Roger Pryke

Roger Irving Pryke (12 February 1921 – 28 June 2009) was a scholar, Catholic priest, psychologist, and social activist who left an indelible impression on the Australian Catholic community and on the broader Australian community. As a priest he was a knowledgeable precursor, and later exponent, of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. As a preacher, lecturer and personal counsellor he was acknowledged as "(changing) thousands of people's lives" and influencing those thousands into "(becoming) a new kind of Catholic".

Early life and preparation for the priesthood Schooling and formation Roger Pryke was born in Goulburn, New South Wales on 12 February 1921, the son of Emily and Edwin Pryke. When he was five years old, his family moved to Coogee, then Clovelly, beachside suburbs of Sydney. He attended primary school there, where he received his early education by the Sisters of St. Joseph (Brown Josephites).

He was inordinately and unusually devout for his age. From the age of eight he worried about the religious issues of sin and the "state of grace". From this time in his life into the latter years of primary school he attended daily Mass and Communion - no easy discipline as the church was a kilometre and a half walk from where he lived. Pryke immediately had reservations about its methodology and developed a nuanced approach to its existence. He preferred to encourage and advise the students as individuals to allow their Christianity to enrich their own personal spirituality and character. Pryke's understanding of psychology merged with his understanding of Catholicism and Christianity - a radical change at the time. In his conversations, talks and sermons he encouraged his connections to work on psychological balance. He advocated facing reality with courage as a means of preserving a healthy sanity. He taught his constituency that sanity depends the esteem of significant others. He explained the importance of making meaningful and mutually supportive friendships. He encouraged forgiveness and a loving attitude to others. He highlighted the research which showed how cruelty by one person to another is the basis for much mental illness. He preached the development of a personal and social conscience and how this often demands practical, peaceful and effective action in the wider community.

Reforms in his parish liturgy On the parish front, he redesigned the church at Harbord so that the priest faced the people. The congregation was seated in a socially intimate semi-circle around the altar table. The Living Parish Hymnal gave life to the liturgy. Fellow public servant and ministerial committee member Ken Buttrum recalls Pryke's contribution as follows:

(I have) fond memories of Roger’s many great leadership skills, and it’s just a shame that his contribution to the development of new services for disadvantaged youth supported by the Department of Community Services in the mid 70s are not outlined in the (Harvey) book. He led a ministerial committee, of which I was a member, recommending major changes to young offender services throughout this state. It was my privilege to then implement these services. What an extraordinary individual of great vision and compassion! I will never forget his humility, great personal strength and personal encouragement as one of my supervisors. The private sector greatly benefitted from his vision, skill and invaluable leadership.

Later he contributed as a welfare officer and as an Official Visitor to Parramatta Gaol.

Death of his wife Margaret: retirement: last days On 9 November 1994 after a traumatic fall from a horse, Margaret (Meg) Pryke tragically died of a brain aneurysm. The following year Roger Pryke retired.

The civil service which followed at the Crematorium, was totally secular in nature and was presided over by Peter Phelan, a former priest, colleague and close friend. There were five appointed speakers who presented eulogies. All speakers gave testimony to the positive influence Roger Pryke had on their personal lives, which in many cases reassured them while they were within Catholicism and after they had left it. Many appreciated the principles of personal living which, because of Roger Pryke, still enriched their lives well after they had rejected the supernatural infrastructure of religion. John Murray reminded those attending that towards the end of his life Pryke had rejected religion altogether and had become a non-believer. After the planned service a queue of people formed to add to the tributes. Most were from the prison service - many did not get the chance because the time period allotted by the crematorium had run out.

External Sources Campion, Edmund Swifty: A life of Yvonne Swift, Sydney: New South Publishing, ISBN 9781742234755