The
Catholic Weekly
Online

Sydney
26 October 2003

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Meaning of life

Tuition fee jump

Award for Reservist chaplain

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Step behind the convent walls

Desire to serve others

Trial for euthanasia?

Interfaith

Seminar on self help in action for hearing impaired

Editorial: Enormous debt

Letters: Interstate appreciation

Conversation: Br Dan Stafford, chaplain to the Australian Jockey Club - A generous fraternity of 'saints and sinners'

Voice of Youth: Blessed upon the earth

‘Wonderful occasion’

Stone takes the cake

Bumper crop of students

Concert ‘journey’ by young honours Pope’s anniversary

‘My kids’ bring tears

Conversation: Br Dan Stafford, chaplain to the Australian Jockey Club - A generous fraternity of ‘saints and sinners’

By Damir Govorcin

Br Dan Stafford (pictured), recently-appointed Catholic chaplain to the Australian Jockey Club in Sydney, expects to be bombarded by punters looking for a tip for the Melbourne Cup, to be raced on Tuesday, November 4.

Over the years, Br Dan - a Kogarah-based Redemptorist and long-time volunteer with the St Vincent de Paul Society - has made many friends and contacts in the racing fraternity in Australia through his role as chaplain.

Many of Br Dan’s friends believe he has the inside information when it comes to tipping winners, but at this stage he is struggling to come up with a winner for the Cup.

“I get a little information from those in the racing industry, but I don’t always win,” said Br Dan.

“As to who is going to win the Melbourne Cup, well, your guess is as good as mine.”

Horse racing has always been in Br Dan’s blood. His uncle Dan was a jockey.

And Dan remembers hearing his father Mick, a golf professional, betting sixpence each way with an SP bookie on Saturdays.

Mick counted Australian champions like Norman Von Nida, Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson among his students.

“My dad had a hectic schedule and was booked out every day, but he still managed to have a bet each Saturday,” recalled Br Dan.

“I also remember at school everyone would stop at 3.40pm the first Tuesday in November to listen to the Melbourne Cup.

“Many priests and brothers at that time came from Ireland and had a background in horse racing.”

Br Dan describes the racing fraternity as “saints and sinners combined”, and says going to the Melbourne Cup at Flemington is “celebrating life with friends”.

“I love a flutter and I always try to back a quinella,” he said.

“I find the racing fraternity to be an honest group of people who are generous in giving to charity.”

Through his many years as volunteer co-ordinator at the Matthew Talbot Hostel, which is operated by the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Br Dan has seen the damage caused by gambling and alcohol addiction.

“People say that gambling is a sin, and for some that’s true,” he said.

“In the old days, gambling was seen as a relief from hardship, but these days it’s a major cause in marriage break-ups.

“All of us have addictions, but thank God most of us can control them.

“Those that can’t have places to come to like the Matthew Talbot Hostel, which can offer them help and support.”

Apart from his chaplaincy work, Br Dan is on the Vinnies State council for NSW/ACT and also assists the Matthew Talbot Hostel in fundraising.

The youngest of six, Br Dan entered the religious life in 1965, at the age of 27.

Before joining the Redemptorists, Br Dan worked in Brisbane as a salesman for a printing and stationery firm.

His first posting as a Redemptorist was in the Riverina town of Galong, where he was trained as a cook.

Later he was moved to Perth where he ran the Redemptorist Retreat Centre.

During his time in Perth, he was made a chaplain to the racing fraternity and was the driving force behind getting the first Mass held at a racecourse in Western Australia in 1980.

The annual Mass is now held at Ascot racecourse before the running of the Perth Cup in December.

For the past 15 years, Br Dan has also been the master of ceremonies at Melbourne’s annual racing Mass, which is held in the city’s Church of St Francis, in the week before the running of the Melbourne Cup.

“The church is packed with men and women from the racing industry who come from all over Australia, making it a special occasion,” Br Dan said.

“A high number of people wouldn’t be of the Catholic faith, but the church is full of Christians and the Mass is well attended by priests and bishops from Australia and New Zealand.

“We don’t pray to God for winners, but pray for the racing industry to be blessed with safety, principles and good health.”

Br Dan mentions the loss to the racing world of people of the calibre of trainer Max Lees, racehorse owner Jack Ingham and jockey Jason Oliver, brother of Group 1 champion jockey Damien Oliver.

Br Dan has a special bond with their families and was asked to organise and participate in the funerals.

He still gets choked-up when he talks about the death of Jason, who died a week before last year’s Melbourne Cup.

Br Dan sat in the stand at Flemington with Jason’s mother, Patsy, and the rest of the Oliver family to watch Damien win the Cup aboard Media Puzzle.

“The day was an emotional roller-coaster,” Br Dan recalls.

“You had Damien winning the Cup, while his brother was in a coffin waiting to be buried.”

Over the years, Br Dan has watched many great horses, but he rates the great Tulloch, winner of the Caulfield Cup, WS Cox Plate and Brisbane Cup, as the best.

“Seeing Tulloch win the Brisbane Cup in his last race in 1961 is a day I will always remember,” he said.

“Tulloch knew he was a champion and it was a privilege to see this beautiful animal in action.”