Fr Laurie Beath will be greatly missed by many in our community. Image: St Raphaels Parish Facebook.
The community suffered a great loss in the early hours of Wednesday, 26th of July, when our beloved Parish Priest, Fr Laurie Beath, passed away following an ongoing battle with cancer.
Ken McNamara, Principal of St Edwards Catholic School reminisced on the loveable character of Fr Laurie. “Fr Laurie loved informing his parishioners and friends that his car number plate ‘AGP’ actually stood for Australia’s Greatest Priest’. He had an amazing talent for gardening and his gardens were regularly selected to be included in the Gardens of the Year competitions,” said Ken.
The qualities that saw Fr Laurie through to the end of his adventurous and fulfilled life were kindness, enthusiasm, passion, energy, devotion, dedication, and a strong connection to faith. Fr Laurie was certainly an incredible person who will be missed by many.
The Parish asks the community to maintain the message of peace in our minds and hearts, Laurie’s personal message to his family, his priestly family, and his various parish families.
The church community plans to support each other through their collective grief, and encourages the community to seek support if they need to.
Fr Paul, Bathurst Diocese said, “The sadness of this news is tempered slightly by the knowledge that Fr Laurie is now free of the dreadful pain that the cancer was causing.”
Fr Paul asks that the community to “Please pray for Fr Laurie as he now enters the new life that death brings, and pray for his family and friends, especially the parishioners of Cowra, Eugowra and Canowindra, and our clergy, as they deal with the stark reality of this news, and grieve a much loved brother and pastor.”
The community has Laurie’s own family, his priestly family, and his various parish families in their thoughts and prayers.