Fr Jim Knight SVD has been remembered as a much-loved family-member and a wise and dedicated missionary priest, committed to those on the margins, especially to the people with whom he ministered in Papua New Guinea and Central Australia.
Fr Jim’s Funeral Mass was held earlier this month at the St Arnold Janssen Chapel in Marsfield, following his death in Sydney on November 24.
SVD Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass was chief celebrant, and long-time confrere and friend, Fr Frank Gerry SVD delivered the homily.
“We’ve lost a giant of a man,” Fr Rass told the congregation.
In his words of remembrance, Fr Viet Nguyen SVD, who had known Fr Jim since 1995, recalled that Fr Jim was born on December 27, 1936, the eldest son of his parents, Joseph and Genevieve Knight at Narrabri, NSW. He was schooled by the Sisters of Mercy, and the De La Salle Brothers and entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1957 at Marburg, Queensland, before proceeding to Chicago for his scholastics training from 1960-66. He was ordained to the priesthood on August 7 1966 at St Francis Xavier’s Church, Narrabri, by Bishop Leo Arkfeld SVD who flew in from PNG.
“From here, the rest is history, as he ministered right from the word ‘go’,” said Fr Viet.
“His first mission assignment was to PNG at Chimbu Province. He learnt some pidgin and was sent to the mission station of Koge where he found himself in all kinds of bush ministries, from training catechists to building churches and doing pastoral work. Recognising his potential, he was made the first Rector of the Divine Word College in Bomana, PNG.
“From Bomana, he studied Missiology in Ottawa, Canada, and was then assigned as ASPAC Zonal Mission Coordinator, based in Hong Kong. Assigned back to Australia, he helped set up the Missiology Department at Yarra Theological Union and lectured for several years. While residing at Dorish Maru College he involved himself in the formation of younger SVDs in the Asia Pacific region.”
In 1993, Fr Jim became Provincial and served for six years.
“He never stopped, and after that, decided to become involved with the First Peoples of the Land in Alice Springs and became Parish Priest at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in 2007. Fr Jim was also appointed Vicar-General in Darwin Diocese for a short time while serving at Santa Teresa and later in Katherine.
“It was here at Katherine in 2017 that he suffered a series of small strokes, which brought him to our retirement centre here in Marsfield. His health started to deteriorate, and Fr Jim died at St Catherine’s Care Home on November 24, surrounded by Fr Rass, the Marsfield Rector, Fr Raja and his nephew Stephen.”
Fr Rass shared with the congregation that it was Fr Jim’s vision for the SVD to set up the Logos Spirituality Centre in Alice Springs.
“It was his vision that it be staffed with elders and the spirituality programs be crafted by the elders with support from the Church,” he said.
“He never realised that vision personally but the Province proceeded in bringing it to life and the Logos Centre was opened by the then Superior-General of the Divine Word Missionaries, Fr Heinz Kuluke SVD.”
In recognition of Fr Jim’s staunch commitment to the First Nations people of Central Australia, Fr Olivier Noclam SVD from the Aboriginal Catholic Chaplaincy in Central Australia, attended Fr Jim’s funeral and brought a gift from the people – a specially painted cross – which was placed on his coffin.
Also on the coffin was Fr Jim’s well-worn Akubra hat and a photo of St Arnold Janssen, the founder of the Divine Word Missionaries.
Fr Jim’s nephew Stephen offered warm remembrances of a much-loved son, brother and beloved “Uncle Jimmy”, sharing snapshots from his young life, growing up on the family property near Narrabri, as well as their fun times together over the years. Other family members gave readings and paid tribute in various ways.
Stephen said that although Fr Jim lived in many different places over the years, he always found the time to visit his family when he was in town.
“Fr Jim, Jim, Jimmy, Uncle Jimmy or Great Uncle Jim will be remembered for his smile and his caring nature,” he said.
“It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to this very special man who will be remembered by so many. Rest in peace, gentle soul, our beloved brother, brother-in-law, uncle, great-uncle and constant friend.”
In his homily, Fr Frank Gerry SVD noted that: “Just a few years ago, in 2016, we gathered together in Alice Springs, to honour Fr. Jim’s Golden Jubilee of priestly life and service”.
“This morning we gather to give thanks to the Lord for the gift that Fr Jim was to so many of us throughout a life-time and to surrender his body graciously to the earth’s keeping till the day of resurrection.
“We are naturally sad at our loss but faith tells us that the soul of Fr. Jim is now in a better place: he is with the Lord, and the readings from Holy Scripture, that we have just listened to, speak to us of a God of mercy and grace.”
Fr Frank said while he had not been able to see Fr Frank in recent times, he prayed for him often.
“But even though I have not seen him, let me say I knew the quality of the man he was, that in the inner regions of his soul there was the clear grasp of what life was all about and what faith in Jesus, our Christ, made plain and possible to him,” he said.
“He is now able to respond in a way that will be plain to The Lord and The Love of his life. His joy will be complete and inclusive of care for all of us. Let us comfort one another with such truthful and gracious sentiments that our faith in Jesus makes possible and The Spirit, the Gift of the Father and Son, sustains in us.”
PHOTOS:
TOP RIGHT: Fr Jim Knight SVD.
MIDDLE LEFT: Provincial, Fr Asaeli Rass SVD was chief celebrant at Fr Jim's Funeral Mass.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Fr Jim engaged in ministry in his much-loved Central Australia.