# Roman Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay

The Diocese of Broken Bay is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese the Catholic Church in Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney.
On 20 November 2014, Bishop Peter Comensoli was appointed as the third bishop of the diocese. He was enthroned on 12 December 2014. Bishop Comensoli was elevated to the position of Archbishop of Melbourne in June 2018 and was replaced by Bishop Anthony Randazzo as the fourth bishop of the diocese in November 2019.

## History

The Diocese of Broken Bay was erected on 8 April 1986. Prior to this date, the area was considered within the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Sydney.
According to Roman Catholic Church records, in 1822 Governor Brisbane granted 490 hectares (1,200 acres) land near Pittwater to Father Therry for the purposes of establishing a church. However, attempts to established a church in 1859 were postponed due to the sparcity of Catholics. A church at Manly was established in 1873 and another erected at Careel Bay in 1875. Manly was the site of the first parish that was established in the area in 1876; followed by Gosford (1888) and Pymble (1889). Together these three parishes covered most of the present diocese until 1910. By 1885, work on St Patrick's College, Manly had commenced and was completed in 1888.
The Diocese covers 2,763 km$^2$ (1,067 sq mi) and includes both bush and coastal communities. Symbolising the diocese is the lighthouse, based on the historic lighthouse at Barrenjoey.

## Bishops of Broken Bay

The following men have been Bishop of Broken Bay:
    Order Name Date installed Term ended Term of office Reason for term end 1Patrick Laurence Murphy8 April 19869 July 199610 years, 92 daysResigned and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Broken Bay 2David Louis Walker9 July 199611 November 201317 years, 125 daysResigned and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Broken Bay 3Peter Comensoli12 December 20141 August 20183 years, 232 daysAppointed Archbishop of Melbourne 4Anthony Randazzo7 October 2019present5 years, 2 days(incumbent)

## Cathedral

On 10 February 2008 Our Lady of the Rosary, Waitara, was inaugurated as the cathedral of the diocese, succeeding Corpus Christi, the parish church of St Ives.

## Derivative agencies and offices

The Diocese of Broken Bay operates a number of agencies and offices to manage various functions of the Diocese such as Catholic outreach and evangelism, family support, disability support, and education.
* Office for Safeguarding and Professional Standards (Chancery) responsible for the administration and management of professional standards, child protection, and safeguarding responsibilities within the Diocese.
* CatholicCare (Diocese of Broken Bay) belonging to Catholic Social Services Australia responsible for the provision and administration of services for families, children, and people with disabilities as well as foster care and out-of-home services.
* Catholic Development Fund (CDF) responsible for the management of funds belonging to the Diocese and acts as its official treasury service for funds to religious, charitable, and educational services. The CDF is considered a charitable institution under the Australian Taxation Office's definitions.
* Office of Evangelisation responsible for Catholic outreach and the promotion of the Diocese as well as individual parishes, members, and communities.
* Catholic Schools Office responsible for the administration and oversight of private Catholic schools within the Diocese, currently 44 in total (36 primary schools and 8 high schools).
* Bishop David L Walker Library responsible for the provision and management of information resources, especially that relating to Roman Catholicism and relevant teachings.

## Parishes

* Arcadia (St Benedict)
* Carlingford (St Gerard) and Epping (Our Lady Help of Christians)
* Chatswood (Our Lady of Dolours)
* Frenchs Forest – combining the parishes of Davidson (St Martin de Porres), Forestville (Our Lady of Good Counsel), and Terrey Hills (St Anthony in the Fields)
* Gosford (St Patrick)
* Hornsby – combining the parishes of Waitara Cathedral (Our Lady of the Rosary) and Normanhurst (Queen of Peace)
* Kincumber (Holy Cross)
* Ku-ring-gai Chase – combining the parishes of Asquith (St Patrick), Berowra (St Bernard), and Brooklyn (Peace Chapel)
* The Lakes – combining the parishes of Collaroy Plateau (St Rose) and Narrabeen (St Joseph)
* Lindfield-Killara – combining the parishes of Killara (Immaculate Heart of Mary) and Lindfield (Holy Family)
* Lower North Shore – combining the parishes of Naremburn (St Leonard), Northbridge (St Philip Neri), and Willoughby (St Thomas)
* Manly Freshwater – combining the parishes of Harbord (St John the Baptist) and Manly (Mary Immaculate & St Athanasius)
* North Harbour – combining the parishes of Balgowlah (St Cecilia) and Manly Vale (St Kieran)
* Pennant Hills (St Agatha)
* Pittwater – combining the parishes of Avalon (Maria Regina) and Mona Vale (Sacred Heart)
* Pymble (Sacred Heart) and West Pymble (Our Lady of Perpetual Succour)
* St Ives (Corpus Christi)
* Terrigal (Our Lady Star of the Sea)
* The Entrance (Our Lady of the Rosary)
* Toukley (St Mary)
* Warringah – combining the parishes of Dee Why (St Kevin) and Narraweena (St John, Apostle & Evangelist)
* Wahroonga (Holy Name)
* Warnervale (St Mary of the Cross MacKillop)
* Willoughby (St Thomas)
* Woy Woy (St John the Baptist)
* Wyoming (Our Lady of the Rosary)
* Wyong (St Cecilia)

## Catholic Schools Office of the Diocese

As of 2006 the Diocese was responsible for overseeing the management of 43 Schools in the area (36 Catholic primary schools and 7 Catholic high schools) and was made up of approximately 15,000 students. The schools in the Diocese are:

### Primary

* Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, St Ives
* Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Kincumber
* Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Lindfield
* Maria Regina Catholic Primary School, Avalon
* Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Primary School, Epping
* Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary School, Chatswood
* Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Primary School, Forestville
* Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Primary School, West Pymble
* Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Waitara
* Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Shelly Beach
* Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Wyoming
* Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Terrigal
* Prouille Catholic Primary School, Wahroonga
* Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Mona Vale
* Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Pymble
* St Agatha's Catholic Primary School, Pennant Hills
* St Bernard's Catholic Primary School, Berowra Heights
* St Brendan's Catholic Primary School, Lake Munmorah
* St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School, Balgowlah
* St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School, Wyong
* St Gerard's Catholic Primary School, Carlingford
* St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Tumbi Umbi
* St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Freshwater
* St John the Baptist Catholic Primary School, Woy Woy South
* St John's Catholic Primary School, Narraweena
* St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Narrabeen
* St Kevin's Catholic Primary School, Dee Why
* St Kieran's Catholic Primary School, Manly Vale
* St Martin's Catholic Primary School, Davidson
* St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Manly
* St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Noraville
* St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Asquith
* St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, East Gosford
* St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School, Northbridge
* St Rose Catholic Primary School, Collaroy Plateau
* St Thomas' Catholic Primary School, Willoughby

### Secondary

* Mater Maria Catholic College (Co-ed), Warriewood
* Mercy Catholic College (Girls), Chatswood
* St Joseph's Catholic College (Girls), East Gosford
* St Leo's Catholic College (Co-ed), Wahroonga
* St Paul's Catholic College (Boys), Manly
* St Peter's Catholic College (Co-ed), Tuggerah

### Primary & Secondary

* MacKillop Catholic College (Co-ed), Warnervale