Parish News
On Sunday, February 8 after 10.30am Mass at St James’ Church Sebastopol, a morning tea was held for Fr Con Bagaoisan, Parish Priest of the South West Ballarat Parish who was celebrating his 30th Ordination Anniversary. A Thanksgiving Mass was also held at St Aloysius Redan also on this day at 2.00pm with celebrations at the Redan Presbytery before Fr Con returned to the Philippines to celebrate with his fellow classmates from the seminary.
We wish Fr Con every blessing for the future and may God bless him abundantly for his generous and devoted service.
A bit about Fr Con:
Fr Concord Bagaoisan OSJ from the Congregation of the Oblates of Saint Joseph was born on August 26, 1968 in a small town in the southern part of the Philippines.
He joined the Congregation of the Oblates of Saint Joseph on May 27, 1985 and was ordained a priest on February 10, 1996. Over the next 30 years, Fr Con has been appointed to several assignments in the Philippines and Australia, including the following:
- Prefect of Discipline in the College Seminary
- Parochial Vicar of Our Lady of Mercy and Holy Rosary Parish
- Oblates of Saint Joseph Provincial Vocation Director
- Prefect of Discipline of the Student of Theology
- Director of Junior Profess of the Oblates of Saint Joseph
- Parish Priest of San Francisco de Assisi Parish
At the invitation of Bishop Holohan, Fr Con volunteered to go on a mission to Australia, and arrived in WA on January 12, 2009. His first assignment was to the Holy Family and Saint Joseph Parish in Albany. Life in Albany, as a whole, was a bit of a shock to Fr Con because he was not properly oriented into the Australian culture and language. Fr Con remembers being told to, “Bring a plate”, and thinking, “Why should I bring a plate?” Another time was asked, “How are you travelling?”
Little by little, with the help of many people, I have learnt the idiomatic expressions of Australia and the culture. So many things to learn, but I love it. I am learning the Australian way.
On Saturday, 26 January 2013, Fr Con was assigned to the Dawesville Catholic Parish (Saint Damien Parish Church). He enjoyed his six years stay in Dawesville because it’s very close to the city of Perth. The Church in Dawesville is very simple, yet it invites people to holiness, reflection and deeper prayer.
On 26 January 2019 to 2024, Fr Con was appointed as the parish priest of Saint Patrick’s Parish in Waroona and the chaplain of Our Lady of Mercy College in Australind. Fr Con commented that the people were accommodating and very welcoming. Fr Con was very happy to serve both St Patrick Parish and Our Lady of Mercy College.
In 2024, Fr Con was appointed to the Parishes of Redan, Sebastopol and Linton in the Diocese of Ballarat, which has since merged to form the South West Ballarat Parish in 2025.
First printed – https://www.olmca.wa.edu.au/post/knowing-fr-con-chaplain-of-our-lady-of-mercy-college
