Perth’s St Mary’s Cathedral will this month host the first Episcopal Ordination since February 2002.
Applecross Parish Priest Fr Nelson Po will be ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Perth at St Mary’s Cathedral on Thursday 16 April at 7pm.
Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB will be the principal consecrator for the ordination, with Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton and Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop Rene Ramirez RCJ as co-consecrators.
More than 1100 people are expected to be present for the occasion, including family members of Fr Nelson from the Philippines, as well as bishops, dignitaries, parishioners and friends from across the Archdiocese and Australia.
The first Perth bishop from South-East Asia, Fr Nelson was born on 5 June 1968 in the village of Cantuhaon, Palompon, Leyte, Philippines, as the third of Norma Abordo and Lope Po’s six children.
In reflecting on the phone call he received from the Apostolic Nuncio, advising him of the Holy Father’s appointment, Fr Nelson said it was a big surprise.
“It was overwhelming and surreal because I have never dreamed of becoming a bishop,” Fr Nelson said.
“I went straight to the chapel and became very emotional. I felt so inadequate and unworthy, but I know that God’s strength will carry me through,” he said.
After arriving in Perth in 2003, Fr Nelson was ordained to the priesthood on 9 December 2005 by Archbishop Emeritus Barry Hickey. He has served as Chaplain at Royal Perth Hospital and in the parishes of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Cloverdale and most recently at Applecross Parish.
In reflecting on Fr Nelson’s commitment to, and engagement with the Church’s Synodal journey at the Archdiocesan and universal levels, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB highlighted Fr Nelson’s recent contributions to the Archdiocese of Perth’s Plenary Council Reference Group (2019-2021); the Perth Diocesan Assembly Reference Group (2023–2024); and his participation in the Jubilee for Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies in Rome (October 2025).
Fr Nelson will serve as Auxiliary Bishop in Perth alongside Bishop Don Sproxton.
The Episcopal Ordination will be live streamed from 6.30pm to https://www.youtube.com/perthcatholic
A limited number of tickets are available for members of the Perth Catholic community to attend the Episcopal Ordination.
Tickets can be obtained free of charge at https://www.trybooking.com/DLESR.
Tickets will be subject to weather conditions and will be cancelled at short notice.