St Joseph’s parishioners were pleased to hear news of the appointment of a new bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Armidale last week.
It is two years since Bishop Michael Kennedy was transferred to the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese and the appointment by Pope Francis of Fr Peter Murphy has been welcomed across the parish, which includes St Joseph’s and churches at Boggabri, Mullaley and Tambar Springs.
Fr Peter is currently the parish administrator of St Michael’s Cathedral, Wagga Wagga, and Vicar General of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga. Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe said: “His involvement in the vocations ministry, his experience in fostering the faith of young people and his compassionate leadership in the areas of family and marriage will be of great value to the diocese and wider church.”
Fr Peter studied agriculture and worked as a field agronomist in Melbourne before entering the seminary. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Angelicum and a licentiate in theology from the Urban University in Rome. Following postgraduate studies, he was ordained priest on July 11, 1992, at St Michael’s Cathedral, Wagga Wagga. His first pastoral appointment was to Our Lady of Fatima parish, South Wagga, followed by an appointment to Vianney College as vice-rector of the diocesan seminary.
Over his 32 years of priesthood, Fr Peter has been a parish priest in three towns – Lockhart, Tumbarumba and Lavington.
A date has not yet been set for the episcopal ordination at Armidale Catholic Cathedral.
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