Father Richard Thompson (pictured) has been shepherd to his flock at St Mary's Catholic Church for 10 years, a decade the priest describes as one of growth, integration and development.

"The building program for the parish and supporting the schools has certainly been a highlight for me," he said. "And the second thing would be the way that the Catholic community got involved with the wider community. 

“Breaking down Catholic barriers in the community has gone really well."

Born in Cootamundra, Father Richard's calling has taken him from Young, to Canberra, to England, to the Middle East, to the high seas and back again.

"I began as an assistant priest in Young," he said. "I was chaplain for the hospitals in Canberra and then went to the Navy, where I was a chaplain for 17 years."

At the start of next year, Father Richard will move once more to a "mega-parish" covering much of Canberra's south.

"I'll be managing a very big area," he said. "I was asked to go in and reinvigorate the parish."

And in his place, Father Tom Thornton will move from his parish in Bateman's Bay back to Young.

"When he was first ordained, he was put here as an assistant priest," Father Richard said. "He's returning to Young much as I did.”

And Father Paul Nulley will come to Young from Cootamundra, taking the assistant priest role much as Father Richard did.