C A T H O L I C P A R I S H E S
of
WANGARATTA and
KING VALLEY
Acknowledgement of Country: As we gather as a community, we think of the traditional custodians of this land, the Pangerang People of the Yorta Yorta Nation. We would also like to pay respect to elders past and present. As it was along the banks of the Ovens and Kings Rivers that Pangerang People lived harmoniously for thousands of years. We continue to walk towards reconciliation and recognise the continuing connection to Country of the Aboriginal people.
Fr. Michael Pullar MBE
Parish Priest and Chaplain to the Wangaratta RSL sub-branch, is an ex military chaplain
He was born and educated in Christchurch New Zealand. Among other things studied philosophy and theology for seven years and was ordained a priest in July 1970. Served in a number of parishes until being posted into the RNZAF in 1986. In 1997 was posted to the RAAF as a member of the ANZAC Exchange programme, and following his commission into the RAAF has been in Australia ever since.
Fr Pullar retired from the RAAF five years ago and after a short time as a
parish priest in Bendigo was posted to Wangaratta parishes following in the footsteps of Monsignor J.J. White MBE. During his 46 years as a priest Fr. Pullar has had experience in a number of postings in Australia and overseas.
Fr. Dean Bongat
Assistant Priest
Dean first entered the seminary in Mindanao in the southern part of the Philippines, then transferred to Manila where he joined another seminary, then went to university studying Psychology. He worked as a Psychologist in one of the orphanages in Manila, acted as a guidance counsellor in Manila Bussiness College and lectured at the university. During this time he was the Philippines representative to the World Federation of United Nations Associations. In 2010 went back to the seminary, this time in the Lorenzo Mission Institute where he completed his degree in Philosophy and started a degree in Theology.
He then applied for and was accepted as a student for the Diocese of Sandhurst living in Melbourne and studying at Catholic Theological College.
Dean was ordained a deacon on 25th November 2017 at Muntinlupa in the Philippines and ordained a priest on 15th September 2018 at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo.