Archbishop new.jpg
Date of Birth: 02/10/1950
Date of Death: 17/01/2021
Date of Ordination: 23/08/1975
Date of Installation: 03/12/2001

Archbishop Philip Edward Wilson DD JCL

Biography:

Philip Edward Wilson DD JCL, the eldest of five children in the family of Joan and John Wilson, was born in Cessnock, NSW, on 2 October 1950. He received his primary and secondary education at St Patrick's Primary School in Cessnock and St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill.  An alumnus of St Columba’s Seminary, Springwood, NSW, and of St Patrick’s Seminary, Manly, he received a Bachelor of Theology degree from the Catholic Institute of Sydney in 1974 before being ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Maitland (from 1995 Maitland–Newcastle) in Cessnock on 23 August 1975. He was Vicar General of the Diocese from 1987 to1990.

On 10 July 1996, he was consecrated bishop of Wollongong in New South Wales making him at the time, the youngest Catholic bishop in Australia. This appointment prevented him from completing his studies for a Doctorate of Canon Law at the Catholic University of America. In Wollongong he faced the daunting task of dealing with several paedophile priests in his diocese. Bishop Wilson issued a formal apology to victims, visited their homes, and earned the title of ‘healing bishop’.  During the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse he was commended for his efforts in trying to get Rome to laicise a paedophile priest.

On 30 November 2000, Bishop Wilson was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Adelaide with the right to succeed Archbishop Leonard Faulkner. He was installed as the eighth Archbishop of Adelaide on 3 December 2001. He was the 11th incumbent of the See. An estimated 7,000 people attended his installation at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Wilson was president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference from 2006 to 2012. He was the first bishop to suggest another Plenary Council for the Church in Australia.  The previous Council, Concilium Plenarium IV, was held in Sydney in 1937. He was interested in the world outside the church and read widely in history and biography. 

Many conservative Catholics regarded the archdiocese of Adelaide as too liberal and welcomed the appointment of Archbishop Wilson as someone who would bring the Adelaide church into line. Bishop Wilson disappointed their hopes. Theologically he was in the centre and his style was non-confrontational. The Diocesan Pastoral Council went into abeyance for a couple of years but was eventually reformed, and women were employed as chancellors in the Archdiocese.

In March 2015, he was charged by NSW Police for ‘concealing a serious offence regarding child sexual abuse’ in 1976. Archbishop Wilson immediately took indefinite leave but returned to work at the beginning of 2016.

On 22 May 2018, the Newcastle Local Court found him guilty of the charge of failing to report allegations of child sexual abuse. On 3 July 2018, he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, eligible for parole after 6 months. On 14 August 2018, Magistrate Robert Stone declared he could serve his sentence in home detention.

Archbishop Wilson appealed the decision and in the Newcastle District Court, on 6 December 2018, he was acquitted of all the charges of which he had previously been found guilty. By this time, he was no longer Archbishop of Adelaide. He had offered his resignation to Pope Francis, and it was accepted on 30 July 2018. His successor, Archbishop Patrick O'Regan, said: ‘A harrowing period of allegations, charges, conviction and eventually acquittal was a significant chapter of Philip’s life, but his record of supporting and advocating on behalf of victims and survivors is part of his legacy.’

The responsibilities of the Ordinary of a diocese are: as teacher, to proclaim the apostolic faith; as leader, to preserve the unity of the local church despite the diversity of its members; as sanctifier, to provide all that is necessary to make the local church ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation’.  These are weighty responsibilities, and Archbishop Wilson was steadfast in his dedication to all aspects of his calling.

The following are some of the notable happenings in the Archdiocese during Archbishop Wilson’s leadership, as well as acknowledgement of his support of Bishop William (Bill) Morris of Toowoomba.

Aquinas College, a Catholic residential college for tertiary students in North Adelaide, was established in 1950 to cater for students from the country areas of South Australia attending the University of Adelaide. Since that time, international and interstate students have joined the college community and students now also attend the University of South Australia and Flinders University. Soon after his installment in 2001, Archbishop Wilson made known his concerns regarding Aquinas. Buildings were in urgent need of maintenance and the ethos of the college was in part questionable. In 2005, he invited the Marist Brothers to contribute to Aquinas, and the following year three Brothers commenced working and living at the College. Before Archbishop Wilson’s intervention the future of Aquinas College was uncertain.

The Adelaide College  of Divinity commenced in 1979 as an ecumenical consortium of the theological colleges of the AnglicanBaptistRoman Catholic and Uniting Churches.  Archbishop Wilson’s withdrawal of the Catholic Theological College from the Adelaide College of Divinity was controversial. The college required a large annual subsidy from the Archdiocese and was no longer teaching candidates for the priesthood. To fill the gap for South Australian Catholics who wanted to study theology, and teachers of religion in Catholic schools, Archbishop Wilson negotiated with the Australian Catholic University about the possibility of the university setting up a teaching centre in Adelaide. He insisted that the former teachers and staff in the CTC be taken on by the ACU. The priests involved with the CTC would remain the financial responsibility of the Adelaide Archdiocese, but the lay persons would be paid by the ACU. In 2013, the ACU and the Archdiocese entered a partnership to deliver theological education in South Australia. The CTC (Adelaide) was absorbed into ACU's Faculty of Theology and Philosophy and moved from Brooklyn Park to George Street, Thebarton. In 2014, ACU began offering degrees out of Adelaide, including the Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies, Graduate Diploma in Theological Studies, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy.

The 14thWorld Day of the Sick was celebrated in Adelaide on 11 February 2006 after two days of gatherings and discussions. Archbishop Wilson had volunteered the Archdiocese as the locus for the celebration, describing it as an opportunity ‘to engage and experience the needs of those who are most vulnerable in our society and … for those who work in the health care sector to reflect on their work and how it can be seen as a continuation of the healing mission of Jesus’.

Archbishop Wilson enthusiastically supported and promoted the development of Nazareth Catholic College, established in January 2007 with the amalgamation of three Catholic primary schools and Siena College (a secondary school for girls) in Adelaide’s western suburbs. Nazareth College aims to engage with families, connecting across the whole-of-life journey from newborns and pre-schoolers to students and into adulthood and the senior years. Its vision is to support families to make their lives happier and healthier as members of a diverse and vibrant Catholic community.

He also was a strong advocate for Catholic technical colleges, in recognition of the need to support young people wanting to develop skills in trades. He oversaw the establishment of the highly-regarded St Patrick’s Technical College at Edinburgh North and Marcellin College (now part of Cardijn College) at Noarlunga.

 

Bishop William Martin (Bill) Morris was bishop of Toowoomba in 1992–2011. In May 2011, the Holy See removed him from pastoral care of the Diocese – in a process deemed by many to lack natural justice. Archbishop Wilson was in Rome at the time Morris was interviewed by Cardinals Re, Arinze and Levada on 19 January 2008 and when the audience with Pope Benedict XVI occurred on 4 June 2009. He accompanied Morris to both events at which Bishop Morris was advised that he was no longer bishop of Toowoomba; there was no discussion. Archbishop Wilson did more than give moral support. At the first meeting, addressing Cardinal Re, he spoke up strongly in support of Bishop Morris. After the meeting with the Pope, Bishop Morris said to him: ‘You know in conscience and in justice I can’t resign, don’t you?’ Archbishop Wilson’s response was ‘Yes’.

On 13 November 2016, the 1927 Casavant Freres pipe organ, newly installed in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, was blessed. ‘The instrument has been described as “exceptional” with a sound never before heard in Australia.’ The restoration and installation of the organ was funded by individuals and groups in the Catholic community through the Cathedral Restoration Appeal, a partnership with the National Trust South Australia.

The first annual report on the Archdiocese, published in hard copy, appeared in 2016. It included financial statements and articles on many of the structures vital to the life of the Archdiocese. This had not been the custom, and it provided a greater measure of accountability and transparency.

Following his acquittal in December 2018 Philip Wilson returned to Adelaide. But his health was failing and he took up residence in 'The Carmelite' - a Southern Cross Care service.

He died suddenly on Sunday 17 January 2021. Even though he suffered a series of health issues in recent years, including cancer, his death was unexpected.

Due mainly to the restrictions imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic there were three ceremonies in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral for Archbishop Wilson’s final farewell. On 2 February 2021, the Mass and Reception of the Coffin was celebrated at 11am, and at 7.30pm the ‘Vigil Mass’ took place. The following day the Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 11am followed by the internment in West Terrace Cemetery, Catholic Western Ground, Archbishops’ Area, SE corner.

May he rest in peace.



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