Diocesan News
Bishop Paul was ordained to the priesthood on May 17, 1975.
At a gathering of diocesan staff and clergy from the Ballarat area, Michael Myers reflected on Bishop Paul’s ministry.
Read Michael’s words below:
50th Anniversary of Bishop Paul’s Ordination to the Priesthood
Bishop Paul, we are gathered here today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of your ordination to the priesthood, on 17 May 1975.
Bishop you were born and educated in Newcastle, in primary school by the Sisters of St Joseph and at secondary school by the Marist Brothers.
After completing your secondary studies in 1968 you joined the formation program of the Redemptorists and made your profession at Galong on 11 February 1968.
You studied here in Ballarat at the Redemptorist seminary for 4 years and then completed your seminary studies at the Yarra Theological Union in Melbourne.
You were ordained on 17 May 1975 by Bishop John Toohey in Waratah in Newcastle.
Ministry
Bishop, your priestly ministry has taken you far and wide, and as a young Redemptorist you travelled around Australia, visiting parishes where you conducted mission programs of prayer and preaching.
You have spoken about this time, especially in remote areas of WA and my impression is that it was a challenging but exciting and rewarding period in your ministry.
In 1979 you went to Washington where you completed your Master of Arts degree at the Catholic University of America, specializing in liturgy.
After your American studies you returned to Australia to resume your missionary work. You also taught in the field of liturgy and served 3 terms as the director of the Pastoral Institute in Brisbane.
Bishop, in 1987 you were appointed superior of the Redemptorist community in Brighton where you were the editor at Majellan Publications until 2007.
I can only assume that it was at Majellan Publications that you honed your now famous editing skills. How many of us have presented to you what we believed were well drafted documents, only to find that we had in fact committed a litany of grammatical errors.
Your fame has spread to Melbourne because the documents prepared by our lawyers also bear the brunt of your editor’s pen!
During this period, also served a total of fifteen years as a member of the Provincial Council of the Redemptorist Congregation, which included representing the congregation abroad and from 2008 until your appointment as Bishop here in Ballarat you served as the Provincial of the Australian Province of the congregation, which includes NZ, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.
On 16 October 2012 you were ordained Bishop of Ballarat.
Ballarat
Bishop, you arrived in Ballarat at a very difficult time for the Diocese and you were almost immediately involved in the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry and later, the Royal Commission. You gave evidence in both enquiries.
You established the Professional Standards Panel and assumed the challenging task of engaging with survivors. You have also meet with members of the loud fence movement many times.
Recent years have seen highlights such the diocesan participation in the Plenary Council and the 150th anniversary of the diocese – including your visits to every parish during 2024, which was a huge undertaking.
You instituted the Diocesan Assembly on leadership and governance which connected the diocesan community and provided an opportunity for people to express their views on these issues. In addition, you have given your mandate for the Pastoral Planning Panel to continue the work of the Assembly.
Bishop, I admire your communication skills, both written and verbal. I also admire your energy, work ethic and your attention to detail- nothing crosses your desk unread, and every communication receives a careful response. All this work and effort is undertaken because of your care of the diocesan community.
Despite your huge workload, you are very generous with your time and are prepared to meet and listen carefully to anyone who wants to speak with you.
At your ordination as Bishop you spoke about a Bishop being “in a sense more precisely an assistant shepherd”- that is an assistant to Christ, the good shepherd.
Bishop Paul, your time as Bishop has been characterised by your special care of the diocesan community and so perhaps l can say that you are truly a good assistant shepherd of Christ’s flock.
On behalf of us all, l thank you Bishop for your long and faithful ministry and congratulate you on your fifty years of priesthood.
At a gathering of diocesan staff and clergy from the Ballarat area, Michael Myers reflected on Bishop Paul’s ministry.
Read Michael’s words below:
50th Anniversary of Bishop Paul’s Ordination to the Priesthood
Bishop Paul, we are gathered here today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of your ordination to the priesthood, on 17 May 1975.
Bishop you were born and educated in Newcastle, in primary school by the Sisters of St Joseph and at secondary school by the Marist Brothers.
After completing your secondary studies in 1968 you joined the formation program of the Redemptorists and made your profession at Galong on 11 February 1968.
You studied here in Ballarat at the Redemptorist seminary for 4 years and then completed your seminary studies at the Yarra Theological Union in Melbourne.
You were ordained on 17 May 1975 by Bishop John Toohey in Waratah in Newcastle.
Ministry
Bishop, your priestly ministry has taken you far and wide, and as a young Redemptorist you travelled around Australia, visiting parishes where you conducted mission programs of prayer and preaching.
You have spoken about this time, especially in remote areas of WA and my impression is that it was a challenging but exciting and rewarding period in your ministry.
In 1979 you went to Washington where you completed your Master of Arts degree at the Catholic University of America, specializing in liturgy.
After your American studies you returned to Australia to resume your missionary work. You also taught in the field of liturgy and served 3 terms as the director of the Pastoral Institute in Brisbane.
Bishop, in 1987 you were appointed superior of the Redemptorist community in Brighton where you were the editor at Majellan Publications until 2007.
I can only assume that it was at Majellan Publications that you honed your now famous editing skills. How many of us have presented to you what we believed were well drafted documents, only to find that we had in fact committed a litany of grammatical errors.
Your fame has spread to Melbourne because the documents prepared by our lawyers also bear the brunt of your editor’s pen!
During this period, also served a total of fifteen years as a member of the Provincial Council of the Redemptorist Congregation, which included representing the congregation abroad and from 2008 until your appointment as Bishop here in Ballarat you served as the Provincial of the Australian Province of the congregation, which includes NZ, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia.
On 16 October 2012 you were ordained Bishop of Ballarat.
Ballarat
Bishop, you arrived in Ballarat at a very difficult time for the Diocese and you were almost immediately involved in the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry and later, the Royal Commission. You gave evidence in both enquiries.
You established the Professional Standards Panel and assumed the challenging task of engaging with survivors. You have also meet with members of the loud fence movement many times.
Recent years have seen highlights such the diocesan participation in the Plenary Council and the 150th anniversary of the diocese – including your visits to every parish during 2024, which was a huge undertaking.
You instituted the Diocesan Assembly on leadership and governance which connected the diocesan community and provided an opportunity for people to express their views on these issues. In addition, you have given your mandate for the Pastoral Planning Panel to continue the work of the Assembly.
Bishop, I admire your communication skills, both written and verbal. I also admire your energy, work ethic and your attention to detail- nothing crosses your desk unread, and every communication receives a careful response. All this work and effort is undertaken because of your care of the diocesan community.
Despite your huge workload, you are very generous with your time and are prepared to meet and listen carefully to anyone who wants to speak with you.
At your ordination as Bishop you spoke about a Bishop being “in a sense more precisely an assistant shepherd”- that is an assistant to Christ, the good shepherd.
Bishop Paul, your time as Bishop has been characterised by your special care of the diocesan community and so perhaps l can say that you are truly a good assistant shepherd of Christ’s flock.
On behalf of us all, l thank you Bishop for your long and faithful ministry and congratulate you on your fifty years of priesthood.
Fr Eugene McKinnon, Archbishop Charles Balvo, Bishop Paul, Fr Wally Tudor and Fr Patrick Flanagan