06 JULY 2023
www.therecord.com.au
Edition #440
BISHOP HOLOHAN SHARES HIS JOY AS SHEPHERD OF BUNBURY
Bishop Holohan also spoke about the experience of having the re-build the Cathedral and precint, following the devastating storm in 2005. PHOTO: JAMIE O'BRIEN.
By Jamie O'Brien
Pope Francis has officially accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerard Holohan after 22 years of leading the Diocese of Bunbury. Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has been appointed Apostolic Administrator effective 12noon Friday 30 June. Bishop Holohan became the fourth bishop of the diocese after being appointed by Pope John Paul II in 2001, the longest serving Bishop in Australia. Bishop Holohan was born and baptised on the 5 September 1947 and educated by the Sisters of Mercy at Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School in Perth, and by the Christian Brothers, first at St Francis Xavier College, then at the Christian Brothers' College, St
George's Terrace and later at Trinity College. He entered St Charles Seminary Guildford in 1965 for philosophical studies, and then moved to St Francis Xavier Seminary, Adelaide in 1968 to study theology. Ordained to the priesthood on 4 September 1971 by Perth Archbishop Launcelot Goody. He was initially appointed to serve in the Cottesloe parish before serving in the parish of Subiaco until 1975. In 1980, he became chaplain and religious education coordinator at Newman College and in 1981, he was appointed Director of Religious Education. He also served as Governor of the University of Notre Dame Australia.[2] Bishop Holohan was appointed as Bishop of Bunbury by Pope John Paul II on 11 June 2001, replacing
Bishop Peter Quinn who retired in 2000. He was ordained a bishop and installed on 5 September 2001, becoming the fourth Bishop of Bunbury. In a letter to the Diocese Sunday 2 July, Bishop Holohan said when he was informed that Pope St John Paul II had appointed him Bishop of Bunbury, it was a shock and a bolt out of the blue. “However, I was soon inspired by the priests and people of the Diocese,” Bishop Holohan said. “I could not believe the Diocese was so blessed as to have a community of Carmelite Sisters. These have been a spiritual powerhouse in the Diocese for more than forty years,” he said. “I was deeply grateful too for the welcome and support that I received. I was inspired too by the pastoral professionalism of staff in the Diocesan office, and their humility. Bishop Holohan explained to The Record that he had some familiarity with the Diocese, having been Director of Religious Education at Catholic Education for several years prior to his appointment as Bishop. A mong t he many minis t r ie s undertaken by people across the Diocese that moved him, Bishop Holohan, made special mention of those who care for the sick and the elderly; youth and those seeking greater depth of faith; those in prison and seafarers and those addicted to drugs and mothers in crisis because of pregnancy. “These are some examples of what struck me when I arrived - there were many others. Full Text available at
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