A Catholic priest celebrating 25 years in the bush is attributing superannuation to the dropping number of churchgoers across Australia.

Father Michael Lowcock, described by federal MP Bob Katter as "the most influential person in north-west Queensland", has led the Catholic church in Mount Isa since 1993.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 11 minutes 21 seconds 11 m Father Michael Lowcock reflecting on 25 years in Mount Isa with Harriet Tatham. ( ABC News ) Download 26 MB

He said over the years his seven parishes, stretching across an area of around 200,000 square kilometres, have lost a third of their congregants — a change he believes is linked to superannuation.

"Superannuation is a great idea, but it's changed people's idea of religion because you become a person who makes your future secure by your superannuation," Fr Lowcock said.

"You retire now with a million or two million, and so you've organised all of that yourself. You don't need God for that."

Father Michael Lowcock (L) met Pope John Paul II in 1995 at the Vatican. ( Supplied: Father Michael Lowcock )

Fr Lowcock said as people became more financially independent, the church and its charity was not as essential.

"In the older days, you had to depend upon God more than you do today," he said.

Fr Lowcock grew up in Bowen, and studied at the seminary in Brisbane before working in churches in Ingham, Townsville, Ayr, and finally Mount Isa.

Father Lowcock holds Catholic services in Julia Creek, Cloncurry, McKinlay, Camooweal, Dajarra, Boulia and Mt Isa. ( Supplied: Father Michael Lowcock. )

Like many people who move west for work, Fr Lowcock said it had not been an easy transition.

"I felt like a fish out of water for the first six months," he said

"Everything's in your face: the mine is in your face, the environment is in your face, the black and white issues are in your face.

"I thought I'd be here for three or four years like everyone else who comes here, [but] I've been a priest for 45 years, and 25 of those have been in Mount Isa."

After settling into the transitional city, Fr Lowcock said his decision to stay stemmed from his desire to provide some continuity to the community.

"I still remember going to Dajarra school, and one of the teachers announced they were leaving," he said.

"This little kid comes up and puts their hands around [my] legs and says, 'You're not leaving too, are you?'

"Moving on every three or five years, I don't think they get that sense of care."

Catholics and Muslims praying, side-by-side

The outspoken priest was in the limelight in 2016 when he offered a spare room from the Good Shepherd Parish to the local Islamic community for use as a prayer room.

To this day, Muslims and Catholics pray just metres apart because of his work.

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"It was just amazing how quickly word spreads around the world," Fr Lowcock said, as he reflected on being contacted by international religious leaders.

"I was conscious before we started because I didn't want people who are anti-Islamic to become really violent, which you see in some places.

"But when you see the exact opposite — that millions, literally millions [are] saying 'this is fantastic' — that says we do live in a beautiful world."

Fr Lowcock told the ABC he would work for around five more years in the city of Mount Isa, before retiring to the more quiet neighbouring town of Cloncurry.