Our History

Dive into the rich history of our Diocese—a tale woven with faith, resilience, and vibrant community stories. Discover the milestones that shape our heritage, inviting you to connect with our enduring journey.

Introduction

In 1883, the German born boundary rider Charles Rasp[1] discovered rocks that would change the Australian economic industry for generations. Charles Rasp came across some silver looking rocks while collecting sheep around modern day Silverton, located in far west New South Wales. The discovery would then become one of the world’s largest ore deposits. Broken Hill, known as the ‘ Silver City, ‘ was also born. In addition, the discovery gave birth to a new diocese, the diocese of Wilcannia. The diocese of Wilcannia would become the largest in New South Wales stretching over 414, 39 sq. km. During its time, the Diocese of Wilcannia would see a number of events that would put it on the ecclesial world map with a canonical name change and proposed diocesan closure from the Australian Church hierarchy.

A Diocese is born

By early 1884, miners from across Australia flooded the newly established city of Broken Hill. During this time the city had a population of 13,000 residents with 2,500 of them being Roman Catholic.[2] With a large majority of Roman Catholics in the western New South Wales city, Father Curran a priest from Bathurst was sent to pastorally take care of its faithful.[3] The city’s first Mass was celebrated in 1885 at the invitation of Lawrence Finn a local Catholic at ‘Lawrence Finn’ hotel, located on Argent Street.[4]

By early 1887 and after the efforts of the faithful, a new Church was completed in Broken Hill named ‘Sacred Heart’. Unknown to the faithful and clergy, this small church eventually would become the Cathedral of the newly established diocese later that year.[5] The bishops of Australia in 1885 petitioned the Holy See for the creation of four new dioceses’. The vast area of western New South Wales with its healthy mining economy was in the spotlight to have its own Ecclesial See. The Holy See accepted the request of bishops, and in 1887 the Holy See announced that; “The province of Sydney receives the additional sees of Grafton and Wilcannia”[6]. After the canonical establishment of the diocese, the Sydney provincial bishops sent the names of three active clergymen to the Propaganda Fide in Rome, to appoint a bishop for the diocese of Wilcannia.[7]

Father John Dunne, an Irish-born Bishop

On May 1887, Propaganda Fide announced to the Sydney provincial bishops, that Father John Dunne was chosen to be the bishop of Wilcannia. Father John Dunne was born in Portlington, Ireland in 1846. After answering the call to Priesthood and on the recommendation of his, uncle the Rev. Dr Dunne the Vicar General of the diocese of Goulburn and a personal friend of Archbishop Bede Polding, he began his seminary studies at Carlow College for the Archdiocese of Sydney.[8] On his arrival to Australia in 1871, his uncle, Rev. Dr Dunne requested from Archbishop Polding Father John Dunne could minister to the faithful of the diocese of Goulburn. This request was granted and Fr John Dunne laboured with great zeal for the next sixteen years. In addition, one lasting legacy of Fr. John Dunne was the creation and construction of the Wagga Wagga Parish of St. Michael, which today stands as the diocesan cathedral of the Wagga Wagga diocese.

At the creation of the new diocese of Wilcannia, the Holy See under the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIII chose from the three names given, Fr. John Dunne of Goulburn to be its new bishop. According to the Australian Town and Country journal, the news of the newly appointed bishop was received with “great satisfaction”.[9] The episcopal consecration of bishop elect, John Dunne took place on Sunday the 21st of August 1887, Saint Peter and Saint Pauls Cathedral in Goulburn. His Eminence Cardinal Moran was principal consecrator assisted by Bishop Lanigan of Goulburn and Bishop Murray of Maitland.[10] According to sources, the Pontifical Mass of Episcopal consecration of Bishop Dunne was the largest event to be seen in the Goulburn Cathedral and was noted as being a spectacular event that personified the gold chain that linked the Australia to the Holy See.[11] At his formal reception, Bishop Dunne accepted the reality of his mission in the “wild bush”[12] although rejoiced at his mission to build up Australia’s newest episcopal centre in the booming city of Broken Hill.

It was during October of 1888 that Bishop Dunne canonically finalised that Broken Hill New South Wales was to be the episcopal centre of the diocese. This decision was made due to the increase of population which had risen to 13,500.[13] To begin his new mission in the diocese, Bishop John Dunne announced that, the Sisters of Mercy would be established in the diocese under its own canonical entity known as the “Sisters of Mercy of Wilcannia”. This announcement brought much joy to the faithful as the Sisters would work alongside the new bishop in building up the diocese. The Nuns mission was rooted in education, orphanages and various pastoral ministry roles for the families of miners and farmers.

Land was purchased for the Nuns at a price of eight-hundred pounds and the convent of Saint Jospeh was built by 1891. The Sisters of Mercy sold this convent to the Church of Christ in 1979. It was reclaimed and bought back by the diocese in May 2019. With the convent established and Nuns to assist in the mission of the diocese, Bishop Dunne now planned to build a Cathedral in Broken Hill. This would make formal the episcopal centre of the diocese.

Sacred Heart Cathedral

In June 1903, a meeting of over 800 people took place on the grounds of the Bishops house[14] to discuss the building of a Cathedral for the diocese. Additionally it would also serve as the cities parish church. The Sisters of Mercy donated the corner land of their new convent for the Cathedral to be built on. Mr Knox of Broken Hill was employed as the architect under the supervision of Bishop Dunne.[15] What made this Cathedral unique was the decision to use the silver quarry stone leftover from the silver mines[16]; this meant the Cathedral would be made out of a silver stone a priceless gem that could never be replaced. The stone was donated to the diocese by the North silver mines of Broken Hill. On December 6th 1903, Bishop John Dunne laid the foundation stone of the new Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the presence of various visiting Bishops and the Catholic faithful.

Two years later and after 7,000 pounds spent, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was opened and consecrated by Bishop Dunne on July 2nd 1905. In attendance were various bishops from Australia. Noted prelates in attendance were the Archbishop of Melbourne, Archbishop Carr and Coadjutor Archbishop Kelly of Sydney.[17] An estimated 1,500 people were in attendance to witness this wonderful occasion for the diocese and it was noted as the largest gathering seen in western outback New South Wales.[18] The Sacred Heart Cathedral building is a living reminder of Bishop Dunne’s durable work and care for his diocese, sadly eleven years later, on Christmas Day 1916, Bishop John Dunne passed away aged 71. Bishop Dunne was praised for his 29 years of apostolic service and, in building up the newly established diocese.[19]

A hyphenated diocese

After the death of Bishop John Dunne, Father William Hayden a native of Ireland and Parish Priest of Dulwich Hill Sydney was consecrated Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes. He was consecrated on July of 1918 at Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.[20] Prior to his appointment by the Holy See, his predecessor Bishop John Dunne requested for the addition of the Southern Deanery of the Bathurst diocese to the diocese of Wilcannia. This request was made to ensure the future viability of the diocese. This addition would comprise the parishes of Forbes, Parkes, Peak Hill, Trundle, Condobolin, Narromine, Trangie and Warren. It was in 1918 that the new diocese of Wilcannia under Bishop John Dunne would once again become a canonically ‘new’ diocese under Bishop Hayden.

It was decreed by Pope Benedict XV on the 28th of July, 1917 that, “The diocese of Wilcannia, by the addition of six parishes separated from the diocese of Bathurst, will in future be named Wilcannia-Forbes, and further, that its bishop will reside by turns in Broken Hill and Forbes for six months of the year.”[21] This decree was binding and enforced by the Holy Father. Additionally the decree stressed that it be respected and no one in the Australian Church was to act in contrary to the declaration given by the Holy Father. Moreover, Rome expressed that this acceptance was a pastoral one to guarantee the future of the diocese and that the apostolic labouring of Bishop John Dunne would continue into the future.

[1] Jan, Bassett. The Oxford Illustrated Dictionary of Australian History. (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1993), 37.

[2] Kevin C, Murphy,. The Story of the Diocese: [centenary Booklet of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes]. (Nyngan, N.S.W.: Nyngan Printing Services, 1987), 18.

[3] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 10.

[4] Kevin C, Murphy,. The Story of the Diocese: [centenary Booklet of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes]. (Nyngan, N.S.W.: Nyngan Printing Services, 1987), 18.

[5] Woodman, E. F. The Catholic Church in Broken Hill 1883-1983: The First 100 Years. (Broken Hill, N.S.W: E.F. Woodman, 1984.), 4.

[6] “The Roman Catholic Church in Australasia”, The South Australian Advertiser. , 29/04/1887. National Library of Australia, (www.trove.nla.gov.au).5.

[7] Woodman, E. F. The Catholic Church in Broken Hill 1883-1983: The First 100 Years. (Broken Hill, N.S.W: E.F. Woodman, 1984.), 5.

[8] Woodman, E. F. The Catholic Church in Broken Hill 1883-1983: The First 100 Years. (Broken Hill, N.S.W: E.F. Woodman, 1984.), 5.

[9] “Two New Bishops”, Australian Town and Country Journal,. 18/06/ 1887, National Library of Australia., (www.nla.gov.au), 8.

[10] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 17.

[11] “A Brilliant ceremony”, The Freeman’s journal, 20/08/1887,. National Library of Australia., (www.nla.gov.au), 17.

[12] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 21.

[13] Woodman, E. F. The Catholic Church in Broken Hill 1883-1983: The First 100 Years. (Broken Hill, N.S.W: E.F. Woodman, 1984.), 6.

[14] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 111.

[15] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 112.

[16] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 113.

[17] Robert Johnson, History of the Catholic Church in the Barrier rangers of New South Wales. (2017, awaiting publication.), 119.

[18] “Broken Hill Catholic Cathedral”, The Age Melbourne, 03/07/1905,. National Library of Australia. (www.nla.gov.au), 6.

[19] “Death of the first Bishop”, Riverine Grazier, Hay NSW, 27/12/1916, National Library of Australia (www.nla.gov.au), 2.

[20] “New Bishop of Wilcannia” The Catholic Press, 25/07/1918. National Library of Australia (www.nla.gov.au).

[21] Pope Benedict XV to the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, 28/07/ 1917.

BISHOPS OF THE DIOCESE

With the appointment of John Bede Polding as Vicar Apostolic in Australia in 1834, the Diocesan structures of the Church gradually took shape, and after he was nominated the first Archbishop of Sydney in 1842, new dioceses were formed in NSW – Goulburn in 1864, Bathurst and Maitland in 1865, Armidale in 1871, and Lismore and Wilcannia in 1887.

First and last Bishop of Wilcannia: Bishop John Dunne

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes

John Dunne, a priest of the Goulburn Diocese, was named Bishop of Wilcannia, and to him was committed territory from Bathurst and Goulburn Dioceses covering the western parts of the State, from the Murray River near Tocumwal to the Queensland border near the present-day Lightning Ridge.

Bishop Dunne was consecrated in Goulburn Cathedral on August 14th, 1887 by Cardinal Moran, and by September he was already at Silverton, having travelled by Melbourne and Adelaide, to bless the church erected by Father Black, the first resident priest on the Barrier.

He then went to Bathurst, appointing more priests to Broken Hill, and visited Bourke, Cobar, Wilcannia, Milparinka, Silverton and Wentworth before the end of 1887.

Returning to Broken Hill in mid-1888 he blessed the church and presbytery there and in early 1889 he welcomed  the first group of Sisters of Mercy from Singleton, thus expanding the work already undertaken by Josephite, Mercy and Presentation Sisters in other parishes of the diocese.  He opened the new Cathedral at Broken Hill in 1905, and continued his work of diocesan expansion with the establishment of parishes, convents and schools until his death on Christmas Day, 1916.

First Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes: Bishop William Hayden

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes

Two years later, after expansion of the diocesan borders with territory from Bathurst that now comprises the parishes of Forbes, Parkes, Peak Hill, Trundle, Condobolin, Narromine, Trangie and Warren, the first Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes was appointed.  Bishop William Hayden, former parish priest of Dulwich Hill – was consecrated in Sydney on 8 September 1918.

Bishop Hayden continued the educational work begun by Bishop Dunne and invited the Marist Brothers to go to Broken Hill in 1928 and to Forbes in 1926 to provide schools for boys.  In 1930 Bishop Hayden was appointed Archbishop of Hobart and died in 1936.

Bishop Thomas Martin Fox

The Wastegrass, its Mass rock and its people | Tullow Historian

Bishop Thomas Martin Fox, born in Broken Hill in 1893, was consecrated there in 1931 as the second Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes and remained until his death in 1967.

He made great efforts for the promotion of vocations to priesthood and religious life from diocesan families, and during his early years as Bishop the various communities of the Sisters of Mercy combined to form the Province of Wilcannia-Forbes, eventually establishing their head house at Parkes. Bishop Fox was enabled by the Sisters of Our Lady of Compassion to establish St Anne’s Home of Compassion at Broken Hill in 1942.

With the help of the Wilcannia-Forbes Sisters of Mercy, he established the Old Folks’ Home at Carrawobbity, Forbes, and the Mater Hospital at Forbes conducted by the Bathurst Sisters of Mercy.  He began a School for Aboriginal children at Wilcannia under the direction of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1948 and encouraged the development of the Marist Brothers College at Red Bend, Forbes, one of his favourite projects.  His great hope for a contemplative order in the diocese found realisation in the foundation of Carmelite Nuns at Parkes in 1948, and his plans for the expansion of the Society of St Vincent de Paul throughout the diocese were greatly furthered.

Bishop Douglas Warren

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes

On the death of Bishop Fox in 1967, Bishop Douglas Warren, who had been his Auxiliary since 1964, was appointed to Wilcannia-Forbes. He planned to develop the work of the previous bishops, particularly in the area of schooling under the new funding arrangement and assistance programmes with a reorganised central administration structure and with the growth of a strong force of Catholic lay teachers trained in Catholic Colleges to replace the declining numbers in Religious Orders. Bishop Warren retired in 1994.

Bishop Barry Collins

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes

In June 1994, Bishop Barry Collins, parish priest of Mortlake, was consecrated as the fourth Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes.  He continued the work of Bishop Warren, particularly in the area of education.  He also developed the role of Centacare in the diocese, opening offices in Forbes, Narromine and Bourke.

Bishop Christopher Toohey

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes

On the death of Bishop Collins in October 2000, Father Christopher Toohey from the Catholic Adult Education Centre in Sydney, was appointed Bishop.  He was consecrated in Holy Family Church in Parkes in August 2001.

Bishop Kevin Manning and  Bishop Michael Kennedy

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes
Previous Bishops of the Diocese | Catholic Diocese of Armidale

Bishop Toohey retired in 2010 and Bishop Kevin Manning was appointed Apostolic Administrator in 2011. Bishop Manning retired in December 2012, due to ill health, and Bishop Michael Kennedy (Bishop of Armidale), was appointed Apostolic Administrator with Father Paul Clark appointed the Bishop’s Delegate.

Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE DD

History Hub | Wilcannia Forbes

In April 2014 the diocese received the news that Fr Columba Macbeth-Green, a former local Forbes boy, had been appointed Bishop Elect of Wilcannia-Forbes. In August 2014, he was ordained Bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes at Holy Family Church Parkes and later installed at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Broken Hill.