In their first private one-on-one conversation, Perth Archbishop and President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Most Reverend Timothy Costelloe SDB, told Pope Francis, “The church in Australia is alive!”
America Magazine journalist Gerard O’Connell recently spoke with Archbishop Costelloe via zoom.

Pope Francis has recently personally expressed his thanks to the four dozen people who read through hundreds of reports about the listening phase of the Synod of Bishops.

Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, was in Rome for the occasion, which included reviewing the 112 syntheses submitted by national bishops’ conferences from around the world, as well as syntheses from the Eastern Catholic churches, religious orders, church organisations and movements, offices of the Roman Curia and individuals.

Leaders of Western Australia’s Catholic, Muslim and Jewish communities – which all share a common origin Abraham – have last week come together to speak about issues that unite them and strengthen the bonds of friendship.

Speaking this week to representatives from across the Archdiocese, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has said the people on the ground in the concrete realities of our local communities are the ones who are there to help ensure that no child, no young person, and no vulnerable adult is ever hurt again, in any of our communities.

Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB agreed that Australia had something of a “head start”, with the Plenary Council having invited the People of God to consider significant questions around the Synod’s themes of communion, participation and mission.

The Word of God is central to the life of the Church and therefore to the life of every Christian and every Christian community, said Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe, speaking at the Catholic Health Australia National Conference, Tuesday 23 August in Brisbane.

Australian Ambassador to the Vatican Her Excellency Chiara Porro has this week met with Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB.

Ambassador Porro is currently visiting Australian Bishops and their diocese, following her appointment to the role in August 2020.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President and Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has this week reflected on a pair of firsts – becoming the first bishop of a West Australian diocese elected President and the first member of a religious order.

In an interview with the Australian Catholic Bishops Communications platform, Media Blog, Team, Archbishop Costelloe admitted he was “surprised and somewhat daunted” when he was elected President of the Conference in May.

At the Bishops Conference’s biennial election of president and vice-president in May, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB was elected President, and Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP re-elected Vice-President.

In his address for the 2022 LifeLink Day launch for primary schools, Archbishop Costelloe began by defining the word ‘hero’ as “someone who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.”