(Image: Chaplain Joel Vergara after participating in this year's Sydney Marathon held on 30 August 2026)
SYDNEY – On Sunday, August 30, Chaplain Joel Vergara successfully completed the grueling 42.2-kilometer TCS Sydney Marathon, crossing the finish line at the iconic Sydney Opera House.
Serving as a Catholic priest and chaplain for both the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia and the Australian Army, Fr Joel joined a massive field of 40,000 participants to tackle the prestigious event in its second official year as an Abbott World Marathon Major. Widely known across the Defence community for providing a vital "ministry of presence" to personnel and their families, Fr Joel took that spirit of endurance directly to the tarmac.
His impressive completion underscores the ultimate blend of physical grit and spiritual determination, proving that our chaplains run the talk alongside Australia's service personnel and for our greater community.
By the CMOA Media Team