THE NEW parish priest of St Brigid's at Dubbo is a high-flyer in more ways than one.
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For 20 years Father Mark McGuigan has enjoyed jumping into a cockpit and taking to the sky.
But mostly he's on the ground helping Catholic Bishop of Bathurst Michael McKenna run the chancery and administer the diocese of 19 parishes, among them Bathurst, Orange, Cowra, Mudgee, Dubbo, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra and Wellington.
As the diocesan chancellor, Father Mark serves on multiple councils and boards, including those directing the flow of diocesan finances, the Catholic Development Fund and Centacare.
A priest of the Bathurst diocese for 27 years, he is chairman of its Council of Priests, a member of Bishop McKenna's College of Consultors and a diocesan trustee.
Last weekend Father Mark's move from administrator in Dubbo to parish priest was announced to Catholics attending mass, along with the appointment of Father Greg Bellamy as assistant priest and chaplain of St John's College, effective from early October.
Father Mark takes the place of Father James Cutcliffe who left Dubbo suddenly in May.
It is the second time the quietly spoken priest with a ready smile has worked in Dubbo.
Standing in the sunshine outside the Catholic Presbytery in Brisbane Street this week, he recalled living in Cobra Street about 20 years ago and educating adults in the north-west region, before becoming administrator of St Laurence's Parish.
The priest expressed a desire to stay in Dubbo "a good while", having reacquainted himself with its people.
"It is amazing how landscape influences people," he said.
"Down south where I've been in places like Oberon, Bathurst and Orange... people tend to be indoors a fair bit, whereas Dubbo is open and spacious.
"I find that the people of Dubbo are very open and very keen to get involved."
Father Mark's first priority is to "lead a community in a way of service of that community".
He intends to enable others to "take their rightful place in the leadership, as we are all called to be leaders".
"So I am here to assist people to share their gifts and to work together as a community," the priest said.
