"The 10 happiest years of my life."
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That's what Father Brian Schmalkuche has said about the last decade he has spent as the Priest for the Trundle and Condobolin Parishes.
The well-known and well-loved efferverscent Priest, an iconic figure in Parkes, Trundle, Tullamore and surrounds, is retiring from his role after serving the community with incredible distinction.
Commonly known as 'Father Brian', Brian was installed as a Companion Priest by the Assistant Diocesan Bishop, John Stead, on February 22, 2012 and he promised the parish that he would serve for at least 10 years - which he has done with grace, humility and a great deal of enthusiasm.
It was following a powerful call for Brian and his late wife Judith to serve the Trundle parish and establish lasting relationships with the community - and the duo were an unstoppable force.
"We made a very good team, she was the glue that stuck it all together," said Father Brian.
There have been some amazing achievements during Father Brian's tenure.
A major one was a complete rebuild of the parish's finances, another was seeing a huge increase in the amount of people worshipping, said Father Brian.
"Through the Trundle Parish council we began to pay back a substantial debt to the Bathurst diocese, and I will never forget the excitement of this church the day our treasurer, Kevin Boneham, announced the debt was paid back in full," he said.
"It was a major achievement for the parish.
"We have also grown the church, for example in Christmas 2013, 27 adults received the sacrament in four centres with no children attending.
"Christmas 2021 saw 89 adults and 17 children worshipping in five centres.
"Judith and I also planted a church in the village of Fifield in 2014...and took on the leadership in the Condobolin Parish," Father Brian said.
Perhaps one of his biggest legacies from his tenure will be the six amazing Walk 4 Christ walks, where he would trek for hundreds of kilometres all over the parish, spreading the word of God and supporting the community in any way he could.
It wasn't just those official walks either, Father Brian spent every day pounding the pavement.
During COVID though, when health and safety meant face-to-face visits were not possible, he instead ensured he could continue dropping in by introducing what he terms 'mailbox ministry'.
"I prepared as if I would be delivering worship in church each weekend and then delivered this homily to 106 mailboxes, starting at Umang Street in Tottenham through Albert, Tullamore, Fifield, Trundle, Bogan Gate and finally finishing at Edward Street, Forbes, where our treasurer is," he said of the initiative.
"I also had a mailbox drop assistance for 14 drops in the Narromine Parish.
"I report these facts because I believe this was the very best parish mission attempted in the parish during my time.
"The appreciation of those on the fringe of our family of God was really heartwarming," said Father Brian.
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The passion for caring for people, and bringing them to Christ, just oozes out of Father Brian, and he said that aspect was the major motivation for his service.
"My ministry has primarily been dropping in on people seven days a week," he said.
"The encouragement of people to bring children to baptism has been a big part of my ministry as well - we don't baptise into a denomination, we baptise a child into the family of God.
"My take on faith is that we want people to come to believe in the gospel and have faith in the Lord.
"Bush ministry is to get to people, build a relationship with them and let them know you will always help them at any time of the day or night," Father Brian said.
The Bishop for the region, the Right Reverend Mark Calder said the community was very lucky to have been served by Father Brian.
"Brian is much loved and has been a very public figure not only in the church, but in the communities of the parishes he has served," he said in a letter written ahead of Brian's retirement.
"Brian has undertaken this work basically full time...he has gone above and beyond what was initially asked of him by the bishop at the time.
"Religion today leaves a lot to be desired but Brian has shown us not the beauty of religion, but the beauty of knowing God personally.
"Through Jesus' death and resurrection, each one of us can find forgiveness and new life as we turn our lives back to God, and this has been Brian's motivation - to share with us all where true life can be found," the letter read.
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And what's next for Father Brian?
"I'm going to Tassie for six months, into 70 acres of wilderness where there are 15 fishing cabins...I'm just going to have an enormous amount of personal time with the Lord, so that he can lay on my heart, and I know He will, what he wants me to do next," said Father Brian.
"There are a lot of things I want to do, but I need to know what He wants me to do...because I know he wanted me to go to Trundle, and if I didn't I wouldn't have had the 10 happiest years of my life."
We know you'll come back to Parkes ready to serve the Lord, and we can't wait to see you again, Father Brian.
Do you have any memories of Father Brian from the last 10 years?
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