To the people of God in Tasmania

The editor of the Catholic Standard has been asking me to prepare this piece for over three weeks. However, it is being typed on Friday 15 August in the evening.

Happily, the events of my Installation/Reception as Archbishop have taken place and I can now reflect on them with humungous gratitude to everyone.

Let me just ‘spit ball’ (the informal act of brainstorming, where ideas are thrown out for discussion) with you about my entry into Tasmania and how I am so pleased to be with you.

For the last four years, I have diligently fulfilled my role as an auxiliary bishop of Melbourne. I don’t think that I really need to give you my CV which can be viewed on the Archdiocese of Hobart website. However, of the four auxiliary bishops in Melbourne I have been the one closest to you serving the Southern Region and now I have made the jump across Bass Strait.

One of the people at my installation was Ed Featherston. Ed was one of my RCIA team members when I was assistant priest at Sacred Heart Sandringham. His full-time job was with The Weekly Time a rural newspaper for country Victoria/Tasmania but every year he would scare the living daylights out of his wife, Rosemary, by participating in the Sydney to Hobart. They were both in the third row of St Mary’s Cathedral last Tuesday and I had lunch with them before they returned home to regional Victoria.

Brian and Angela Talbot were also in the Cathedral last Tuesday. Brian told several local people, including the media, that he was the first ever RCIA candidate at St Jude’s Langwarrin. Brian used to come to chat with me, I think on a Tuesday evening, and we would spend a good bit of time.

After Brian and Cindy’s (the other candidate) Baptism, Confirmation, and Communion, Angela said that she had been worried that Brian was having an affair. Well, he was in a good sense – he was a little bit like Nicodemus in the Gospel of St John – he was coming to meet with, and grow closer to, the Lord at night.

I began as Parish Priest of St Jude’s on 10 August 1995 – thirty years ago and Gennie, Brian and Angela, Glen and Bernadette, and Michael and Barbara were in our Cathedral on 12 August 2025!

Stella who served as my principal secretary at St Gregory’s Doncaster met some of the St Jude’s people in Hobart and she told them that they were “Bishop Tony’s first love”.

However, there was a good contingent at my Installation from St Gregory’s and each of them had stories. Gerardina did the flowers for the church every second Friday; Assunta was one for whom I celebrated some family funerals, Stefanus and Cecilia were migrants from Indonesia whose faith was supported in the parish family of St Greg’s.

Michelle, Vicki, Jane, Alfred, Mary, Gerard, and Margaret all have their intersections and contributions at St Greg’s.

Both St Jude’s and St Gregory’s are represented in my Coat of Arms on the right side as you look at it.

The dominant side of the Coat of Arms, though, is the arms of the Archdiocese of Hobart.

That is all background. I have told you about people, parishes and relationships.

Now let me make it very clear: I am super delighted to be appointed to be here among you.

From what I have said above about my past, I hope that you receive the message that my future ministry will also be about people, parishes, and relationships. Last weekend, I was in the three Launceston churches, this weekend I am at the Cathedral and next weekend I will be in the North-West.

What to do? Promote parish life, encourage people, support relationships between people and with the Lord Jesus. Plant the seeds of local vocations to the priesthood and water them with a supportive and informed laity.

Blessings to you all,

Archbishop Tony