Early life
David Louis Walker was born on 13 November 1938. He was one of six children (one died in infancy) in a close-knit family, who spent their childhood in the eastern Sydney suburb of Clovelly. His early education was with the Sisters of St Joseph and with the Marist Brothers at Marcellin College, Randwick. He subsequently entered the Seminary, studying at Springwood and Manly. In 1960 he gained the Baccalaureate of Theology, graduating magna cum laude.
Priesthood
He was ordained for the priesthood by Cardinal Gilroy on 21 July 1962 and in the same year obtained the Licentiate of Theology.
His priestly career began in the conventional pattern with service as assistant priest in Campsie and Granville. During this time, he was invited to return to Manly to study for the Doctorate of Divinity degree. Even then, his deep interest in spirituality led him to complete a thesis on the spiritual influences in the western tradition - focusing on the early spiritual writer, John Cassian. Again, (in 1966) he graduated magna cum laude.
In 1967, with this background, he was invited to teach in the Catholic Theological Faculty of Sydney, at Manly, lecturing to religious brothers and sisters in the Institutes of the Faculty, The Holy Spirit Institute (for religious brothers) and the Mater Dei Institute (for religious sisters) and to seminarians doing a basic degree in Theology. In 1969 he became Director of the Mater Dei Institute, leaving a year to study overseas.
As he came to realise the importance of reaching out to make serious theological study and reflection more available to the Catholic people, he developed the idea of writing out his lectures for people to study at home. In 1969, in conjunction with Fr Neil Brown and Fr Peter Neville, he was a founder of the Catholic Correspondence Centre, and in 1973 began to give evening courses at North Sydney. Teaching on spirituality was supplemented by writing, beginning in 1976 with an Introduction to the first Australian edition of The Spiritual Life by Evelyn Underhill, and Anglican spiritual writer and guide. Then in 1977, he published God is a Sea: the Dynamics of Christian Living, a simple introduction to some classic spiritual writers.
In the first six years of the Correspondence Centre about 6500 courses were sent out and about 16000 courses followed. This understanding and promotion of spirituality was extended when he pursued more postgraduate study in the Scriptures in Rome and at the University of London King's College where, in 1972 was awarded the Master of Theology degree in New Testament (Distinction).
The following year he joined the staff of the Catholic Theological Faculty of Sydney, teaching Systemic Theology and later headed the pastoral studies department. He served for a time as secretary of the Catholic Theological Faculty of Sydney and as rector of the Post Graduate House for three years.
In the final term of 1973, he ran a pilot scheme for a program on reading the Spiritual Classics which led, with Sr Rosa Courney RSJ, and Fr John Ryan, to establishing the Christian Spirituality Throughout the Centuries program for priests, seminaries, laity and men and women religious.
It was this program that provided the momentum for leaving the Theological Faculty of Sydney in 1978 and founding the Centre for Christian Spirituality at Randwick, where face-to-face and distance courses in Christian spirituality were offered. The Centre found ready interest, with about 10,000 people taking courses from 1978 to 2001. He remained Director of the Educational Centre for Christian Spirituality until his appointment as Bishop.
Episcopal Ministry
Following the retirement in Broken Bay of the inaugural Bishop, Most Rev Patrick Murphy, David Walker was appointed his successor on 9 July 1996. He was ordained to the young Diocese of Broken Bay on 3 September at Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Church, Chatswood, by Cardinal Clancy. The ceremony was attended by 33 Bishops, 150 priests, and an overflowing congregation of more than 800 people.
During the past ten years, Bishop David has consolidated the Diocese of Broken Bay - extending organisations and pushing the Diocese into new fields. Amongst his initiatives have been the groupings of parishes into three Deaneries and the amalgamation of several Parishes to further extend the quality of pastoral care afforded to the people of the Diocese.
Ecumenical activity was given particular impetus with the establishment of the Diocesan Ecumenical Commission in 1998. Strong relationships and dialogues have since been formed with the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle.
The establishment of The Broken Bay Institute, in 2003, is evidence of Bishop David's commitment to promoting a truly Australian spirituality, fostering theological and spiritual education.
In 2005, Bishop David travelled to Rome as the representative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for the International Congress organised to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation "Dei Verbum".
In 2006, many of the ministries and agencies of the Diocese were brought under the one roof at the Caroline Chisholm Centre, Pennant Hills. This move has supported the vision for Broken Bay that promotes and models collaborative ministry as the best practice for sustaining, guiding and healing the members of this faith community and the community itself.
Bishop David's deep love and interest in spirituality formed the backbone of his commitment to promoting a truly Australian spirituality and the fostering of theological and spiritual education.
Bishop David's commitment to spirituality and formation helped shape the theological and pastoral culture of the Diocese of Broken Bay for nearly two decades.
Ministry and Formation
Bishop David's ongoing support for furthering serious theological study and adult faith formation in the wider Catholic community led to the development and founding of the Catholic Correspondence Centre, The Centre for Christian Spirituality and The Broken Bay Institute.
A prominent speaker, Bishop David published extensively on faith renewal, spirituality, mysticism, the formation of clergy and Church leadership. Among many positions held, he most recently served as Chair of the Australian Catholic Bishops Commission for Church Ministry and was a Member of the Bishops Commission for Health and Community Services.
His promotion of lectio divina through new media has taken the Word of God into the hearts and homes of people throughout Australia and the world.
Retirement
For 17 years, Bishop David Walker served as the chief pastor to the people of the Diocese of Broken Bay.
Bishop David officially retired as Bishop of Broken Bay on Wednesday, 13 November 2013, when the Holy Father, Pope Francis, accepted his resignation upon his 75th birthday.
He retired to a unit in Chatswood and continues to be a part of the life of the Church, albeit at a more relaxed pace.
