Fr Frank Cresp, Good and Faithful Servants: Recalling the Spirit of the Deceased Priests of the Diocese of Port Augusta and Port Pirie 1888-2008, 2008:
Coffey, Patrick

Born: 1903 in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Ireland.
Ordained: 5/6/1932 in Dublin.
Worked in Jamestown 1932-23; Peterborough 1933-36; Port Pirie 1936-54; Minnipa 1955; Cummins 1962; Port Lincoln 1965; Spalding 1972. Part-time Air Force Chaplain at the Port Pirie Base during WW2. Retired to Adelaide in 1973.
Died: 21/8/1990. Buried at Port Pirie. He was Administrator at Port Pirie when St Mark's Church was burned down and rebuilt as the Cathedral. An excitable little man.

Memories: Growing Up With Irish Priests
by Father Paul Bourke

Paul Bourke reflects on some Irish Priests from his childhood to his early days as a Priest.

Patrick Coffey
The longest preacher and most colourful of them all for me.
A great entertainer who just got wound up, sermon after sermon, Sunday after Sunday. He used to laugh away to himself in the middle of his sentences and I understood little of what he said at times. Sometimes he seemed captured in his own world. He often referred to his dear old mother back in Ireland. His Jove of all aspects of life and his sharpness in his dealings were obvious to all. A man who enjoyed knowing anyone and everyone and so happy for me when I joined the Seminary. He never bothered me or put any pressure on about Priestly training or living which I appreciated. A kindly man.

Memories: Father Pat Coffey
by Bishop Eugene Hurley, 5th May 2008

My first appointment as a priest in the Diocese was at Port Lincoln with Monsignor Pat Coffey as my Parish Priest.

He was a most energetic man with a passion for everything. One of his outstanding attributes was his engagement with people - people of all faiths - people whom he knew and people he had never met. He was a most gregarious character.

I well remember one day outside the Post Office where he had first collected the mail. I was too late obviously, as I saw him with the mail in his hands. He was talking to many people with peals of laughter as he returned to his car. He was lastly in discussion with one man, telling his jokes and stories as he struggled with the key in the Jock of his car. Quite obvious, the Monsignor was frustrated at this hold up and was sharing his frustration with this unknown man.

Eventually, the man took a rare chance to interrupt the Mons and pointed out to him that he was trying to enter his and he would appreciate it if the Mons went and got into his own car.

Much laughter, a pat on the back and the Mons was on his way. The other less frivolous thing I noticed about Mons was that he spent an hour in prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament every day - no fuss but enormous fidelity.

I learned so much from this man about priesthood and love of people. I thank God he was my first Parish Priest.

(Reproduced with the approval of Sister Mary Cresp RSM)