by Gordon Nary
Gordon: Tell us about your formative years.
Father Tony: I spent my formative years in Clayton, a south-eastern suburb of Melbourne, going to school at St Peter’s Parish Primary School until year 5 and then to De La Salle College at Malvern. I am the eldest of Leo and Claire Kerin’s nine children. I have four sisters and four brothers. After year 12 I deferred university to explore a vocation to the priesthood. I grew up in a typical observant Catholic family and the local parish priest, Fr Kevin Toomey suggested I try out at the Seminary. I spent two years discerning this call at Corpus Christi Seminary at Werribee, and when the college moved to Clayton in 1973 I moved back too and completed my seminary training there, being ordained for the Melbourne Archdiocese in August 1977.
Gordon: Where did you attend school?
Father Tony: In 1978 I graduated from the Melbourne College of Divinity (now University of Divinity) with a Bachelor of Theology degree. I was assigned as an assistant priest in Bennettswood (1978-80), Geelong (1981-84) and Werribee (1985) parishes until May 1986 when I moved to Rome at the request of Archbishop Frank Little to undertake studies in Canon Law. I returned in August 1988 with a Licentiate degree in Canon Law and a graduate Diploma in Latin Letters from the Pontifical Gregorian University. I studied Latin under the famous Reginald Foster O.Carm. and Canon Law under Cardinals Navarette, De Palos, Versaldi, Ghirlanda and Erdo,
Gordon: What were your initial assignments?
Father Tony: I worked full time for 18 years at the Tribunal of the Catholic Church, mostly on marriage nullity cases, but with the odd property, remuneration, sacramental status and defamation cases as well. I was the Associate Judicial Vicar and remain a judge of the Tribunal for Victoria and Tasmania, and an appeal court judge for ecclesiastical cases from interstate and New Zealand.
Gordon: What are some of your achievements that you are proudest of?
Father Tony: I am a past president of the Canon Law Society of Australia and New Zealand (2009-2012). One of the achievements of my time as president was the transition of the Society newsletter into the peer reviewed periodical, The Canonist. I am also a past president of the Catholic Society for Marriage Education (1995-2001) and have toured internationally speaking at conferences in Valencia, Singapore, Norfolk VA, Wichita KS, Costa Rica and Trinidad. I am also a past President of the Corpus Christi Priests’ Association (1995-2015), the alumni organisation for the Corpus Christi Seminary.
I was a chaplain to the Athletes Village for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Ministering to the athletes and team officials with not only other Christians but other faiths in this international environment was exhilarating. One particular incident I recall was working with the Sierra Leone team chef de mission to ameliorate the impact of half of his team absconding to seek asylum in Australia.
Gordon: What are your most recent assignments?
Father Tony: Parish Priest at St Martin de Porres Avondale Heights from 2003-2014 and Parish Priest at Greater Box Hill from 2014- 2024. The circle of faith began to reconnect when I arrived at Box Hill to find my Year 5 teacher from St Peter’s Clayton, Sr Moira Broderick csb, was the Pastoral Associate at St Francis Xavier and St Clare Parish. A major benefit at Box Hill has been my friendship with the pastors of other Christian Churches within our municipality. Twenty eight congregations of Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, Evangelicals, Lutherans, Presbyterians and Salvation Army have formed a registered company, Whitehorse Churches Care Limited, to work together in the reaching out to the 50% of residents who designate no religious affiliation in the government census. This is primarily done through the means of a Community Hub at Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre, weeks of prayer for Christian Unity, Prayer walking the streets of our city, food banks and housing initiatives.
In July 2024 I was chosen by Archbishop Peter Comensoli to be Vicar General of the Melbourne Archdiocese and so even now at 71 years of age I commence a new and challenging role in serving our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church.
Gordon: When you relax, how do you spend some of your time ?
Father Tony: A keen skier, I was inaugural chaplain to the Interdenominational Alpine Chapel at Mt Buller and have spent winter Saturdays ministering there since 1993. I was a PADI certified Scuba Rescue diver with a special interest in underwater photography until giving up that strenuous pastime in 2014. I am a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Yarra Yarra Golf Club. I relax noodling Hendrix inspired blues on my Fender Stratocaster guitar.
Gordon: Thank you for a great interview.
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