Melbourne’s Bishop Anthony Ireland will replace Archbishop Julian Porteous

After a year of waiting, an announcement has been made on who will serve as next Catholic Archbishop of Hobart. Who will replace Archbishop Julian Porteous.

Bishop Anthony Ireland has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the next Archbishop of Hobart.

Catholics in Tasmania have welcomed the appointment of a new Archbishop of Hobart describing him as “a very educated man and moral theologian”.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Melbourne born and raised Bishop Anthony Ireland to replace Archbishop Julian Porteous who announced his retirement in June last year.

He will be installed as the new Archbishop of Hobart on Tuesday August 12.

In the 2021 Census, more than 70,000 Tasmanians identified as Catholic.

“It is with a spirit of service and devotion that I come to the Archdiocese of Hobart,” Bishop Ireland said.

“To lead in faith, to serve with love, and to worship in spirit and in truth, as our Lord calls us to do in the Gospel of St John.”

Archbishop Julian Porteous welcomed his successor.

“Bishop Ireland brings a wealth of experience in parish ministry, spiritual and academic formation, and health care,” he said.

Concerned Catholics Tasmania chair Susan Chen said she was “delighted” at the appointment.

“He has a reputation as a deeply pastoral leader with a strong theological background and experience in education, most notably contributing to the work of the Bishops Commission for Catholic Education and the National Catholic Education Commission,” she said.

“We look forward to working with our new Archbishop and supporting the mission of the Church in Tasmania.”

Former head of Catholic Education Dr Trish Hindmarsh said people had been “sitting on the edge of their seats”, awaiting the appointment.

“I think that we’ve got someone who has a great interest in the future wellbeing of the Church and will be very supportive of the work of Pope Francis and now Pope Leo,” she said.

“He’s a very educated man, he’s a moral theologian, so he’ll have a very good feel, I think, for the moral issues that the church is challenged by and the world is challenged by.

“It’s a new day, it’s a new bishop and I think we need to embrace the opportunity and stand with and beside him to make sure that this new day is not lost.”

Bishop Ireland was ordained to the priesthood in 1987 and has served in several parishes.

After completing a doctorate in theology in Rome he lectured in Moral Theology at Catholic Theological College in Melbourne, where he was appointed Head of the Department of Moral and Practical Theology in 1997.

He served as Rector at Corpus Christi College Seminary in Carlton from 2006 until 2009 and was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Health and Aged Care.

Bishop Ireland was ordained a Bishop in July 2021 at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne.

Archbishop Porteous came to Hobart from Sydney and was Archbishop of Hobart from 2013.

In his retirement, he has decided to remain living in Tasmania.

Originally published as Melbourne’s Bishop Anthony Ireland will replace Archbishop Julian Porteous