Diocesan Vision

At its meeting on 14 May 2019, the Bishop's Advisory Council, together with Bishop Paul Bird, endorsed a process to develop a Vision for the Diocese for now and coming years.  This process includes consultation with the people of the Diocese.

You can download the Consultation process here and the accompanying Bishop's letter here. 

Consultation submissions closed on 29 July 2019 

Diocesan Mission

The Diocese of Ballarat is one part of the people of God, Christ’s faithful, entrusted to the care of the Bishop.

The Catholic Diocese of Ballarat offers support and encouragement to the many thousands of people who live in the rural and provincial communities across the western part of Victoria from the Murray to the Southern Ocean. 

The Diocese of Ballarat, through the work of all its people:

• gathers the people of God in worship through its parishes and within its boundaries;
• gives witness to the teachings of Jesus;
• proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ;
• reflects the sacramentality of all things, especially by the giving and receiving of the Sacraments of our faith;
• catechises the faithful and those new to faith;
• oversees the teaching of children in its schools through the work of the Ballarat Catholic Education Office;
• serves those in need especially through the diocesan agency Centacare ;
• advocates for social justice;
• communicates openly and well with the faithful and the wider community and takes part in ecumenical and interfaith dialogue;
• enables the work of many groups, commissions and agencies connected to the diocese through a common faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to his mission;
• administers the temporal goods of the diocese with care and integrity;
• evangelises and reaches out towards those who are searching for meaning and faith.