The Catholic Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes will celebrate the ordination of Father Columba Macbeth-Green as their seventh Bishop on Thursday, July 3.
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The ordination mass will be held at Holy Family, Parkes and attended by 650 parishioners, clergy and guests including Father Columba’s family and parishioners from areas in which he has worked over the past 17 years since being ordained a priest in 1997.
The mass will be presided over by the Papal Nuncio Archbishop Paul Gallagher and concelebrated by over 30 Bishops from around Australia and several from overseas.
Father Columba is a priest and the Vicar Provincial in Australia of the 800-year-old Order of St Paul the First Hermit, and has worked with distinction at the Shrine of Marian Valley in Queensland, in Tarcutta and Marian Hills, and as administrator at Moss Vale.
He has also been a police chaplain both in New South Wales and Queensland since 2000.
Born and bred on a sheep and wheat farm at Gunningbland, west of Forbes and Parkes, the son of local residents of Forbes, Lorna and Paul Green, he was educated at St Laurence O’Toole Primary School and Red Bend Catholic College.
“I’m humbled by this appointment and also excited about coming home and giving something back to the people who gave me so much,” Fr Columba said.
“I trust in the Lord that he will give me the graces to serve the people of Wilcannia-Forbes.”
Fr Columba has a love for music, which he was heavily involved in during his school years in Forbes.
“I learnt the violin at Red Bend and played the organ in the Catholic Church in Forbes,” he said.
“When I was 15 I learnt the bagpipes in the Forbes Pipe Band, which amalgamated with the Parkes Pipe Band to form the Lachlan Valley Pipes and Drums.
“As a member of the band I played at functions in Forbes, Parkes, Condobolin and Trundle as well as further afield - loving every minute of it.
“I am looking forward to piping round the diocese and hearing the dogs yelp!”
The Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes covers more than 410,000 sq km, and incorporates 22 parishes from Broken Hill to Bourke and Deniliquin.
Following the ordination, Father Columba will be formally installed as Bishop on Saturday, July 5 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Broken Hill.
The future of the diocese had been uncertain since the 2009 resignation of its former bishop, Bishop Christopher Toohey.
A series of apostolic administrators was then appointed– most recently the Bishop of Armidale, Bishop Michael Kennedy.
Bishop Kennedy said the ordination of Father Columba would be a “new beginning” for the diocese.
“He has a well-grounded faith and possesses the human attributes that will equip him to be a good pastor to the people of this rural and outback diocese,” he said.
“With his experience in country parishes he understands the joys, struggles and challenges of country parishes and their people.”
Mayor of Parkes, Councillor Ken Keith said Parkes was proud to host such an important event on behalf of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes.
Parkes Shire Council will host a civic reception in the Coventry Room of the Parkes Shire Library and Cultural Centre on Wednesday night to formally welcome important church representatives from throughout Australia and overseas and to recognise such a major event on being held in Parkes.
