Fr John Petrulis
As Parish Priest of Sacred Heart in St Kilda and St Columba’s in Elwood since 2007, Fr John Petrulis leads a network of parishioners who work to welcome those suffering homelessness into the fabric of church life. A member of the Sacred Heart Mission Board, Fr John and volunteer parishioners dedicate their time to serving meals to the homeless. Fr John says it is this connection between parish and mission that is essential. As an Archdiocese of Melbourne ordained priest of over thirty years, Fr John has ministered in a variety of parishes including St John the Baptist in Ferntree Gully, St John’s in Heidelberg and St Joseph’s and St Bernadette’s in Boronia.
Fr John undertook primary school teacher training at Aquinas College in Ballarat from 1975-1977, a pastoral placement with the Diocesan Youth Apostolate in the mid 1980’s and a Bachelor of Theology with Chicago’s Institute of Spiritual Leadership in 1993.
Fr John values his work with the L’arche communities, an international federation of faith communities that aim to support those living with intellectual disabilities.
Reflecting on his time at Salesian from 1970-1976, Fr John values Salesian’s “inclusive welcome to students and families, regardless of their financial or social status. There was always that sense that wherever you came from, this was your school.”
College Achievements
Year
Name
Achievement
2021
Fr John Petrulis
Hall of Fame Inductee - Religious Life
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