Diocesan News
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has welcomed the appointment of Fr Mark William Freeman as the ninth Bishop of Ballarat.
Pope Leo XIV announced the appointment in Rome on Wednesday night.
Fr Freeman, 66, currently serves as Parish Priest in Bellerive-Lindisfarne, in the Archdiocese of Hobart.
He will succeed Bishop Paul Bird CSsR, who has led the Diocese of Ballarat since late 2012.
Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, said the announcement would be greeted with joy and hope by the Catholic community in the Diocese of Ballarat.
“Fr Freeman has, since his priestly ordination in 1984, gained wide experience as a pastor in the Archdiocese of Hobart and has, in recent years, also served as the Chancellor of the Archdiocese,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“This combination of pastoral and administrative leadership means that Fr Freeman is well equipped to take up the role of chief shepherd for the Catholic community soon to be entrusted to his care.
“His wide experience and many gifts, his deep faith and his pastoral sensitivity will also be greatly valued by his brother bishops as he joins them in their pastoral oversight of the Catholic Church in Australia.”
Archbishop of Hobart Anthony Ireland described Fr Freeman as “one of Tasmania’s finest”.
“He has served in every part of the archdiocese and in its most senior leadership roles, providing wise counsel to three archbishops … I wish him every blessing and success in his new ministry.”
Fr Freeman will be ordained to the episcopacy and installed as the ninth Bishop of Ballarat in March. Further details will be announced shortly.
Paul Osborne • Australian Catholic Bishops Conference • media@catholic.org.au
Bishop Paul shared the following statement :
Dear Fathers and Parishioners,
We have received news that Pope Leo XVI has appointed Fr Mark Freeman to be the next Bishop of Ballarat. The news of the appointment was officially published in Rome, in L’Osservatore Romano, today, January 7, at noon, Rome time.
Fr Freeman is currently Parish Priest of Bellerive, Tasmania. He will be ordained as Bishop of Ballarat within the next three months, probably in March.
Bishops are requested to offer their resignation from office when they turn 75. I turned 75 in July 2024 and duly offered my resignation to the Holy Father. Over the past eighteen months, the nuncio (the Pope’s representative in Australia) has coordinated a consultation process about a successor as Bishop of Ballarat.
It was announced in Rome today that Pope Leo has appointed Fr Mark Freeman to be the next Bishop of Ballarat. At the same time, Pope Leo has appointed me to be Apostolic Administrator of the diocese until Fr Freeman is installed as the new bishop.
As I share this news, I look back over the years since my ordination as bishop in 2012. I offer thanks to God for the many blessings of these years, and I offer thanks to you all for your support in the care of our diocesan community. I also invite you to join me in prayer for Fr Mark as he prepares to take up this service as our bishop.
