Meet The Team

Fr. Michael Trainor was appointed as parish priest of Lockleys in January 2019. He was born in Tailem Bend. After attending Catholic primary and secondary schools, Michael entered St Francis Xavier’s Seminary, Rostrevor, and was ordained by Archbishop Gleeson in 1974. A few years of pastoral ministry in parishes led him to undertake post-graduate study in USA (Chicago, and later Boston), Israel and Melbourne, completing a Master of Arts (in biblical literature and languages), Master of Education and a Doctorate in Theology. On returning to Adelaide, Michael taught at the Seminary, coordinated adult education for the Archdiocese and taught in the faculty of theology at Flinders University in biblical studies with the Adelaide College of Divinity.  Currently, he teaches with the Australian Catholic University and is engaged in inter-faith and inter-religious dialogue. He is an executive board member of the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) and chairs the Australian Council of Christians and Jews (ACCJ). Within Adelaide, he co-chairs the SA Council of Christians and Jews and the Uniting Church-Roman Catholic Dialogue. Michael has authored several books on theology, education and the Bible. And for a hobby, he regularly flies a glider out of Gawler. This helps him come to a realistic perspective about himself, his world and the parish!

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“Listen, Learn, Love”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We don’t have many aboriginal or Torres Strait islander people join us for Sunday Eucharist, if at all—at least as far as I know. But this does not stop us from remembering that when we gather to celebrate our weekly Eucharist we are joined to everyone throughout the world, including our indigenous sisters and brothers.

Before we formally we begin our Liturgy each Sunday, you would see, on our two screen monitors, our recognition of our respect for the lands and culture of the local Kaurna people, whose heritage and people we respect, past, present and emerging. This is an important statement and not something we do blithely. Our indigenous people are present with us in the Word and the Eucharist. They are members of the Body of Christ, which we receive at our celebration. When we say “Amen” to the minister offering us the consecrated bread with the words “The Body of Christ”, our “Amen” is not just a recognition that this piece of blessed bread is the real presence of the Risen Christ, but it is an “Amen” that affirms that we are in communion with all—including our First Nations People—who are part of the Body of Christ.

This Sunday is important from another perspective. It is Social Justice Sunday and the Australian Bishops have issued “Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.” (You will find the statement here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZPLKEOg8DeGt2MBdRinUidDIz3HqoLVA/view ) Unlike former bishop statements, this one is in two parts. The first is written by indigenous Catholics; the second by the bishops reflecting on the first part.

While it is impossible to give a full summary of the document, one paragraph stands out for me:

“At the heart of this year’s Social Justice Statement is a call for all the People of God to embrace a new engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, an engagement which involves a commitment to listen to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers and to learn from them. This listening and learning and the actions which flow from them must be grounded in a spirit of love if there is to be a change for the better.”

The Bishops’ statement is timely. For us Catholics, we will be invited to vote for the forthcoming referendum on “Yes” or “No” to have our First Nations People included in the Australian Constitution and to offer their voice in parliamentary decision-making. Such a voice is already formally included, as you know, in our State Parliament. It was a decisive bi-partisan agreement earlier in the year.

“Listen, Learn, Love” offers us a helpful way for preparing for the vote, remembering our history of the relationship in Australia between First Nation and non-First Nations people, to listen to the voice of our indigenous sisters and brothers, their pain and struggles, and our invitation to be a Church (and parish) open to all. It encourages us to support the Voice.

I certainly do and will. I will be inviting our Parish Council to ponder the Statement and offer a collective parish response to the Voice.

Your brother,

. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

This is your Team Member description. Use this space to write a brief description of this person’s role and responsibilities, or add a short bio.

“Listen, Learn, Love”

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We don’t have many aboriginal or Torres Strait islander people join us for Sunday Eucharist, if at all—at least as far as I know. But this does not stop us from remembering that when we gather to celebrate our weekly Eucharist we are joined to everyone throughout the world, including our indigenous sisters and brothers.

Before we formally we begin our Liturgy each Sunday, you would see, on our two screen monitors, our recognition of our respect for the lands and culture of the local Kaurna people, whose heritage and people we respect, past, present and emerging. This is an important statement and not something we do blithely. Our indigenous people are present with us in the Word and the Eucharist. They are members of the Body of Christ, which we receive at our celebration. When we say “Amen” to the minister offering us the consecrated bread with the words “The Body of Christ”, our “Amen” is not just a recognition that this piece of blessed bread is the real presence of the Risen Christ, but it is an “Amen” that affirms that we are in communion with all—including our First Nations People—who are part of the Body of Christ.

This Sunday is important from another perspective. It is Social Justice Sunday and the Australian Bishops have issued “Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.” (You will find the statement here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZPLKEOg8DeGt2MBdRinUidDIz3HqoLVA/view ) Unlike former bishop statements, this one is in two parts. The first is written by indigenous Catholics; the second by the bishops reflecting on the first part.

While it is impossible to give a full summary of the document, one paragraph stands out for me:

“At the heart of this year’s Social Justice Statement is a call for all the People of God to embrace a new engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, an engagement which involves a commitment to listen to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers and to learn from them. This listening and learning and the actions which flow from them must be grounded in a spirit of love if there is to be a change for the better.”

The Bishops’ statement is timely. For us Catholics, we will be invited to vote for the forthcoming referendum on “Yes” or “No” to have our First Nations People included in the Australian Constitution and to offer their voice in parliamentary decision-making. Such a voice is already formally included, as you know, in our State Parliament. It was a decisive bi-partisan agreement earlier in the year.

“Listen, Learn, Love” offers us a helpful way for preparing for the vote, remembering our history of the relationship in Australia between First Nation and non-First Nations people, to listen to the voice of our indigenous sisters and brothers, their pain and struggles, and our invitation to be a Church (and parish) open to all. It encourages us to support the Voice.

I certainly do and will. I will be inviting our Parish Council to ponder the Statement and offer a collective parish response to the Voice.

Your brother,