Fr Charles Thompson

Early life

Charles Joseph Thompson was born in Carlton, Victoria on September 4, 1897. Charles studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College, Manly, NSW and was ordained to the priesthood in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne on December 3, 1932.

Fr Thompson arrived in Adelaide on January 1, 1923.

Appointments

Fr Thompson’s first appointment was as Assistant Priest at Naracoorte. Two years later on February 1, 1925, he was appointed Assistant Priest at St Francis Xavier Cathedral parish where he was to remain for many years. In his fourth year he was appointed Administrator of the Cathedral, a position he held until July 1942.

While at the Cathedral, in September 1940, Fr Thompson was appointed a Diocesan Consultor, a position he retained until 1954.

On July 1, 1942 he returned to Naracoorte, this time as Parish Priest where he remained for four years until August 1946 when he was appointed Parish Priest of Keswick.

Ten years later, in February 1956 Fr Thompson was appointed to the neighbouring parish of Thebarton where he stayed for the remainder of his active ministry.

Retirement

On April 1, 1970 Fr Thompson retired and took up residence at Calvary Hospital. He later received the title of Pastor Emeritus.

Fr Thompson was the first priest of the Archdiocese to retire in accordance with the provisions made possible by the Second Vatican Council.

In May 1973 Fr Thompson was transferred to the Priests Retirement Residence, Beovich Villa at Lourdes Valley. Together with Fr Thomas Maloney he was one of the first to take up residence there. However, with his declining health he was unable to stay in the Unit and was moved to the Nursing Home at Lourdes Valley.

One year later he died peacefully at the Nursing Home on May 19, 1974.

Fr Thompson's funeral Mass was celebrated in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral on May 21. Archbishop Gleeson concelebrated the Mass together with Bishop Kennedy and more than 60 priests.

In his panegyric the Archbishop said that in over 50 years of priesthood Fr Thompson aimed to give a generous response in faith and generous cooperation with bishops, his brother priests and people he served. He was administrator of the Cathedral in the difficult years, including the Education Congress in 1936 and the first years of World War II. He was noted for his kindness and hospitality, especially to lonely soldiers, anguished relatives and visiting chaplains. In his years of retirement he continued to reveal his persevering and generous love of former parishioners, as well as the sisters who looked after him at Calvary and later at Lourdes Valley.

Fr Thompson was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.