By Jeff Huddlestone
A LOVE of South Australian country towns and the people who live in them have been the mainstays of a happy 51- year priesthood for Father Peter Fountain.
More than half of his 14-appointment ministry – 32 years, to be precise – has been spent in the country, with 22 of them collectively in the South East.
A familiar face, Fr Fountain has served in various Adelaide parishes, Millicent, Bordertown, Naracoorte, Penola and Mount Gambier , where he has been Pastor Emeritus for the last four years.
Born in Adelaide on 7 May 1945 and one of four siblings, he received a Catholic education.
At a young age, Peter had thoughts about the priesthood, and suffered two two life threatening illnesses and a burst appendix at the age of 10.
After more pondering, his thoughts turned to teaching.
“I did not know why I thought that. I eventually went to the seminary and became a priest,“ Fr Fountain said.
He said there are differences between serving in the city and the country.
“Assisting in the cathedral, I would do masses and celebrate weddings, whereas down here, the buck stops with you, as they say,“ he said.
“You look after everything, all the other committees and meetings, this, that and everything else. It is wonderful, I love the country.”
He liked administering the sacraments of the church and sharing parishioners’ joys and sorrows.
“The biggest thing I did really enjoy was preparing couples for their wedding and then celebrating their day with them,“ Fr Fountain said.
“I saw them a few times and got to know them reasonably well and by their wedding day, they knew me and I knew them.
Fr Fountain said while all the sacraments are good, he thinks highly of confession and is still in demand from parishioners before he leaves.
“Last Saturday, I did 40 minutes straight. That is one thing I can do sitting down,” he said.
The following day, after the 11am mass at St Paul’s, there was a well attended farewell luncheon for Father Fountain and seminarian James Thomson, who is being ordained a deacon at St Francis Xavier cathedral in Adelaide on Saturday, September 3.
The personable Englishman will then return to Boston , USA to continue his studies for the priesthood.
At the luncheon , the parish priest of Mount Gambier, Fr Peter Zwaans, thanked Fr Fountain and Mr Thomson for their service and wished them well on their future journeys.
Fr Fountain will retire to the Francis Murphy village, named after the first bishop of Adelaide.
Meanwhile, the forthright father laments that the number of people going to mass is getting lower and lower.
“Everything has changed. Group pressures, not just church. Lions clubs, Rotary, they are all finding it hard to get people.
“If there’s nothing else on, they might think about coming to church.” he said.
Welcoming the arrival of recently ordained assistant Priest, 27 – year- old Father Olek Stirrat in Mount Gambier and 50 years his junior, he said the young people who should be coming to see him, are not coming.
Fr Fountain said one solution is for people to pray and give example.
He said priests’ training is different to what it was more then 50 years ago.
“We were virtually locked up , separated from the world, in fact we were told not to mix with anyone.
“Nowadays priests mix and go out carrying their (mobile) phones.”
He said it is now harder to attract people for vocations. While his parents were happy that he entered the seminary, some parents today discourage their sons from becoming priests.
“He is probably calling a lot more than they are listening,” Fr Fountain said.
“ I love the country and love the people. We get on reasonably well.
“As I tell other priests, 25 per cent of the people will love you, 25 per cent of the people will love you, 25 per cent can’t stand the sight of you and the other 50 per cent couldn’t care less.”
Father Fountain reflected on his many years serving parishes in the South East.
“It has been wonderful , I loved it. That is why I am sad about going to Adelaide, but the time has come for health reasons.
“ It is interesting that I will be the second youngest one there,” the 77 year old said. He will enjoy relaxing and watching his DVD collection.
With these parting words of encouragement, , Father Fountain said “Thank God for everything you have got – and if things are not going too well, turn to him and ask for help ,which he will give you.”
