An average Sunday for Father Lawrence (Laurie) Beath involved early morning Mass, hitting the road and refereeing several rugby league games before making it back in time for the evening service.
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Laurie Patrick Beath died in Cowra Hospital on July 26, 2023 after a long battle with cancer. He was 68 years of age.
He was born on September 13, 1954 in Canowindra and was the brother of St George and Kangaroos player Barry Beath.
He had been the longtime priest of St Raphael's Cowra but spent many years living in Dubbo and serving in parishes across the Bathurst Diocese.
Alongside his pastoral commitments he refereed in Group 10, 11 and 14 (Castlereagh) and was a beloved figure in the rugby league community.
Group 11 referee Willy Barnes said his commitment to the sport was unmatched.
"There were plenty of times he'd drive from Dubbo, pick me up in Peak Hill and go to Parkes to do a game and once he'd finished he'd have to rush back to Dubbo to say Mass that night," he said.
"It took a lot of dedication, at the time you don't think about it but to do stuff like that [was amazing].
"Taking a confession in the morning then hearing all the boofheads at the footy and having to go back to church, can you imagine?"
Mr Barnes described Fr Beath as "laid-back", with a "dry" sense of humour, and would insist on being referred to as "just Laurie" once the white line was crossed.
Not that Barnes or his fellow referees would pass up the chance for a prank.
"One thing he disliked was when you called him Father at the football," he said.
"He insisted on being called Laurie.
"So of course we would persist with saying Father for everything and we'd say to the players 'look he's a Roman Catholic priest, you need to address him as such'.
"He'd end up repeatedly having to say 'boys I'm just Laurie' throughout the game.
"With all the little tricks he'd play on us, it was good to get one back on him."
Mr Barnes' favourite memory of Fr Beath was a match in Dubbo where he became momentarily distracted after a try had been scored.
"Laurie was a laid-back character," he said.
"Obviously as a referee we aren't supposed to have any wagers on games but as you'd go into the gate they would always ask you if you wanted doubles and I used to just hand them $10 and say take it as a donation.
"One day we were in Dubbo and I was refeeering with Laurie running the line.
"First try was scored no dramas, but after the second try he was still walking back down the sideline with his head down looking at something instead of being behind the goals for the kick.
"I asked afterwards what that was all about and he said 'I was one off the double, I thought I had it!'
"It was funny but that was Laurie, he didn't see that as anything other than an innocent thing."
So did Fr Beath ever offer confession to those "boofheads" after the final whistle?
"With his sense of humour it wouldn't surprise me at all," Barnes said.
A Requiem Mass for Fr Beath will be held at St Raphael's Catholic Church in Cowra at 11am on Wednesday, August 2.
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