Beloved Catholic priest and youth advocate Father Chris Riley has been farewelled in a moving memorial service on Monday.
There were tributes flowing from all corners of Australian public life, including a stirring video performance from rocker Jimmy Barnes.
Barnes, 68, delivered a heartfelt rendition of his iconic hit Working Class Man in honour of the Youth Off The Streets founder, describing Father Riley as a guiding light during one of the most difficult times in his life.
‘I was fortunate enough to spend some time with him and the people he helped, at the time I needed his help as much as anyone,’ Barnes said in the emotional clip. ‘I learned a lot from him and I’m singing for him today.’
The ceremony was attended by a mix of former protégés, politicians, law enforcement officials and fellow changemakers – all of whom had witnessed the tireless priest’s commitment to helping the nation’s most vulnerable children.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appeared in a video message, where he described Riley as an ‘inspiration, someone for whom no one would be left behind.’
Beloved Catholic priest and youth advocate Father Chris Riley (pictured) has been farewelled in a moving memorial service on Monday
There were tributes flowing from all corners of Australian public life, including a stirring video performance from rocker Jimmy Barnes (pictured)
He continued: ‘He changed the lives of so many young Australians, young Australians who’ve done it tough, young Australians, no matter how difficult their circumstances were.’
‘Father Riley put a hand out of friendship, support and compassion. May you rest in peace.’
Former Sunrise host David ‘Kochie’ Koch told of his meeting with Riley at Macquarie Fields, where his ashes will be scattered, following the 2005 riots.
‘I hadn’t been hosting Sunrise for long and went out to Macquarie Fields just to get a sense of what was really going on there,’ Koch said.
‘What I found was a priest on a horse walking the streets, followed by those two Great Danes.’
Veteran journalist Mike Munro shared that Father Riley’s calling was inspired by the 1938 Hollywood film Boys Town, where Spencer Tracy played a priest who founded a home for troubled youth in Nebraska.
That film, Munro said, planted the seed that would eventually grow into one of Australia’s most influential youth outreach charities.
The powerful send-off comes just weeks after Daily Mail reported that Father Chris Riley had died at the age of 70 following a lengthy battle with illness.
Barnes delivered a heartfelt rendition of his iconic hit Working Class Man in honour of the Youth Off The Streets founder, describing Father Riley as a guiding light during one of the most difficult times in his life
Former Sunrise host David ‘Kochie’ Koch (pictured) told of his meeting with Riley at Macquarie Fields, where his ashes will be scattered, following the 2005 riots
He passed away peacefully at home on August 1.
Father Riley spent more than four decades working with disadvantaged young people in a variety of roles including teacher, youth worker, residential carer and probation officer. He famously said there was no such thing as a ‘child born bad.’
‘We must have the courage to demand greatness from our youth,’ he once declared.
In 1991, he founded Youth Off The Streets with a single food van in Kings Cross.
The grassroots initiative grew into a nationwide support network encompassing crisis accommodation, education, counselling and outreach programs.
Today, it employs over 180 staff and 250 volunteers.
Known for pioneering trauma-informed behaviour strategies, many of his methods have since been adopted by government and educational bodies across the country.
