Requiescat in Pace Fr John Pickering—A message from Bishop Brian Mascord
May 8, 2026
Bishop Brian Mascord
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the death of Fr John Pickering OFM, who passed away peacefully on the evening of 6 May 2026.
For more than 40 years, Fr John served the people of the Diocese of Wollongong with remarkable humility, compassion, and faithfulness. As chaplain to the Spanish-speaking Catholic community since 1983, he became a beloved spiritual father and friend to generations of families across our diocese.
Fr John’s priesthood was marked by a profound love for those on the margins. Throughout his ministry, he served the deaf community, people living with disability, Aboriginal communities, migrants, and many who simply needed someone to walk alongside them with dignity and care. His Franciscan spirit, gentle wisdom, and quiet generosity touched countless lives.
Reflecting on his ministry during his 50th anniversary of priesthood, Fr John said:
“We have walked a journey together and I often think that I have received much more from them than I could possibly have given to them … The Holy Spirit has been active in my life through them.”
As we mourn Fr John’s passing, we also give thanks to Almighty God for the witness of a good and faithful servant whose life reflected the compassionate heart of Christ.
I invite all who knew and loved Fr John to keep him in your prayers and, if possible, to join us in commending him to the loving mercy of God.
“Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.”
In Christ’s Peace,
Most Rev Brian G Mascord DD
Bishop of Wollongong
8 May 2026
Funeral details
Location: St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Wollongong Date: Thursday 14 May 2026 Time: 11.00am
Followed by light refreshments in the Xavier Conference Centre adjacent to the cathedral. Burial will follow at Lakeside Memorial Gardens.
For those unable to attend in person, the Funeral Mass will be livestreamed here:
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The Catholic Development Fund, Diocese of Wollongong (the Fund) is required by law to make the following disclosure: The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). Investments in the Fund are intended to be a means for investors to support the charitable, religious and education works of the Diocese of Wollongong and for whom the consideration of profit are not of primary relevance in the investment decision. The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and any investment of the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed at www.cdfwollongong.org.au or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.
Our diocesan logo is theologically rich and very succinct. As a hand, it depicts our mission as a diocese and as individuals within the diocese, of bearing (bringing, carrying) Christ’s love to one another and to the world around us. In this, we are the hand of Jesus Christ, and we are offering ourselves to him so that he might work through us.
We can be the bearers of his love only as a response to his call and in the strength of his grace. We are reminded of this in two ways—through the symbol of the dove (the Holy Spirit) also present in the logo, and by the incorporation of the cross that segments the logo. The presence of the cross is a reminder that bearing the love of Christ will inevitably cost us if we live it authentically. However, in the way that the Cross is the portent of redemption and life—an echo of the tree of life in the book of Genesis—so becoming bearers of the love of Christ will also bring us to life.
The four fingers of the hand also represent the four regions of our diocese. The first is bluerepresenting the beautiful water of the Shoalhaven. The second is a blue and green combination representing the waters and escarpment of the Illawarra. The third is greendepicting the hills and plains of the Macarthur. The fourth is dark green illustrating the forests of the Southern Highlands.
