Fr Geoff McIlroy: joining forces in support of Victorian police

Fr Geoff McIlroy, parish priest of St McCartan’s Catholic Church in Mornington, and police chaplain, will don his leathers and fuel up his whiskey-amber Harley Davison motorbike—a Heritage Softail Classic 1700cc—to take part in the upcoming national Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance. This is an annual motorbike ride organised by the National Police Memorial to honour their fallen colleagues, and to raise funds and awareness of the work of policing legacy organisations and charities across Australia.

Fr Geoff has been chaplain to the Victoria Police on the Mornington Peninsula for the past two years— a ‘privileged role’ that allows him to be a gentle presence and a listening ear, whenever needed. He is one of 80 faith-based volunteer chaplains in Victoria supporting police members and their families. He looks after five stations on the west coast of the Mornington Peninsula, including Mornington, Dromana, Rosebud, Rye and Sorrento.

Living right behind the local police station and knowing many of the local members in his community, he says it is an honour and joy to serve the men and women who often ‘put their own lives at risk for the sake of their community’.

‘I usually visit the two main stations—Mornington and Rosebud—at least half a day a week, but I can be called into the station at any time of the day or night, particularly when members are dealing with tough issues, or if a member or one of their family is seriously ill, or in the event of a member’s death,’ he says. ‘The sights the police see cannot be unseen, and many in our society couldn’t cope with what they see and do, but the police are the front line in dealing with it all and cannot leave it to others. So it’s about being there as a presence, if and when they need someone in a private, pastoral and non-judgmental role.’

Fr Geoff explains that his introduction to becoming a police chaplain was ‘borne out of tragedy’ in his local area. St Macartan’s had started a senior youth group a few years back. Tragically, a youth in the community committed suicide, and the policeman who found the boy was a good family friend of the child’s mother. ‘The youth were looking for a place to gather, so I offered this place,’ says Fr Geoff. ‘Through them, I got to know the sergeant, who is a lovely man, and from there, I formed a relationship with the police. As a result, I was asked if I’d like to be a chaplain and I said, “Of course, I’d love to.”’

I tell the members that ‘I am here to share your suffering. I want some of it. Let me take that burden from you—you already have enough to deal with.’

Having been chaplain for two years now, Fr Geoff says it’s a ‘challenge’ every time he visits the station. When he arrives, he’s never sure what has been happening, so he needs to gently ‘work out the vibe of the station’.

‘I don’t know what they’ve just seen or what they’ve gone through, so I need to be very sensitive,’ he says. ‘I just stay in the background a lot, waiting. And every now and then, someone will say, “Padre, what are you up to? Do you want to have a coffee? It doesn’t mean we have a deep and meaningful every time, and there’s no expectation that we pray—though I’m very obviously there as a man of faith—but it’s about just being there, if and when someone wants to open up about their feelings or if someone needs a shoulder to cry on.’

The essence of police chaplaincy work is ‘being present and showing compassion’, according to Fr Geoff. ‘The original meaning of “compassion” was “share your suffering”, so I tell the members that “I am here to share your suffering. I want some of it. Let me take that burden from you—you already have enough to deal with—give it to me.” We are volunteers who aren’t doing this out of any obligation or for money. Rather, we want to do this through Christ’s love.

‘Sometimes it’s just good to have somebody different to talk to, rather than turning to a colleague or someone in command. And I do have that faith element, which is very visible and strong with me, so I can bring that out whenever it’s needed. In fact, we had a member here who passed away this week of cancer. In response to that, I felt impelled to write a prayer. So I wrote a prayer for him and put it on their notice board. I went back to the station and people were gathered around reading it and they loved it.

‘So it’s little things like that, which I can do as a parish priest, along with those in our parish who want to remind our police force that we love them, that we want to look after them, and that we really appreciate and respect what they do.’

The Wall-to-Wall Ride for Remembrance is one way I have of helping raise funds for associated legacy organisations connected to the police force, as well as showing my personal support by riding with them.

Upon becoming the police chaplain, Fr Geoff received a cap, vest, jacket, ID badge and special stole. He says, ‘Used in special liturgical ceremonies, the stole represents the chaplain’s authority as a spiritual leader and messenger of God’s word. The one with the Police insignia highlights the chaplain’s commitment to the spiritual wellbeing of the police fraternity.’

Preparing to ride ‘wall-to-wall’

Inspired by the words of Matthew’s Gospel (20:28), where Jesus himself says, ‘the son of man came not to be served but to serve’, Fr Geoff says it’s an honour to serve the men and women of the Victorian police force as a chaplain. And in a show of support, he is taking part in the upcoming Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance. A cavalcade of police, along with their families, friends and colleagues, will ride motorcycles from capital cities across Australia, gathering at the national Police Memorial in Canberra on 14 September.

‘The Wall to Wall Ride for Remembrance is one way I have of helping raise funds for associated legacy organisations connected to the police force, as well as showing my personal support by riding with them. I think we all owe a great deal of gratitude to our police force and for their support of agencies such as Victoria Police Legacy and other worthwhile groups.’

Fr Geoff has established a GoFundMe page to raise money for police legacy organisations connected to the force, which look after the welfare of the police members themselves and their families, especially if they or a family member is going through illnesses, or after a member has died.

‘I want to help where I can,’ says Fr Geoff. ‘As a chaplain, I can do so much, so when I heard about the Wall-to-Wall ride, I thought, “I have a Harley Davidson motorbike. They go on motorbikes. Wow, what an opportunity!”’

This is the 15-year anniversary of the motorbike ride, which is held annually each September, in the lead-up to National Police Remembrance Day. As well as remembering the police men and women who’ve died, the ride aims to promote safe and lawful motorcycling on our roads. Once everyone arrives in Canberra on 14 September, a special memorial ceremony will be held at the National Police Memorial to honour and remember those who have died.

Fr Geoff will join a motorcade that departs from St Kilda on 13 September. They will ride for about 6.5 hours to Merimbula, where they’ll stay the night, before departing for Canberra the next day.

Fr Geoff acknowledges that through his chaplaincy, and the upcoming bike ride, he is part of a bigger picture in providing support to police members in Victoria. ‘The police force itself has welfare departments that are doing a marvellous job in looking after its members,’ he says. ‘Over the years, it has become more and more obvious that it’s important to have someone to talk to, and it’s important to continue to grow the ways we support our police members’ wellbeing.’

Show the police force the respect and love that you can, because they see things that you and I don’t want to see, ever—and they see it regularly.

He’s also noticed another thing that plays a vital role: ‘One thing that keeps them going—and I’ve noticed this in all the stations—is their sense of humour. They have a terrific sense of humour amongst themselves. And I don’t mind being the butt of their jokes sometimes! It means I’m included, which is special.’

Fr Geoff feels a great deal of love and respect for the police force, sentiments he hopes the wider community shares and passes on. ‘Appreciate who you have in your local community and show the police force the respect and love that you can,’ he says, ‘because they see things that you and I don’t want to see, ever—and they see it regularly.

‘When there’s no one else to call, they’re the ones we call—whether it’s in the traffic or whether you’re being protected by them from an intruder. There are all sorts of jobs they do that a lot of us don’t see, and they often put their lives on the line for us ... But they’re human and they feel. They have emotions, they have loved ones, and they suffer deep down, and we must be mindful of that.

‘If you see a police member, go up and encourage them and say, “Well done. We’re thinking of you. We respect you. We love you. Thank you.” It’s just a little thing, but it goes a long way. As we’re called to do in Hebrews 3:13: every day, as long as this day lasts, just encourage one another.’