My dear friendsChrist is risen! Alleluia!We are witnesses, called to share what we have found in Christ!In the Acts of the Apostles on Easter Sunday, we hear St Peter proclaim with great conviction:“We are witnesses.” […]
Year of Connectedness Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Christmas is a time of year when we are given the opportunity to reflect on the true significance of our lives. Though the birth of Christ […]
AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE General Secretariat Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry 5 December 2025 Dear young people of the Church in Australia Peace be with you! We encountered the joy and […]
As we begin a new liturgical year with the First Sunday of Advent, I am pleased to announce a new diocesan theme for 2026:
“Connected in Christ, Walking Together as One.”
This theme will guide us throughout the coming year: shaping our prayer, reflection, and mission as a diocesan family.
Dear brothers in the ordained ministry, sisters and brothers in Christ, Habemus Papam! We have a Pope! It is with great joy that we, the Catholic community of the diocese of Bunbury, celebrate the election […]
We, in the diocese of Bunbury, unite with the people of God across Australia, and around the world, in both sadness and grief at the news of Pope Francis’ death at 7.35am (Rome time) on […]
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, says Pope Francis will be remembered as a man of simplicity, humility and compassion.Pope Francis, born Jorge Maria Bergoglio, became the first non-European pope in centuries, […]
One of the deepest struggles of the human heart is the fear of being alonefeeling abandoned in suffering,unnoticed in pain or unheard in prayer.Many people ask, “Where is God in my struggles? Does God see […]
Dear Friends,“Rejoice in the Lord always.” My heart is full of rejoicing!Thank You Bunbury!As I take up this ministry of bishop, I am deeply honoured to be welcomed by so many of you today. We […]
The Catholic Diocese of Bunbury today celebrates the Episcopal Ordination and Installation of the Most Rev George Kolodziej SDS as the Fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Bunbury, Western Australia. Bishop George was ordained and […]
To livestream the Episcopal Ordination and Installation of the Most Reverend George Kolodziej SDS, as the Fifth Bishop of Bunbury please click the link below. The livestream will be opened from 9:30AM on 19 March 2025.
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, It is with great joy that I write to you following the announcement that the Holy Father, Pope Francis has entrusted the Diocese of Bunbury to my pastoral […]
Pastoral Letter to the Catholic community of the Diocese of Bunbury Dear brothers and sisters in Christ It is with great joy that I share with you the news that the Holy Father, Pope […]
For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, MissionThe Second Assembly: Wednesday October 2 – Sunday October 27.As Pope Francis has made clear on many occasions, the long synodal journey which the whole Church is undertaking, and […]
Diocesan Summary 2024 Synod of Bishops 2021 – 2024 Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury Western Australia, Australia About the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury We are the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury from Western Australia. […]
“Easter, in the land where it originated as a Christian festival, is celebrated in Spring. New life is bursting through after often long and harsh winters, and the signs of renewal and new beginnings are […]
Dear brothers in the ordained ministry, colleagues and friends, Throughout the first phase of the Archdiocesan Transition, an extensive discernment was undertaken with contributions made by the Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General, Episcopal Vicars, clergy of […]
Dear brothers in the ordained ministry, sisters and brothers in Christ, We write to each of you across the four dioceses of Western Australia to share with you that Dr Debra Sayce, Executive Director, […]
Thursday 5 October, 2023 Dear Brothers and Sisters, As I write this letter to you, the members of the Synod on Synodality are coming to the end of our three-day retreat. We are staying in […]
Sunday, 24 September 2023 Dear Brothers and Sisters,As I write this message, I am on my way to Rome to take part in the Synod of Bishops. According to the“moving map” on the screen in […]
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 1:2) I hope you will forgive me for the formal greeting which opens this […]
As you will have heard, last Friday night Western Australian time, Pope Francis accepted my resignation as Bishop of Bunbury, which was submitted nearly ten months ago. As parishioners 76 years old or older will appreciate, I have neither the health nor the energy to continue to be responsible for a Diocese that is more than half the size of Victoria.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,Legislation was introduced into the Western Australian parliament this last week to make access to abortion easier. The aim is to facilitate the abortion of more unborn human beings than current legislation […]
There are many reasons why Catholics say that they have given up going to Mass. The two most consistent seem to be that ‘the Mass is boring’ and ‘the Mass is irrelevant to my life […]
National Liturgy Conference Brisbane Hilton, 28 – 30 September 2023 The National Liturgical Council and the Australian Pastoral Musicians Network are delighted to announce a combined Liturgy and Music Conference. Mystery and Mission – The […]
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was born as one like us in every way but sin. It reminds us too that Jesus shares his divine life with us […]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,The Western Australian Government has implemented the COVID-19 Roadmap. The WA COVID-19 Roadmap is a four-phase roadmap which has been developed in conjunction with the National Cabinet principles and is […]
First Reading – Is 50:4-7 I did not cover my face against insult and I know I will not be ashamed. The Lord has given me a disciple’s tongue. So that I may know how to […]
TO PARISHIONERS OF PARISHES IN THE BUNBURY DIOCESEDear Brothers and SistersFor the first time in our memories, it is no longer possible to celebrate public masses in Australia. No one can say how long this […]
Bunbury Diocese Thurs 30 Apr – Mon 4 May 2020 Our Lady’s Assumption Church, Mandurah. Midday 30 April to 9.30 am 1 May St Patrick’s Cathedral, BunburyMidday to 4.30pm 1 May Carmelite Monastery, Gelorup 5.30 […]
Dear ParishionersLast June, our Diocese celebrated its first Synod as envisaged by the Second Vatican Council and encouraged by Pope Francis. The purpose of this Pastoral Letter is to share with all the fruits of […]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in ChristDuring this past week, the lower house of the Western Australian Parliament, the Legislative Assembly, voted to pass the draft legislation which would legalise euthanasia in our State. The draft […]
‘Just as the risk of wrongful death is why we no longer have capital punishment in Australia, the same risk also applies to the Euthanasia legislation; there’s no turning back!’, stated Hon. Nick Goiran MLC […]
Bishop Holohan along with almost 40 bishops spent more than two hours with the Pope on 24 June as part of what is meant to be a five-yearly Ad Limina Apostolorum visit (translated as ‘To […]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ The Bunbury Diocese faces many challenges to its mission today, as does the Catholic Church in Australia. Our task is to proclaim Christ and his teachings in an increasingly […]
Dear Parishioners and Parents of Students in Catholic Schools What a distressing week it has been after we all heard of the guilty verdict against Cardinal George Pell. I cannot remember such a national media […]
I would like to thank all who responded during the Consultation regarding the theme for our 2019 Synod. People’s responses came in many forms and were grouped into topics by members of the Synod Commission. […]
Dear Parishioners People have been asking me about possible implications for parishes and Catholic schools of legislation passed earlier this year related to payments to survivors of abuse. I have tried to answer their questions […]
Nothing in life compares with personal experiences of Christ. He is our Lord and Saviour. [1] Believers have suffered persecution, torture and death rather than risk losing these experiences. The gospels give numerous examples of […]
I am most grateful to all who participated in the first two consultations for our 2019 Diocesan Synod. The response has been well beyond expectations. Many obviously took considerable time to consider what they wanted […]
To the people of the Bunbury Diocese I wish to repeat again my most sincere apology of Christmas 2015 to all those who have suffered the horrors of child abuse within the Church, particularly in […]
‘The Holy Spirit is raising new life in stony deserts’, stated His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey during his address at a highly successful dinner in Bunbury on Friday April 20th. Sponsored by the KSC’s […]
During the season of Advent, the Neocatechumenal Way around the world presents in parishes the Nativity story of our Lord Jesus Christ. It also presents the spiritual and physical journey of St Joseph, the Virgin […]
The people of St Joseph’s Parish in Manjimup opened their hearts and their wallets for those in need by making donations to the Parish Hamper Drive in the lead up to Christmas. The generosity of […]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Sadly, in the recent debate about gay marriage, many gay people – along with their parents, family members and friends – have been hurt by what they have been […]
Dear Parishioners and Parents of Catholic school students I am writing this letter because I am concerned about some confusion in relation to possible consequences for Catholic schools of a YES vote in the current […]
For Catholics, marriage between a man and a woman is different from any other relationship. Therefore, the word ‘marriage’ should not be used for any other relationship. The reasons for saying that marriage is a […]
The decision of the Commonwealth Government to put to a referendum or plebiscite the question whether the word ‘marriage’ (currently a relationship between a man and a woman) should be used also for a biologically […]
On Sunday 18 June, Baden Crapella, Jack Girando, Luke Hallett, Jack Lee Steere and Imogen Mead received their First Holy Communion. Thank you to Fr Roshan, parishioners, teachers and parents, who worked together to make […]
The Bunbury Diocese began the New Year with a new Diocesan Director for both Caritas and Catholic Mission. Ms Deborah Robertson was appointed to the position of Diocesan Director of Catholic Mission in November 2016. […]