Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Porteous and Appoints Bishop Anthony Ireland as Successor of Hobart in Australia

Resignation and Appointment of the Archbishop of Hobart (Australia)
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of Hobart, Australia, presented by HE Msgr. Julian C. Porteous.

The Holy Father has appointed as Archbishop of Hobart (Australia) His Excellency Mgr. Anthony John Ireland, currently titular Bishop of Carinola and Auxiliary of Melbourne.

Curriculum vitae

His Excellency Bishop Anthony John Ireland was born on 28 April 1957 in Melbourne. He attended St. Aloysius School in Caulfield and then De La Salle College in Malvern. After some work experience, he entered Corpus Christi College Seminary in Melbourne.

He was ordained a priest on September 19, 1987.

He has held the following positions and undertaken further studies: Parish Vicar of Grovedale (1987-1988) and Parish Vicar of Mentone (1988-1990); Licentiate in Moral Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome (1990) and Master of Arts in Spiritual Theology from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome (1992); Parish Vicar of Sandringham (1993-1995); Parish Administrator of Langwarrin (1995-1996); Dean of the Peninsula Deanery (1997-1999) and Parish Priest of Frankston and Langwarrin (1999-2002); Doctorate in Moral Theology from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) (2004); Dean of Studies (2005-2006) and Rector (2006-2009) at Corpus Christi College Seminary , Melbourne; Parish Priest of St. Gregory the Great (2009-2021).

He served as Episcopal Vicar for Health, Aged and Disability Care and for the Eastern Sector, as well as a Member of the College of Consultors, the Board of the Catholic Development Fund , the Catholic Capital Grants for Schools Committee and the State Goverment Committee for Legal and Social Issues .

He was appointed Titular Bishop of Carinola and Auxiliary of Melbourne on 14 May 2021, receiving episcopal ordination on the following 31 July.

STATEMENT from the ARCHDIOCESE of HOBART

It was announced tonight that Bishop Anthony Ireland has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the next Archbishop of Hobart.

Bishop Ireland is currently Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne and will be installed as the new Archbishop of Hobart on Tuesday 12 August 2025.

“It is with a spirit of service and devotion that I come to the Archdiocese of Hobart,” Bishop Ireland said. “To lead in faith, to serve with love, and to worship in spirit and in truth, as our Lord calls us to do in the Gospel of St John.”

Archbishop Julian Porteous congratulated his successor on his new appointment.

“Bishop Ireland brings a wealth of experience in parish ministry, spiritual and academic formation, and health care,” Archbishop Porteous said.

“I pray that the Lord will abundantly bless his ministry here as shepherd of the Catholic faithful in Tasmania.”

Born and raised in Melbourne, Bishop Ireland was ordained to the priesthood in 1987 and has served in the parishes of Grovedale and Torquay, Mentone, Sandringham, Langwarrin, Frankston and Doncaster.

After completing a doctorate in theology in Rome he lectured in Moral Theology at Catholic Theological College in Melbourne, where he was appointed Head of the Department of Moral and Practical Theology in 1997. He served as Rector at Corpus Christi College Seminary in Carlton from 2006 until 2009 and was appointed Episcopal Vicar for Health and Aged Care.

Bishop Ireland was appointed by Pope Francis as Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in May 2021 and was ordained a Bishop on 31 July 2021 at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne. His episcopal motto is, ‘Confirm, strengthen and support’ (1 Peter 5:10).

He succeeds Archbishop Julian Porteous who has served as Archbishop of Hobart since 2013. Archbishop Porteous submitted his resignation to Pope Francis in June last year at the age of 75, as required of all bishops under canon law. In his retirement, Archbishop Porteous will continue to reside in Tasmania.

Sources: https://hobart.catholic.org.au/2025/06/20/new-archbishop-of-hobart-appointed-by-pope-leo-xiv/

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2025/06/20/0427/00783.html