The gospel of today captures much of what there is in my heart at this moment. It talks about the Eucharist. It talks about the amazing total self giving of Jesus to all of us. Our God is still even today willing to avail Himself in total openness and service to others. This was part of Mgr Collins’ life. I am aware of his appointment in Wodonga and his selfless ministry among the newly arrived migrants at Bonigilla. They were hard times for those people who having recently arrived in a far away and unknown continent, struggled to form a new way of living for themselves and for their families. Many had just been through the traumatic and bitter experience of the Second World War. Many were psychologically disoriented being the victim of terrible persecutions, systematic ethnic cleansing and being deprived of basic necessities. Yet Mgr Collins was there right in the midst of all this confusion, helping to give hope, helping with baptisms, trying to get the proper documentation for those who lost much evidence of their identity, walking with couples who desired to get married and being the human face of Jesus and the Church to those who felt alienated and marginalized.
Shepparton was also very dear to him. He often spoke about his exploits on the football field. He was known as a rough and rugged footballer. It is said that on the field he never went around a member of the opposing team. Yet he used these opportunities to get close and mix with young people. This attitude of giving and being with those in need accompanied him throughout his ministry in the various parishes in which he served.
The gospel of today speaks about an incredible basic belief for us as Catholics. “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you”. This teaching was central in Mgr Collins’ life. He celebrated Mass daily and together with his daily Prayer of the Church and the Rosary was the core of his spirituality. This is what kept him going over the years. His great love for the church is well known and his stance on different aspects on how the liturgy is celebrated and what ought to be taught is also very well known. He surely did let everybody know what he was thinking.
He had faults and he would be the first to admit it. He would argue passionately and consistently to defend his way of thinking and acting. At the same time he would never nurture a grudge against anybody or keep sulking when things unsettled him. No argument would stop him from respecting and helping others. I know fully well how surprised and hurt he was when people took things personally and would keep away from him as a result of a difference of opinion.
His grounding in what the church teaches made him especially open to other priests. He loved the priesthood and was concerned for their well being. His openness and hospitality to the priests was legendary. He loved to be in their company and I know that he helped quite a few priests. He was committed to the Sick Priests Fund for many years so that when priests are ill they would still have an income and would be able to cover the costs for any supply priests when needed so that the parish pastoral life cold continue. He was interested in vocation and whenever the opportunity presented itself he encouraged young men and women to think seriously about embracing the life of a priest or a religious. Talking about religious life he was so grateful for the presence and ministry of religious sisters especially Sr Mary and Sr Josephine.
Whenever I visited the presbytery I was always struck by a photo that used to hang on the right hand side as you enter the presbytery. It is the photo at the back of the booklet for today’s funeral Mass. It is a photo of Mgr Collins dressed as a Monsignor with a happy face and a cheeky smile. I like this photo because it says a lot about the man. It portrays a man of inner elegance, who loved life and who exuded confidence and a positive demeanor. It also shows a person who while loyal to his call, was not afraid “to do it his way” at times. It shows a man who while enjoying life knew that ultimately our destiny is to come home to God.
I saw him last on Saturday morning and though he was under the effect of a substantial does of morphine, he knew who was around him. After I administered the Sacrament of the Sick, Shirley, Pat and myself prayed a decade of the Rosary with him. He was heavily sedated yet every now and then we could hear him pray “Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”.
He was so grateful to those who cared for him, his friends, his family, the nurses at the hospital and Fr Michael Morley the present parish priest of Tatura. He often said that the care and attention that he was receiving was splendid. On behalf of the Diocese and on behalf of my brother priests and religious, I thank you for being near Mgr Collins during his life and especially during the time of his sickness.
