Fourth bishop of Broken Bay appointed

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Fourth bishop of Broken Bay appointed by the Pope

7 October 2019

Pope Francis has appointed Anthony Randazzo as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Broken Bay.

The 53 year-old Bishop Randazzo has been an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Sydney since 2016. He succeeds Peter Comensoli who was appointed Archbishop of Melbourne in 2018.

Bishop Randazzo was born in Sydney the son of Colin Randazzo from Sydney and his wife Caterina Di Losa from Lipari Italy. Colin and Caterina were married at Saint Joseph’s Church Enfield in 1960. They worked as fruiterers in their family business at Bankstown until relocating to the Gold Coast in 1967. The Bishop is the third of four children. He has three sisters, one nephew and two nieces. He was educated at St Augustine’s Primary Coolangatta, Guardian Angels Primary Southport and Aquinas College Southport.

Bishop Randazzo brings a breadth of experience to his new role having served in leadership roles in Australia and internationally. In 1985, he commenced his formation for priesthood at Pius XII Seminary for the Archdiocese of Brisbane. He was ordained priest on 29 November 1991 in Brisbane and from 1992 to 1994 was a curate at St Mary’s Parish Ipswich Queensland. He is a Canon Lawyer, and worked in Rome in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2004 to 2009 and was Rector of the Holy Spirit Seminary in Queensland from 2009 to 2015.

As Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Bishop Randazzo served as Episcopal Vicar for Formation, concentrating on the formation of seminarians, young clergy and the ongoing formation of priests. He has also been Chair of the Board of Sydney Catholic Schools and a member of the Bishops’ Commission for the Plenary Council.

Bishop Randazzo has said he is honoured and humbled by the appointment to Broken Bay and is looking forward to serving the more than 200,000 Catholics across Sydney’s North Shore, Northern Beaches and the NSW Central Coast.

Bishop Randazzo has thanked David Ranson for his leadership of the Diocese of Broken Bay as its administrator over the past 15 months.

Speaking to the Broken Bay Diocese, Bishop Randazzo said: “I am eager to walk with you, imitating Christ as the Good Shepherd - always present amongst His flock. Please pray for me as I begin this new mission entrusted to me by the Lord. Pray that I may be a shepherd after the Heart of Christ.”

Liturgical Reception and Solemn Mass of Installation

Bishop Randazzo will be installed as the Bishop of Broken Bay at a Liturgical Reception and Solemn Mass of Installation at 6:45pm, Monday, 4 November 2019, at The Light of Christ Centre 23 Yardley Avenue Waitara. The mass will be followed by refreshments.

Further information on the Liturgical Reception and Solemn Mass of Installation

Further information on the appointment at the Diocese of Broken Bay