Bryan Parish, a beloved priest of the Diocese of Christchurch for 60 years, died on 6 October 2022.

"Father Bryan was not just a priest but a kind and caring, genuine person. Father Bryan was well loved and appreciated by all. He loved his community as was the centre of it." "We will miss him!" 

These messages express the sentiments of the many, many tributes by people in Aotearoa and overseas who loved Bryan and recorded their gratitude on the Memories and Condolences website. 

With Bryan's family, his loved parishioners, fellow priests and the Tui Motu community we farewell Bryan into the mystery of Divine Love beyond death.

Parishioner Martin James describes the influence their priest Bryan Parish had on St James Aranui and St Mary's New Brighton over 40 years:

I am a parishioner of St Mary’s in the Catholic Parish of Christchurch East, and a friend of Bryan’s. How in a few moments do you sum up a life long-lived? Bryan Arnold Francis Parish was Parish Priest of St James and St Mary’s for over 40 years.
Bryan would often say what a rich life he had led, and I would say what a rich life we have led having known him and having him as our friend and Pastor.
His bright blue eyes would shine and he had a smile that could never be forgotten. His love of Scripture was contagious and through Bryan we learned that God is everywhere we look.
Homilies would include more often than not a quick reflection on the readings with the message being that the readings were so wonderful and complete in themselves that further commentary really wasn’t needed. Bryan would tell us of the bellbird that visited his garden, the trees and ferns, the wild West Coast bush, or the roar of the beach and the easterly wind. He would recall the song of the morepork or ruru, and then speak to us about his beloved Aranui and New Brighton leading us to look for the grace of God in the everyday of our lives. He made the readings come alive through our personal experience.
Being an avid reader of often one book a week Bryan would retell the story chapter by chapter emphasising the presence of God on every page. An Astonishing Secret: The Love Story of Creation and the Wonder of You by Daniel O’Leary became our astonishing secret as Bryan found God for all of us page after page after page.
Bryan embraced the work of the Vatican Council II and the changes and challenges it gave to the clergy and the laity — us the people of God. He often spoke of being the first priest in South Canterbury to celebrate the Eucharist facing the people, taking in his Volkswagen the portable altar from the Home of Compassion to the Timaru North Parish for that first Eucharist. But it was not just a physical change that fuelled him. A crusader for truly following the life of Jesus, Bryan preached the Beatitudes empathising social justice and non-violence but he was passionate about passive resistance.
In his early years in Hokitika, Bryan placed an advertisement in the NZ Tablet advertising himself as a pacifist priest. From those small beginnings the pacifist movement was formed. Recently Bryan had the opportunity for many letters of his early work to be nationally archived.
We as a parish lived Parihaka long before it became a household name. We heard from Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker, and we had the challenging issues of the Church and our world raised in Tui Motu magazine thrust in front of us for discussion and discernment. Bryan was forthright in his criticism of the hierarchal structures that he saw stopped us (the people of God) living out our Baptismal promises. Bryan reminded us every Sunday that we are the Church. He called us the "Saints of Christchurch East".
When Francis was elected Pope, Bryan knew it was a sign — as one of Bryan’s middle names is Francis. Every time Pope Francis would publish another great letter or encyclical Bryan would be joyous that the Vatican were finally catching up with Christchurch East.
Another very joyous moment was the publishing of the Synod report by the New Zealand Bishops. As I read the final report to Bryan his eyes lit up and he quietly said: “It’s as if my life and ministry has been recorded.”
Most remarkably Bryan had the ability to instantly cut though the chaos with his sharp wit and intellect, never being one to mince words he would say “b—s—" and call out an injustice.
Bryan’s life was living the Gospels and the teachings of Jesus —the non-violent Jesus; the poor Jesus; the humble Jesus; the forgiving Jesus.
Bryan believed that to understand the Word of God required us to look around, look for the signs given by the Holy Spirit, to read and then read again, to surround ourselves with those who challenged us to think and discern — people like Fathers Pat, Kevin and Jim, and Sisters of Mercy like Pauline, Teresa, Helen and Marie. A real powerhouse of Catholic faith and theology was centred in the East.
Bryan was so focused on theology that he was still preaching with clarity and acumen the evening before his death.
We have lost a family member, a friend and a great theologian.
We thank God for the presence of Bryan Arnold Francis Parish in our lives. May his final words be recorded as: “Roll on the Revolution.”