Last year was my 25th anniversary of Ordination and I was able to celebrate along with the people of St. Anthony’s Parish Melton South who were celebrating 25 years as a Faith Community.

It was a personal milestone for myself as a priest who after Diaconate at St. Thomas More’s Mt. Eliza was appointed assistant priest briefly in Geelong over the Christmas of 1983 then to Holy Eucharist St. Albans South followed by Our Lady of Good Counsel Deepdene, St. Patrick and the Holy Angels Mentone and St. Damian’s Bundoora. I then did 2 months Chaplaincy work at Austin Hospital Heidelberg before being appointed to the Military Diocese for service as an Army Chaplain. I marched into Army life on the 31st October 1988 and was posted to the 1st Brigade Holsworthy west of Sydney for 2 years then the 3rd Brigade Townsville North Queensland for 4 years. Whilst in Townville I went overseas on operations for 4 months with the 1st. Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment to Somalia in the horn of Africa. My next posting was at what was then called Army TAFE at Bonegilla & Bandiana outside Wodonga Victoria for 5 years.

At the beginning of the year 2000, I marched into the Royal Military College Duntroon in Canberra where I served over 3 years. I returned to the Archdiocese of Melbourne mid 2003 for 3 months at St. Simon’s Rowville followed by 6 months at the combined parishes of Murrumbeena and Ormond. I was then appointed to St. Anthony’s Melton South in Jan 2004.

I approach another milestone as I now take up the appointment of Parish Priest of the partnered parishes of Braybrook and Maidstone in September 2009 joining the Sunshine Deanery.

I look forward to meeting you all and ministering with you.

Fr Martin Fleming