Travelling is no trouble for Priest

Visiting eight towns in the region has been an opportunity for Roma's Catholic priest to spread a message of hope.

Fr Jamie Collins with attendees of the Mungalalla Christmas mass. Picture: David Bowden

FATHER Jamie Collins has been doing the rounds in the lead up to Christmas, spending much of last week on the road to visit the Maranoa's smallest towns.

In recent years, Fr Collins has run as many as ten different Christmas mass services for the region, however this year has scaled down slightly to visit eight different towns.

As the only Catholic priest in the region, Fr Collins said he tries to visit most towns before the big day.

"Christmas is a very busy time; we've had masses all around the place, starting off last Sunday at Injune, then Yuleba and Jackson, Surat, Mitchell and Mungalalla.

"We were in Roma last night, and the final service will be in Wallumbilla today.

"We usually have ten masses in the program, but two weren't able to happen this year,” he said.

Christmas Mass at St Columba's church Mitchell. Picture: David Bowden

This kind of extensive travelling hasn't always been the done thing in this part of the southwest until more recent times, Fr Collins said.

"Now, travelling has become part and parcel in Roma and the other western parishes.

"I'm looking after three parishes here, where there would have been three priests in the past.

"There would have been one for Wallumbilla and Surat, and one for Yuleba and Jackson.

"Usually I try to visit each once a month, but at Christmas and Easter, we try to get to all of them in a week,” he said.

Sacred Heart congregation at Yuleba Christmas mass. Picture: David Bowden

It may be a lot of hours spent on the road, but each trip has it's own importance, said Fr Collins.

"To get around everywhere in that week, I can take around the message of hope, particularly this year when everything is so dry and people are hurting.

"Certainly doing that, and this year working with St Vincent de Paul to visit Dunkeld for drought relief, we were able to work with the people down there and see some wonderful help given.

"I think that's what Christmas is about.

"As we enter the new year, we can do so with the hope that Christmas will bring a better future,” he said.

Christmas mass at Jackson. Picture: David Bowden

Originally published as Travelling is no trouble for Priest