When Andrew Devereux proposed to his girlfriend Angela Byrnes in Queenscliff last August he didn’t imagine that all three of his priest brothers would attend the Nuptial Mass!
 
In fact all six of Andrew’s brothers and the majority of Angela’s 10 siblings travelled over from New Zealand, Queensland, Ireland, the United States and Poland to join the happy couple on their big day at St Anthony’s Shrine in Hawthorn on Saturday 7th January.
 
In his homily Andrew’s older brother Peter stated that the couple’s mission as a married couple is to “witness to love in good times and bad”.
 
Fr Peter, who works with Catholic business leaders in Atlanta, was even bold enough to assign ‘homework’ to the newly weds for their honeymoon that included talking to one another of their hopes and dreams for the future and not fearing the opportunities of being vulnerable with each other.
 
Andrew’s younger brother Simon was ordained on Christmas Eve in 2010 in Rome at St Pauls Basilica and is based in Connecticut as a Spiritual Director & Administrator in the seminary. Both Andrew & Angela attended his ordination and so it was fitting that Fr Simon presided over the exchange of the marriage vows.
 
Fr Matthew, who works with Catholic youth in the Archdiocese of Krakow, was the chief celebrant and presented the newly weds with a framed Papal blessing.
 
All three brothers are ordained priests with the Legionaries of Christ.
 
Although not born and bred locally Andrew and Angela feel right at home in Melbourne and have been active in the Archdiocese through various ministries associated with the Regnum Christi Movement including two successful Catholic leadership camps for boys and girls aged between 10-15 that took place in Anglesea this past January.
 
“I actually felt the Nuptial Mass & reception was a mini-Regnum Christi get-together. A lot of our friends and family have served the Church and society through various apostolates and volunteered in co-worker program the Movement offers here in Australia and abroad,” Andrew said.
 
Angela begins her first year as a teacher at Resurrection school in Essendon this year while Andrew begins an Executive Assistant role in an Insurance Brokerage in East Melbourne.