Our new Vicar Designate is the Revd Santa Packianathan
Our Vicar-Designate, the Revd Santa Packianathan and his wife Julia.
Santa is the Vicar of St Michael and St Luke Anglican Church since October 2011. He arrived first in Sydney in 1992 from Malaysia in 1992. He later moved to Melbourne where Santa completed his Bachelor of Civil Engineering and Master of Engineering Science at Swinburne University of Technology and Monash University respectively.
After working as a civil engineering associate in Malaysia and as a civil engineer in Melbourne and Hobart for many years, Santa responded to God’s call to ordained ministry.
After working as a civil engineering associate in Malaysia and as a civil engineer in Melbourne and Hobart for many years, Santa responded to God’s call to ordained ministry. Prior to responding to ordained ministry, Santa was very involved in various roles in lay leadership and pastoral ministries in different parishes in Malaysia and Australia. In 2008 Santa completed his Graduate Diploma in Theology (Trinity College Theological School). More recently, he completed the Master of Theology (Charles Sturt University – 2016).
Santa was ordained as deacon and priest at St David’s Cathedral (Hobart) in 2008 and 2009 respectively. He was a deacon and assistant priest at the Anglican Parish of Kingston (Tasmania) before responding to God’s call to return to Melbourne as Vicar in St Michael and St Luke.
Santa is married to Julia (his better half as he calls her) and they have three teenaged children. Santa loves Jesus, his family, football (aka soccer) and is a passionate supporter of Manchester United. In his spare time, Santa enjoys visiting shopping centres, window shopping, browsing op-shops and, having meals in Malaysian and Indian restaurants.
Santa will be commissioned as the Vicar of St Johns Bentleigh on Tuesday 22 June, 2022.
(from the website of the parish of St Michael and St Luke, Dandenong.)
Writing to the congregation of St John’s in a recent pewsheet, Santa said,
”To all, who are loved by God and called to be His holy people, grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ!
Julia and I with our children Deborah, Damaris and David eagerly await the time when we can meet you in June 2022. It is a privilege to be called by our Lord to serve in the Parish of St John’s Bentleigh and we look towards to the many opportunities to work together in partnership to bring honour and glory to our LORD. The journey over the next few months will have many challenges as there will be lots to do. Let us all continue in prayer as the LORD keeps and sustains us through God’s love, grace, and strength over the next few months and beyond.
With prayers and blessings,
Santa Packianathan”
(From right to left: David, Deborah, Damaris, Julia, and Santa – Christmas 2021)