Biography:Peter Comensoli
Peter Comensoli | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Melbourne | |
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| Church | Roman Catholic Church |
| Archdiocese | Melbourne |
| See | Melbourne |
| Appointed | 29 June 2018 |
| Installed | 1 August 2018 |
| Predecessor | Denis Hart |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 22 May 1992 by William Edward Murray |
| Consecration | 8 June 2011 by George Pell |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Peter Andrew Comensoli |
| Born | 25 March 1964 Illawarra, Australia [1] |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
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| Alma mater |
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| Motto | Praedicamus Christum crucifixum ("We proclaim a crucified Christ") |
| Coat of arms | .svg) |
Ordination history of Peter Comensoli | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Peter Andrew Comensoli (born 25 March 1964) is an Australian Catholic prelate who was named the ninth Archbishop of Melbourne on 29 June 2018.
He had been serving as the third Bishop of Broken Bay in New South Wales since December 2014. From 2011 to 2014 he was an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Early life
Comensoli studied at St Paul's (now Holy Spirit) College, Bellambi, New South Wales, and studied commerce at the University of Wollongong while working for four years in the banking sector before switching to theology.[2][3]
Priesthood
Comensoli entered St Patrick's Seminary in 1986 and obtained a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree in 1989 and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (STB) degree in 1991 from the Catholic Institute of Sydney. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Wollongong in 1992[3] by William Edward Murray. Comensoli obtained a Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL) from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome in 2000, a Master of Letters (MLitt) degree in moral philosophy from the University of St Andrews in 2007 and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in theological ethics from the University of Edinburgh.[3][4] His doctoral thesis was titled "Recognising persons: the profoundly impaired and Christian anthropology" and was submitted in 2012.[5]
Episcopacy
Comensoli was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney and titular bishop of Tigisis in Numidia by Pope Benedict XVI on 20 April 2011.[6] He was consecrated as a bishop by Cardinal George Pell at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney on 8 June 2011, becoming Australia's youngest Catholic bishop.[3][7]
On 27 February 2014, Comensoli was appointed by Pope Francis as apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Sydney following Cardinal Pell's appointment as prefect of the newly formed Secretariat for the Economy.[8] On 18 September 2014, Pope Francis appointed Anthony Fisher the new Archbishop of Sydney, and Comensoli remained the apostolic administrator until Fisher's installation on 12 November.[9]
On 20 November 2014, Pope Francis appointed Comensoli as the Bishop of Broken Bay.[4] His installation took place on 12 December.[10]
On 29 June 2018, Comensoli was appointed Archbishop of Melbourne.[11][12] He was installed on 1 August.[13]
Comensoli personally vouched for Cardinal Pell by signing a letter of support in 2015 ahead of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, describing him as a "man of integrity",[14] and considered him a personal friend.[15]
Comensoli has stated that he would not break the seal of confession for confessions which include admissions of sexual abuse.[16]
References
- ↑ "Bishop Peter Andrew Comensoli". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney. http://www.sydneycatholic.org/people/bishop_peter_comensoli/.
- ↑ Hasham, Nicole (20 April 2011). "Father Peter Comensoli answers higher call". Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW). http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/635534/father-peter-comensoli-answers-higher-call/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Bishop expects 30 years of hard work". The Australian (Surry Hills, NSW). 9 June 2011. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/bishop-expects-30-years-of-hard-work/story-e6frg6nf-1226072011345.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Rinunce e nomine". Vatican Press Office. 20 November 2014. http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2014/11/20/0865/01864.html.
- ↑ Comensoli, Peter Andrew (2012). "Recognising persons: the profoundly impaired and Christian anthropology". The British Library Board. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.563779.
- ↑ "Moral Theologian Named Auxiliary Bishop for Sydney". Zenit. 20 April 2011. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/moral-theologian-named-auxiliary-bishop-for-sydney.
- ↑ "Apostolic Administrator for the Archdiocese of Sydney". Archdiocese of Sydney. 27 February 2014. http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2014/2014227_469.shtml.
- ↑ "ACBC congratulates Bishop Peter Comensoli on Sydney Appointment" (Press release). Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
- ↑ Blackburn, Richard (18 September 2014). "Catholic Church names Bishop Anthony Fisher as Cardinal George Pell's successor". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/catholic-church-names-bishop-anthony-fisher-as-cardinal-george-pells-successor-20140918-10j15o.html.
- ↑ "Australian bishop entrusts diocese to Mary, Star of the Sea at Installation". Catholic News Agency. 13 December 2014. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/australian-bishop-entrusts-diocese-to-mary-star-of-the-sea-at-installation-33966.
- ↑ Fox Koob, Simone. "Bishop Peter Comensoli to be the next Archbishop of Melbourne". Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/bishop-peter-comensoli-to-be-the-next-archbishop-of-melbourne-20180629-p4zonx.html.
- ↑ Brolly, Mark (29 June 2018). "Bishop Peter Comensoli appointed Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne". The Tablet. http://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/9329/bishop-peter-comensoli-appointed-catholic-archbishop-of-melbourne.
- ↑ "Melbourne's new Archbishop installed". Special Broadcasting Service. 1 August 2018. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/melbourne-s-new-archbishop-installed.
- ↑ Deery, Shannon (3 June 2015). "Pell 'a man of integrity with a big hear'" (in en-AU). https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/australian-archbishops-write-open-letter-to-support-cardinal-george-pell-a-man-of-integrity/news-story/c257890a6a47f21812c203d5c659b9c2.
- ↑ "Archbishop of Melbourne says George Pell remains a friend, apologises to abuse victims" (in en-AU). 26 February 2019. https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/archbishop-of-melbourne-says-george-pell-remains-a-friend-apologises-to-abuse-victims-20190227-p510hu.html.
- ↑ "Melbourne Catholic Archbishop Peter Comensoli would choose jail over breaking confessional seal" (in en-AU). 14 August 2019. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-14/melbourne-catholic-archbishop-petrer-comensoli-on-confessional/11409944.
External links
- "Most Rev Peter A Comensoli". http://www.sydneycatholic.org/people/bishop_peter_comensoli/.
- "Biography of Archbishop Peter Andrew Comensoli". https://www.cam.org.au/Archbishop/Biography.
| Preceded by Aldo Maria Lazzarín Stella |
— TITULAR — Titular Bishop of Tigisis in Numidia 2011-2014 |
Succeeded by Denis Jean-Marie Jachiet |
| Preceded by David Walker |
Bishop of Broken Bay 2014–2018 |
Succeeded by Anthony Randazzo |
| Preceded by Denis James Hart |
Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne 2018–present |
Incumbent |
 |
