Saint Bob

I've finally read the biography of Father Bob, written by Sue Williams, that I bought at the Byron Bay Writers Festival in 2014.

Father Bob (far left) Byron Bay Writers Festival in 2014

Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet Father Bob at the BBWF, even though I was in attendance at the book talk he gave on the day.
He just didn't turn up for the book signing afterwards for some reason, but at least I  got to talk to his sidekick John Safran once more, and at least got John to sign his book ... that I'm still yet to read.

 After reading his life story it was clear that Bob always punched way above his weight in life and while I'm not a Roman Catholic myself, I can see why people think he should be made a saint sometime down the track.

I would even hang a St. Bob medal from my rear-view mirror if the Church ever made him a saint, even if he was a bloody Collingwood supporter;-)

Not to mention a Melbourne Storm supporter, as well.
Your sins are forgiven for supporting these clubs Bob ... even though I find it really hard to forgive you for being a Collingwood fan.
Gees, what were you thinking when you got involved with that crowd, even Nathan Buckley got cast out of heaven (Brisbane Lions) and wound up there to suffer;-)

I noticed that Father Bob was made redundant the same year I was, 2012 -
Freedom At Last After 24+ Years
But unlike Bob, I hated my job and I've never regretted having to leave that place I worked in.

November 19th??

Another weird coincidence I noticed when reading the book about Father Bob was the tragic story of Bob's more, or less adopted son, Costas Vasiliou dying suddenly on November 19th, 2011, while Father Bob had a wedding to do on the day and how he found Costas just before he had to do the wedding.
Father Bob went on with the wedding, so as not to let the bride and family down on her wedding day, all the time knowing Costas lay dead on the Church grounds.
November 19th, 2011 was my 23rd wedding anniversary right to the day.

My wedding ring with the date of the
wedding day inscribed inside - 19/11/88

Being officially divorced in 2016, I'll always see November 19 as a tragic day from now on, too.
Love on the Rocks ... A Fool's Journey?
I thought it was amusing while reading the book that Father Bob said he knew nothing about being married, but he was married to the Church and the Church divorced him when they kicked him out after turning 75.
Believe me Father Bob, the feelings you felt when going through that would be nearly identical to being divorced in a real marriage, having to move out of the house you loved and having to start again, while feeling betrayed by the marriage partner you thought you could trust.

Page 237?!

Being from Brisbane I never really heard about Father Bob and his work until I saw him with John Safran on John's TV show 'John Safran vs God' (see the photo of page 237 above).

 The first time I ever met John Safran was the night I took my boys (who were fans of Safran's shows) to see him and Jon Ronson do a talk at the Brisbane Powerhouse (see picture below). 
The Men Who Stare at Goats and The Daughters Who Lift Cars Off Their Dads Sync

I first met John Safran in Brisbane 2005.
Nice of Jon Ronson to record it for me in his book.

I was so impressed by Father Bob's story that I ordered a DVD of the movie that I narrowly missed seeing a while back which I wrote about in this post in the link below- 
My Philomena Spooky Syncy Sunday

I know that in the end of the book you say that you never want to be made a saint Father Bob, but you deserve to be made one, I think.
You're a saint in my book anyway Saint Bob. 

I often toyed with converting to Roman Catholicism in my early 20s, but I could never stand the dogma of the Church, while I really loved the spiritual side of the ritual, so I ended up joining the  
Liberal Catholic Church, so I could receive the Eucharist without all of the dogma that goes with it.
After watching the RC Church go slowly backwards over the years and back towards the dark old days, I think I made the right choice all of those years ago by staying out of it.
If the Church had more priests like Father Bob I wouldn't think twice about converting.
Maybe one day the hierarchy of the Church will come to their senses and realize that they need more priests like Father Bob.

UPDATE: May 6th, 2023

Father Bob Maguire honoured at a state
funeral at Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral

I watched Father Bob's State Funeral live yesterday from my Brisbane/Logan home on a Vimeo link, which was kind of surreal ... and now it is up on You Tube (below) for those who missed it or want to watch it again.

I don't know why I kept thinking of those billboard glasses from 'The Great Gatsby' while I was watching Father Bob's service?-)

In (Saint) Bob We Trust