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I spent memorable hours yarning with Father Bob and I accompanied the Father Bob McGuire Foundation food van on some of its nightly forays to parts of the city to provide sustenance to those in need. Invariably Father Bob would turn up at some point in the evening to lend his inimitable presence to the show.
In January 2006, I interviewed Father Bob Maguire. Father Bob was gracious enough to give me an hour of his time one afternoon in a conversation that was memorable, enlightening and entertaining at the same time. Here, published for the first time, is that interview in full.
Some people live large. Their presence fills a room and stays with you for a long time afterwards. Father Bob Maguire, who died last week, was one of those people. Fr Bob’s voice, his presence, left a mark on the lives of so many people, from so many walks of life.
For Father Bob, being a priest entails getting his hands dirty, giving everything of himself, and doing what he thinks is right, even if doing so upsets power structures; especially if it upsets power structures, if they have contributed to the plight of the downtrodden. (From 2013)
Father Bob is cast in a similar mould to Peter Kennedy and Bill Morris, those other earthy Australian clerics who according to the popular narrative were suppressed by the hierarchy for flouting outdated practices. This is an appealing narrative for a secular public that has become disillusioned with institutional religion, especially due to the sexual abuse crisis and inequitable practices regarding marriage and the role of women within the hierarchy.
The day has no front teeth, it raves in the street, it is grey as a tap, a murky x-ray of a multiple trauma. The front door keeps whistling old songs about going away ... these hinges hate me, not one screw will stay put. They are moving out.
An ego-driven, take-no-prisoners approach dooms atheism to remain an exclusive club. Only by forming alliances with the moderate religious community will atheists be able to preserve the elements of society they value most, such as freedom of enquiry and the separation of Church and State.
It's doubtful that any Australian priest communicates more intuitively with young Australians than Bob Maguire. Fr Maguire's 'forced' retirement has universal relevance as the story of the predicament of ageing community workers.