and Fr Terry Holland, Subdeacon (the last two being former Thebarton Parishioners). A large body of Priests attended as well as 1,000 prayerful mourners.
At the time Fr Paddy Kelly was Editor of The Southern Cross and invited anyone who had fond memories of Fr Smyth's life and work to send in tributes. Here are some examples:-
"He was God's man – kindness the keynote of Fr Smyth's life."
"The ladies sewing circle provided babies' clothes, woollen jumpers, children's dresses etc that were placed in a kit bag – how often that bag was taken out full and brought back empty, only God knows".
"It was estimated that 11,000 meals and 3,000 beds in one year were provided for all who called at the men's shelter, Brooklyn Park, at all hours of the day and night, looking for help".
"Fr Smyth modelled his life on St John Vianney, placing himself completely at the service of his people".
"Fr Smyth admired the late Fr Healy so much that it was his ambition to be as good as he was".
"He never visited anyone socially but was always there when needed – he said the parish is so big that I can't visit everyone so I won't visit anyone (socially)."
Kevin Ward, a Wood Merchant, has this to say: "It makes me very annoyed when I hear people criticising Fr Smyth. They just don't know what a wonderful man he was. Many times during the depression he would ring me up and ask me to take 500 weight of firewood or more to people in need and told me to give them a pound or two pounds if I thought they wanted it – but always under instruction not to say who it was from".
During the 2nd World War all aliens were confined to their own district (Italy had sided with Germany). As a result Italians who lived in Lockleys were unable to meet up with their relatives and friends who lived in Hectorville district.
Through his committee Fr Smyth arranged a concert at Lockleys Hall (this was also a Sunday Mass venue at this time). With the permission of the authorities he arranged for those Italians in Hectorville district to be present at the concert to meet their relatives and friends. The Hall was crowded to the doors. The keynote to Fr Frank Smyth's apostolate was kindness.
His mortal remains were laid to rest in West Terrace Catholic Cemetery alongside his mentor Monsignor John Healy, Brother Jerome Luddy and several of the original members of the Institute of the Brothers of St John the Baptist.
May he rest in peace. |
