His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Father Paul Bird CSsR as the next Bishop of Ballarat.The Diocese of Ballarat welcomes Father Bird as the newly appointed Bishop of the Diocese.
Fr. Bird’s family came from Carrington (Newcastle), NSW, and his education was in Newcastle with the Sisters of St Joseph (Lochinvar) and the Marist Brothers.
He studied at the Redemptorist seminary, Ballarat, VIC, the Yarra Theological Union, Melbourne, VIC, and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, USA, majoring in liturgical studies.
Much of his life has been spent preaching parish missions and leading youth retreats.
For over 20 years, among his other duties, Fr. Bird was editor in chief at Majellan Publications, Melbourne, before being elected Congregational Leader of the Redemptorists in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia in 2008.
Bishop Peter Connors now becomes the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese until the ordination and installation of Father Bird as the eighth Bishop of Ballarat on October 16, 2012.