Diocese of Parramatta

Born in Vietnam, Bishop Vincent Long came to Australia as a refugee in 1975. He became a professed Conventual Franciscan Friar in 1984 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1989. His ministerial involvement over the course of his priestly life shows his passion for social justice, peace, and education. Bishop Vincent was installed as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Parramatta in 2016.

Fr Peter Williams was born in Melbourne and was ordained to the priesthood in 1992. Since that time, he has held many parish and ministerial appointments across the Diocese of Parramatta. Fr Peter currently serves as Vicar General of the Diocese and as the moderator of the Curia, the group which acts as an advisory to the Bishop.

Born in Sri Lanka, Fr Chris de Souza is the parish priest of St Oliver Plunkett’s Parish, Harris Park. the Vicar General of the Diocese of Parramatta. He also serves as the Episcopal Vicar for Education and Formation, and is passionate about sharing faith and God with others.

I believe the Plenary Council has already begun as the Church in Australia grapples to listen to the Holy Spirit in these challenging times. As I have said earlier in other places ‘listening’ is a decision and ‘deep listening leads’ to conversion in everyone. In this kind of ‘listening’ the language of ‘winners’ and ‘looses’ has no place, there is only the chance for life in all its fullness because it is life in Christ.

Since 2010, Fr Peter Blayney has been parish priest of St Patrick’s Guildford. He also serves as the Episcopal Vicar for Migrant Chaplaincies and Pastoral Associates, and the Episcopal Vicar for Canonical Matters.

Fr Wim Hoekstra was ordained in 1978 and has served in the parishes of Revesby, St Clair, Cranebrook, Penrith, Castle Hill, Parramatta and Glenbrook. He also lectured at the Catholic Institute of Sydney in the 1980s. Since 2015, he has been Parish Priest in the Parish of Baulkham Hills. He is also the Diocesan Episcopal Vicar for Clergy.

I pray that the Plenary Council, guided by the Spirit, will provide a pathway so as to bring about the fulfilment of the reign of God in Australia.

Originally from Mexico, Fr Fernando Montano has lived in Australia since 2006. He serves as parish priest at St Bernadette’s, Castle Hill, and as the Diocesan Episcopal Vicar for Social Welfare. He speaks four languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese, and Chinese Sign Language (CSL).

Born in Yorkshire, England, Fr John Hogan was ordained a priest with the Sacred Heart Fathers in 1981. During this time he worked in the apostolates of initial priestly formation and adult education. Fr John arrived in Australia in 1995. He worked as an assistant priest in Guildford, Penrith and Castle Hill before being appointed as parish priest in Richmond. For the past 14 years, he has served as the rector of the Diocese’s Holy Spirit Seminary in Harris Park. He will be stepping down as rector at the end of 2021 but will continue to serve priestly formation by teaching human formation and helping the new rector to settle in. He hopes to do supply work in parishes at weekends.

I hope that the Plenary Council will set the tone and provide the opportunities for an evangelizing Church and that it will seek to energize everyone to play their part.

Wendy Goonan is a parishioner of the Parish of Baulkham Hills, where she and her husband Anthony raised their family of six children. Wendy served until November 2020 as the chair of the Northern Deanery Pastoral Council and is currently studying for a Master of Theological Studies at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. She is an experienced research analyst, having worked for a number of years in higher education. Her other interests include woodwork, native plants and ecology, bushfire management, and earthcare. She will attend the Council as a lay member from the Diocese of Parramatta.

I have great hope and optimism for the Plenary Council to make real and worthwhile changes where we need them in the Australian Church because the Holy Spirit has been and will continue to be inspiring our conversations and guiding our decisions.

Carol Teodori-Blahut is a parishioner of Our Lady of the Nativity Catholic Church, Lawson. Having been involved in Church ministry for many years, she currently serves as co-chair of the Mountains Deanery Pastoral Council. She will attend the Council as a lay member from the Diocese of Parramatta.