Fr Michael Rodger

Early Life

Michael Thomas Rodger was born on August 24, 1935 in Adelaide. He was part of a family of five boys and four girls. In his early years the family lived at Echunga before moving to Westbourne Park.

Michael went to St Therese’s School at Colonel Light Gardens and then to Christian Brothers College, Wakefield Street, where he excelled in gymnastics and also at rifle shooting in the school Cadets.

He had expressed his wish to be a priest at a very early age, so after CBC he went to St Francis Xaviers Seminary in 1952 to commence his studies for the priesthood, and these continued at St Patrick College Manly, NSW. He was ordained priest in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on March 8, 1958.

Appointments

His first appointment was to Elizabeth South as an assistant to Fr Brendan Bowler. He was fortunate that one of his brothers and family lived just around the corner from the presbytery.

He remained at Elizabeth for six years and in January 1965 he was appointed assistant priest at Glenelg. While there he became a member of the Catholic Radio and Television Committee and was the Church’s liaison person with the ABC.

He continued in this role until he was appointed RAAF Chaplain in January 1971. Meanwhile he was appointed assistant priest at Parkside for two years until January 1971 when he took up the position as parish priest of the Barossa Valley in addition to the RAAF work.

He served on the Senate of Priests for a number of years, from 1973 till 1978 and later as a member of the Council of Priests for several years. He was a Diocesan Consultor from 1993 till 1997 and again from 2004 for a period of five years. He took long service leave in early 1978.

While continuing his part-time work as a RAAF Chaplain he was appointed parish priest of Willunga in 1978. Then in January 1981 the Archbishop approved his appointment as an Army Chaplain and in August that year he was commissioned as Senior Chaplain (RC) of 4th Military District with the rank of Third Class Chaplain – the equivalent of Major.

In January 1986 he was appointed parish priest of Hectorville, one of the largest parishes in the Archdiocese. In September 1992 he was asked to serve for a short time as administrator of the Walkerville parish, and then as supply priest to Willunga parish. In January 1993 he went to Penola for one year, and then in January 1994 he was appointed parish priest of Colonel Light Gardens where he remained for nearly 10 years. While there he served for a two-year term on the Jordan Kennedy Scholarship Committee.

In November 2003 he was asked to go to Mount Barker and undertake the amalgamation with the Strathalbyn parish, which formally took place on January 25, 2004. For a number of years he served as member of the Lutheran/Roman Catholic Dialogue Committee, where he could draw on his experience in the Barossa Valley. He resigned from this Committee in December 2003.
Due to failing health he retired in October 2008 and went to live at Morphett Vale where he lived privately until he moved to Murphy Villa at Plympton in 2010.

One of his favourite pass times was fishing – which he shared with his father and brothers. Michael’s life was a rich tapestry of interests which included overseas trips, golf, spear-fishing, caravanning, the Australian bush, the River Murray, and of course football – he was a great supporter of the ‘Double Blues’ and the Crows.

But the family were always very important to Michael, and one of his last wishes was that his siblings and in-laws gather with him for a ‘Wake’ at Francis Murphy Villa a few days before his death.

On March 16, 2012 Fr Michael died in the Flora McDonald Lodge at Hilton. His funeral Mass was celebrated in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on March 21. In his homily Archbishop Wilson said: “Today we bury a man of faith, a really good priest who loved the priesthood, loved the Church and loved God’s people”. The Committal took place at the Centennial Park Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.