The Australian Catholic Church will have two new Bishops following the Episcopal Ordinations of Bishop-elect Timothy Costelloe SDB and Bishop-elect Peter Elliott in St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne on Friday, June 15.
When Bishop-elect Timothy Costelloe SDB
(pictured) takes up his new role as Bishop for the Northern Region of Melbourne, it will literally be a life-changing experience. For the first time for more than 30 years, Bishop-Elect Costelloe will live away from the Salesian religious community that he has known during his entire priesthood - one of the things that attracted him to his religious order in the first place.
"My connection to the Salesians emotionally will stay just as strong, but in terms of structures the connection will be much less," said Bishop-Elect Costelloe. "I'll no longer live with the Salesian community and experience the regular rhythm of our prayer life together, sharing meals together, sitting around chatting or watching TV - all of the things that are part and parcel of the religious life. That's all going to change, and it's going to be a challenge, but it will be a good challenge."
As Melbourne's only Bishop who is a member of a Religious Order, Bishop-Elect Costelloe said he believed the Salesian spirituality would be a gift to the Archdiocese ... (
Life-changing experience, by Rebecca Cullen for
Kairos )
A brief CV
Born in East Melbourne on February 3, 1954, Bishop-elect Timothy Costelloe made his final profession as a Salesian on September 8, 1985, and was ordained to the priesthood on October 25, 1986. Having studied in Rome for a Licence in Sacred Theology at the Salesian University, Bishop-elect Costelloe has also completed a Doctorate of Theology at the Melbourne College of Divinity. He has been teaching several theology subjects at Melbourne's Catholic Theological College.
He accompanied Archbishop Barry Hickey as his personal theologian at the 1998 Oceania Synod. In 2000 he was appointed Rector of the House of Formation for the Salesian community, after which he was appointed parish priest of Clifton Hill and Collingwood on January 1, 2007.
Fr Costelloe was named Titular Bishop of Cluain Iraird (Clonard) and Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne by Pope Benedict XVI on April 30, 2007.
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