Fr Edward Bernard Maurice Welling

Early Life

Edward Welling was born on September 1, 1938 in Holland. His parents were Wilhelmus and Bertha Welling. His early education was at Het Kleine College, Roermond, Holland. His family, and particularly his parents, were great models of faith to him. From an early age while in Grade 5 he said he wanted to be a Priest. He began Ecclesiastical studies with the Holy Ghost Fathers, Weert, Holland.

The family migrated to Australia in 1958 and Edward resumed his studies at St Francis Xavier Seminary at Rostrevor. On March 21 1963 Edward was naturalised as an Australian citizen.

He was ordained to the priesthood on June 27, 1964 at St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral by Archbishop Beovich.

Appointments

His first appointment in January 1965 was as Assistant Priest in the Elizabeth South parish, a new but poorer migrant area to the north of Adelaide where he worked with Fr Pierce Murphy, an Irish priest who had been appointed there not long after the parish was established.   

Fr Edward, better known as Eddie, was a voracious reader. Whenever he had a spare moment he would grab a newspaper or a magazine or a book and begin to devour it and he often mesmerised others by his depth of knowledge and wide-ranging interests in the field of literature and general knowledge. Many a time he would come out with some insight or observation which was totally unexpected and often quite illuminating.

Four years later in February 1969 he was transferred to Kurralta Park where he remained for three years. The presbytery here was an old building next to St Joseph’s Church on South Road, full of large cracks in the brickwork where you had to stuff rags and newspapers to keep out the draughts. 

In May 1972 he was appointed Administrator of the Edwardstown parish while the Parish Priest was on leave overseas. On his return, Fr Eddie continued as Assistant Priest.

In January the following year he was appointed Parish Priest of Maitland where he remained for seven years. He really enjoyed this typical country parish of the time involving lots of driving but filled with country hospitality. Every Sunday parishioners took it in turn to invite the Parish Priest home for lunch.

During this time he took long service leave in 1978. In February 1979 he was appointed to the Senate of Priests as the Regional delegate. However that was cut short when in January 1980 he was transferred to Glenelg as senior Assistant Priest.

In April 1983 he was appointed Parish Priest at Woodville. After six years there he moved to Gawler as Parish Priest in January 1989. Here he was instrumental in the establishment of Xavier College. Also with the assistance of Sr Dorothy Eveston, a Good Samaritan Sister as Pastoral Associate, he was instrumental in exploring a family-based approach to Sacramental Preparation of children within the parish.

While at Gawler Fr Eddie formed a close relationship with Fr Leon Czechowicz in a neighbouring parish and also Fr George Nader. They often holidayed together.

In November 1995 he became Parish Priest of Edwardstown where he remained for eight years. There he met Mrs Pauline Victory a Pastoral Associate and together they established a truly family based Sacramental Programme which continued throughout their time there.

His final appointment in June 2003 was as Parish Priest of Aberfoyle Park, where he remained until his retirement in September 2013.

With the continued help of Pauline Victory as Pastoral Associate he was able to maintain the Sacramental Life of the parish until his retirement in September 2013 when he reached 75 years of age.

Retirement

In April 2008 he was appointed Chaplain to the Catholic Women's League. He continued in this role into his retirement, but resigned in October 2015.

During his retirement he resided at the priests retirement units at Murphy Villa where he remained until May 2021 when his declining health made it necessary to move into nursing care at Bucklands Southern Cross Residential Care.

While at Francis Murphy Villa Fr Eddie commenced his ‘Retirement Ministry’ with Southern Cross Care. He celebrated Mass each Friday at The Pines, Conifer Unit.  And in 2015 he commenced his Sunday Mass Ministry at Bucklands, and was always available to visit, anoint and support residents. He continued this ministry at Bucklands and The Pines until COVID hit, and during 2020 his health declined. 

In 2001, together with his long standing friends Fathers George Nader and Leon Czechowicz, Fr Eddie began an annual pilgrimage to Kangaroo Island for a time of prayer and reflection as well as an opportunity for friendship, rest and relaxation. The people always welcomed them when they came to supply Masses. Almost every year until 2020 (when COVID hit) they would come regularly for a week’s retreat on the Island.

However this practice did not resume after COVID as Fr Eddie died peacefully at Bucklands on April 28, 2023, aged 84 and 7 months.

His Funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at Sacred Heart Church, Semaphore. In the absence of Archbishop O'Regan, Mass was celebrated by the Vicar General, Fr Dean Marin and several priests concelebrated. His mortal remains were interred at the Cheltenham Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.