Dubbo Catholic priest Father Paul Devitt was a relieved man when he was informed his mate of 25 years and former Dubbo priest Father Carl Mackander had escaped this week’s Samoan tsunami unscathed.
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Fr Mackander, who oversaw St Brigid’s Catholic Church from 1993 to 2003, was in American Samoa attending a church retreat when the natural disaster occurred on Wednesday.
But he was quick to make contact with the Orange presbytery to tell them he is safe and according to Fr Devitt, he was also keen for the presbytery to inform his family.
“Most people didn’t know he was over there but now that people do, it’s amazing how many have enquired about him,” Fr Devitt said.
“He called the presbytery and put a lot of people’s minds at rest, especially his brother and two sisters, and he will actually be staying there to finish off what he started.
“At this stage I think he will be back in the middle of next week.”
Fr Devitt said that at this time last year he was travelling in Timor with Fr Mackander, and added his mate’s close brush with the natural disaster had opened his eyes.
“Carl was my predecessor at St Brigid’s and when he left in 2003 he went to Canowindra and after two years there, he was off to Orange,” Fr Devitt.
“We’ve been mates for 25 years or so and this time last year we were in Timor together, which at the time wasn’t the safest place either.
“Sometimes you see things like this on television and you think about it for a bit but to have Carl over in American Samoa, despite the fact he isn’t hurt, hits home how close these things can come.”
ben.walker@ruralpress.com