A weekly trip to Sydney and hours of study while serving the Taree and Wingham Catholic communities is what Fr George Anthicad had to undergo to complete a degree in canon law.
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The parish priest of Our Lady of Rosary Church Taree and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Wingham has spent the last four years completing the degree on a part time basis through the The Broken Bay Institute- The Australian Institute of Theological Education in Sydney.
The course is an Australian first, derived from Saint-Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.
Fr George said Bishop Bill Wright of the Maitland-Newcastle diocese encouraged him to complete the course, which teaches the system of laws and legal principles created and imposed by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.
Fr George credits his faith for completing the course.
"Only with God's help was I able to finish and complete the subjects and get this far," Fr George said.
While balancing his pastoral commitments, Fr George drove down to Sydney every Monday to study and use required library resources.
Only with God's help was I able to finish and complete the subjects and get this far.
- Fr George Anthicad
He completed the degree last August, graduated in November and received his certificate in December.
The course was delivered in Latin, adding another level of difficulty to his studies.
"We had to read the Latin and get a translation," Fr George said.
Fr George was one of only a handful of people to pass the final exam in 2019.
He can now practice as a canon lawyer where his duties could include filing annulments, giving precise direction to those in need and providing an exact interpretation of the law to people in 'layman's terms'.
Work for a tribunal in Sydney could also be on the cards but according to Fr George, his current work in Taree has rendered this 'impossible'.
It's not Fr George's first foray into law. He worked in a marriage tribunal in his native India before a move to Australia about 10 years ago.
To celebrate his achievement, the parish council's Anne King, Cheryl Neal, Peter Neal and Leonie Melder organised a cruise on the Manning River.
The council wanted to show their appreciation by doing something memorable.
"Because the church is near the Manning River, we talked about doing something on the river to give it some meaning," Peter said.
"We wanted to make it a memorable day to remember all the selfless, kindness and spirituality that Fr George shares with his parishioners and the wider community," Leonie added.
Fr George was elated by the gesture.
"I thought it was just for a cup of coffee but it turned out to be a big gathering," Fr George smiled.
"When parishioners appreciate our ministry, the commitment moves deeper and I thank God that I was able to express my gratitude for the love and care shown by the parishioners."
Fr George was also presented with a painting of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
