Bob Maguire

Robert John "Bob" Maguire AM, RFD (born 14 September 1934 in Thornbury, Victoria^[1][2]) is an Australian Catholic priest, community worker and media personality from South Melbourne. Commonly known as "Father Bob", Maguire was awarded the Order of Australia in 1989. In his younger days he used to be a beekeeper, which he describes as "one of the finest periods of my life".^[3] A documentary has been made about Father Bob Maguire entitled In Bob We Trust.^[4]

"Bob Squad"

The Bob Squad is the Fr Bob Maguire Foundation’s volunteer fundraising and welfare provision arm that is styled on and inspired by Father Bob’s sense of revolutionary approach to social justice. Its slogan is "Viva La Bob" and makes many social and pop culture remarks that align it with the fighting spirit of other revolutionaries such as Che Guevara and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Media work

Maguire used to host a radio show on Melbourne radio station 3AW.

Maguire had a guest appearance on the SBS television program John Safran vs God with the Melbourne Jewish comedian John Safran. He is a co-host of Sunday Night Safran on Australian national youth radio station Triple J on Sunday nights. From November 2005 to January 2006, he joined Safran as co-host of Speaking in Tongues on SBS television.

His popularity is such that he now has his own website and podcast, in addition to the Triple J Sunday Night Safran radio show and podcast.

Maguire once described his methods of preaching as "orthodox, yet unconventional". Famous for his occasional religious puns, Maguire once declared that "although we Catholic priests may have better quarters, it's the Anglicans who can afford the better halves!"^{[citation needed]}

In October 2009 he started working as a Judge for the Public Speaking Contest "Strictly Speaking", which aired in late 2010. He joined other judges including Jean Kittson and host Andrew Hansen.^[5]

Community work

Although over 75, Maguire remains active in community work with Open Family, which he co-founded in 1978, and as president of the Bob Maguire Foundation. He also established the Emerald Hill Mission and Beyond Care. He is a patron of Dance World and the Canonical Administrator to the Galilee Regional Catholic Primary School.

Maguire was the parish priest of the Saint Peter and Paul Parish, South Melbourne.^[6] According to Maguire the most important funeral he has ever conducted was that of Victor Peirce.^[7]

Retirement controversy

On 7 September 2009 Maguire announced on his blog that he had been contacted by church authorities and asked to tender his resignation on his upcoming 75th birthday. He replied with a public announcement that he would leave the decision of whether he should stay or go to his congregation.^{[citation needed]}

Maguire was finally forced to retire at age 77. He held his last church service on 29 January 2012 at St Peters and Paul's Church in South Melbourne. It was reported as "standing room only" with an attendance about 1,000.^[8]

This period of Father Bob's life was documented by the film In Bob We Trust directed by Lynn-Maree Milburn. The film premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 27 July 2013. ^[9]

References

External links

• Fr Bob Maguire Foundation
• Father Bob's blog
• Father Bob's podcast site
• Father Bob's Facebook profile
• Sunday Night Safran on Triple J
• Speaking In Tongues official website
• In Bob We Trust official website