Philippines Typhoon Haiyan YOLANDA Deaths: Sydney Priest Married to Filipina Among Dead in Philippines

By Athena Yenko
The International Business Times
November 11, 2013

http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/521022/20131111/philippines-typhoon-haiyan-sydney-priest-super-yolanda.htm#.UoCjBOL0CCp

An ex-Sydney priest, Kevin Lee, who had been married to a Filipina was one among the feared 10,000 dead in the wake of the world's fourth strongest typhoon in 2013, storm Yolanda (Haiyan).

Mr Lee had been controversial when he exposed incidents of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church. He was removed from service for publicly admitting that he married a Filipina in 2011 and for owning up to his sins of having had girlfriends while still serving in church as a priest for 20 years.

Back in Sydney, he made an important contribution when he established the Padre Pio in Glenmore Park, in Western Sydney. He was, however, removed from his parish in 2012 when he comes clean about his marriage and ex-girlfriends.

In a tribute done on Sunday, Bishop of Parramatta, Anthony Fisher, expressed his sympathy for Mr Lee and acknowledged his roles for being a good husband and a father.

"I extend my deepest sympathy to his widow Josefina and her children during this time of personal tragedy for them and devastation for the people of the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan," News.com.au reported.

Mr Fisher also expressed his condolences to Mr Lee's parents in Australia.

"Last year, Kevin left his ministry as a Catholic priest in very public circumstances and was recently 'laicised' at his request. He had made a new life with Josefina and they recently celebrated the birth of a daughter.Difficult as was the mode of his departure, we honour the work Kevin did as the founding parish priest of Padre Pio Parish, Glenmore Park, and his ministry as a chaplain with NSW Police."

According to Philippine reports, Mr Lee went out for a swim to attend to a religious ritual, despite Philippines typhoon Haiyan already making a landfall.

It was indeed shocking to hear that Mr Lee had died, said Ray King, a former Fairfield police commander, a colleague to Mr Lee and a former competitor for the seat of McMahon. However, Mr King said that he was "fairly reckless" for making that swim for religious ritual.

"Kevin had a choice when he went into the surf," Mr King told ABC.

Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek expressed "deepest sympathies" to Mr Lee's family.

"Our thoughts are also with other nations, including Vietnam and Laos, who authorities report remain in the path of the devastating typhoon," she said on Sunday. The opposition stands ready to assist the Abbott government, in any way we can, to facilitate Australia's contribution to relief efforts."

Meanwhile, The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said that Australians who have families and friends in the Philippines who cannot be contacted should call DFAT's 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 +612 6261 3305.

Contact: editor@ibtimes.com