This page details the passing of Fr Troy in the week of 7 July 2026. The sudden news came as a shock to our parish and he will be dearly missed.
A Memorial Mass was held at Holy Spirit Parish on Wednesday 8 July at 6pm.
It was celebrated by Fr Richard Thompson, Fr Eden and Deacon Joe Blackwell with over 350 people in attendance.
A condolence book was also available at all Masses over two weekends for those who wished to leave a message for Father Troy’s family.
The funeral and Requiem Mass was held on Monday 13 July 2026 at Holy Spirit Parish.
The Mass was celebrated by Fr Richard Thompson and he was assisted Fr Mark, Fr Tom, Fr Simon, Fr Eden and Deacon Joe. The were 45 other priests present at the funeral as well as many other religious leaders and representatives. Approximately 900 people attended the Mass in person and many more online.
You can watch the funeral online using this link:
Below is a message from Archbishop Christopher Prowse to the Holy Spirit Community on Wednesday 8 July:
Through our Vicar General, Fr Richard Thompson, may I convey my deepest condolences and prayers for all who gather for the Funeral Mass of our dear brother, Fr Troy Bobbin, at Amaroo on Monday, 13 July.
At present I am leading a pilgrimage group of our educational leaders in Europe and so cannot be with you personally. I am sorry for this. But please be assured of my spiritual closeness with you all – especially the Bobbin family, clergy of the Archdiocese and parishioners from many parishes of the Archdiocese.
Fr Troy Bobbin served the Archdiocese with remarkable devotion and spiritual closeness with so many for over 30 years.
His pastoral style was to offer pastoral leadership from the midst of his parish communities. He was always keen to shepherd parish and school leaders. He would spend much time on developing and nurturing lay leadership skills in his many parishes over the years.
I always found him respectful and cooperative in our one-to-one conversations. He was open to see the wider needs of the Archdiocese and to act according to where he could help.
His sudden death has shocked us all. Indeed, only a few days before his death I visited him in the hospital. He talked of his plans to return to the parish soon. But the Lord had other plans.
May his soul rest in peace in the merciful arms of the Lord Jesus, Risen from the dead, who now takes Fr Troy into eternal glory.
Archbishop Christopher Prowse
The below message was sent from Fr Richard Thompson, Vicar General on Wednesday 8 July to announce the passing of Fr Troy:
Fr Troy Joseph Bobbin PP1962-2026
It is with great personal sadness that I announce the sudden death of Fr Troy Bobbin, Parish Priest of Holy Spirit Parish, Amaroo ACT. Fr Troy died at Canberra Hospital on last night after complications with recently diagnosed cancer treatment. His family and the Archdiocese were supporting him at that time.
Born: Boorowa 28 October 1962
Parents: Maurice (dec) and June nee Corcoran; (siblings: Kym Patterson, Daren (Daz) Connolly, Perry and Lee Bobbin).
Education: St Patrick’s Boorowa, Latham Primary ACT and St Francis Xavier College, Florey ACT
Seminary: St Paul’s Seminary, Kensington NSW.
Ordained a Deacon: 27 October 1995
Ordained a Priest: 17 May 1996, St Peter Chanel’s, Yarralumla ACT by Archbishop Francis Carroll.
Parishes and Appointments: Young, Calwell ACT, Ardlethan and Barellan, West Wyalong and then West Wyalong Mission, Queanbeyan, Gunghalin ACT.
Fr Troy’s funeral details will be released in due course.
On behalf of the Archdiocese, I particularly thank Narelle Holt for her timely and professional support of Fr Troy, where she reached beyond her retired priests’ mandate. Of course, Narelle was supported in her generosity by members of the Clergy Retirement Foundation Board of which Fr Troy was a member.
May he now rest in peace and rise in Easter glory.
Fr Richard Thompson
Vicar General
Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
Below is an article was from John Mikita, Chair Parish Pastoral Council. It also appeared in the Parish Bulletin.
Every parish has a priest and every now and then, a parish is blessed with someone who becomes much more than that.
Born in Boorowa on 28 October 1962, ordained to the priesthood in 1996, Fr Troy served faithfully across the Archdiocese and beyond. Every parish he called home was better because he had walked amongst its people. But Holy Spirit became something special for him, and he certainly became something special for us.
If you knew Fr Troy, you knew one thing for certain, he was never short of ideas.
He dreamed constantly. Sometimes those dreams arrived one at a time. But more often, they arrived all before morning tea for the team in the parish office. Parish assemblies, youth ministry, Alpha, renovations, new ministries, welcoming religious sisters, reaching those who had drifted away, his imagination simply never rested. More than once, those working alongside him found themselves smiling, laughing and occasionally pleading, “Maybe not all this week please Father Troy!”
Fr Troy was given a three hour leave pass from hospital on Sunday 1st July to come to what would become his final parish Mass where he welcomed eleven people into the Catholic Church. Even in his last days, he was doing what he loved most, bringing people closer to Christ. Little did any of us at that Mass know that this would be the last time we would ever see him face to face.
From his hospital bed a few days later, just days before he died, he joined our Parish Pastoral Council meeting online. Not to talk about his illness, but to talk about the future of the parish he loved. That was Fr Troy. His concern was always for others.
He had a remarkable gift for making the kids in our schools feel seen. He listened without judgement, welcomed without conditions and gently reminded them that God’s love was always bigger than their mistakes.
He challenged us too. “We’ve always done it this way” wasn’t an answer he accepted. He believed the Church should never stop reaching out, growing and trusting where the Holy Spirit was leading.
Perhaps that is why his passing feels so difficult. It wasn’t just a priest we lost. It was the man who kept reminding us to look forward with hope.
We will grieve because we loved him, we will smile because he gave us so many reasons to, and we will give thanks because, for a little while, God entrusted this truly remarkable and sometimes quirky priest to our parish family.
Fr Troy often believed the Holy Spirit was urging him on to the next great adventure – just like another of his favourite train journeys. Now, we trust he has reached the greatest adventure of them all.
The below message came from Lolesio, Assistant Priest who was overseas when Fr Troy passed away. It was read aloud at the Memorial Mass on 8 July:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Today our Holy Spirit Parish family mourns the passing of our beloved Parish Priest, Fr Troy. Our hearts are filled with sadness, yet we stand together as people of faith, trusting in the promise of the Risen Lord, who has conquered death and opened the way to eternal life.
We thank God for the gift of Fr Troy’s life and priesthood. He faithfully shepherded our parish with kindness, compassion, and dedication. He celebrated the sacraments with us, preached the Gospel, and walked beside us through life’s joys and sorrows. We will always be grateful for his loving service and the witness of his faith.
As we grieve, let us also hold fast to the hope of the Resurrection. We know that the Lord whom Fr Troy served so faithfully now welcomes him into His eternal peace.
Although I am away in Samoa, my heart and prayers are with you all. I ask you to continue praying for Fr Troy, for his family, and for our parish community. May we find strength in one another and in the love of Christ, who never abandons His people.
May the Lord grant Fr Troy eternal rest, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.
With my prayers and every blessing,
Fr Lolesio
Assistant Priest
Holy Spirit Parish, Amaroo
Dear Fr Troy,
Thank you for welcoming me to Holy Spirit Parish when I began as your Assistant Priest on 10 April 2026. Although our time serving together was short, I will always be grateful for the privilege of sharing in your ministry.
I came to know you as a priest who was deeply committed to the mission of Christ and to the people entrusted to your care. You were an excellent organiser, a dedicated leader, and someone who always wanted the best for the parish. Your love for the Church and your faithful service inspired me, and I learned much simply by watching the way you lived your priesthood.
Thank you for your guidance, your encouragement, and your kindness. I will always treasure the conversations we shared and the example you gave me as a priest.
It is difficult to say goodbye, but I do so with faith and hope. I entrust you to the loving mercy of our Lord, whom you served so faithfully throughout your life. May He now welcome you into the eternal joy He has prepared for His faithful servants.
Rest now from your labours, Fr Troy. Thank you for everything. It has been an honour to walk beside you, even for a short time.
Until we meet again in the presence of our Lord, may you rest in His perfect peace.
With gratitude, affection, and prayers,
Fr Lolesio
A copy of the service booklet is below for you to view online or download.
The Catholic Voice has provided coverage from Fr Troy’s passing. You can read it here:
Below are images taken by parishioners of the events following Fr Troys passing
