Society of St. Columban © St. Columban’s Widney Manor Rd, Knowle, Solihull. West Midlands B93 9AB Tel. 01564 772096

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Fr Hubert Hunter RIP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fr Hubert (Hub) Hunter died at the Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home at Northcote on September 5. He was 85 years old. Hubert was born at Windsor, Melbourne, on the seventh of February 1925, the son of Hubert Hunter and Agnes Kane, the youngest of three boys. His older brother Francis also joined the Columbans.

Hubert joined the St Columban Missionary Society in 1943 and after initial studies at St Columban’s Essendon, went to the diocesan seminary at Werribee for his theology studies. He was ordained a priest on July 24, 1949 at St Patrick’s Cathedral by Archbishop Mannix. His missionary appointment was Japan to which he sailed in February 1950.

He spent the next 18 years in Japan as assistant priest and parish priest. He was pastor of Guardian Angels Church, Minamata, the town which became infamous for illness caused by industrial wastewater containing methylmercury being released into Minamata Bay by a Chisso Corporation factory.

 

Fr Hubert returned to Australia in 1968 due to illness, not connected with Minamata, and after recovering his health he returned to Japan in 1972. However health issues forced him to return to Australia where he spent the next 12 years working for the Melbourne Archdiocese at Elsternwick and Ormond.

He returned to Japan again in 1984 and was pastor of the church at Oe on beautiful Amakusa Island until 1992 when he returned finally to Australia. However he continued to be an assistant priest at Pascoe Vale and later East St Kilda parishes until failing health forced him to retire to St Columban’s, North Essendon where he had gone as a young man to begin  his missionary journey.

He spent the last three years of his life under the wonderful care of the Little Sisters of the Poor at Northcote.

Fr Hub was a gentleman like his brother Frank whom he admired greatly. He was a ‘gentle giant’ who many people felt comfortable with and with whom he remained friends for years.

His funeral was held on September 9 at St Columban’s, Chapel, Strathmore followed by burial at Melbourne General Cemetery.

May he rest in peace.