Fr. Nicholas Punch, OP

I come from a large, closely knit family, six boys and two girls. I am the second eldest and was born in 1939. I have ten nephews and three nieces. Both parents have died, but when I am in Australia, family gatherings are large, noisy and fun.

I joined the Dominican Order in 1961 and was ordained a priest in December 1966. Since then I have worked in parishes, schools and universities. I was Provincial of the Australian New Zealand province of Dominicans from 1981-1988. This provided me with an opportunity to see the work of the Order especially in the Pacific and Asia.

I became an intern at the Thomas More Center for three months in 1989, and was given permission to join the Team full time in 1991. Since then I have seen many churches in USA and Australia/New Zealand, appreciating the many ways that parish teams reach the people.

My hobbies are photography and classical music, and like Fr. Mike and Sr. Joan, I love reading. I devour the Sunday New York Times whenever I get a chance. The Dominican training has provided a wonderful education; there is always so much more to study. I am especially interested in Scripture and moral theology and hope these find their way into new talks.