Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP has praised former Parramatta Bishop Kevin Manning for his achievements as a faithful shepherd and accomplished administrator with a heart for “battlers,” following his death on 15 July.
The second Bishop of Parramatta died peacefully in Bathurst at the age of 90.
“Bishop Kevin Manning was my predecessor as Bishop of Parramatta (1997-2010), having previously served as Bishop of Armidale (1991-97) and later taking on the administration of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes as a ‘retirement’ job (2010-12),” Archbishop Fisher told The Catholic Weekly.
“I was lucky enough to inherit from him a diocese in very good shape: as its second bishop he had presided over a period of rapid growth, so that it was already bigger than most Australian archdioceses.
“He had raised up the new St Patrick’s Cathedral from the ashes of its predecessor. He had welcomed Pope Benedict XVI, the cross and icon, and the young people of the world at the time of World Youth Day in 2008.
“He had built bridges to other Christian communities and other faiths, especially the Muslims of Western Sydney. He had campaigned for justice for ‘the battlers’: workers, the Indigenous, migrants and refugees, women and families.
“He had grown and diversified the body of priests, deacons, religious and lay ministers in the diocese. There was much to build on!
“Behind all these achievements there was a no-nonsense country boy, a humble man of God, and a good shepherd with a strong sense of duty and a genuine interest in people.
“He balanced toughness and compassion, good humour and an unfailing sense of the Church.
“He served as a loyal priest of Jesus Christ for more than six decades, as a bishop of the Church for three years, and as a Christian disciple and friend of all humanity for nine.
“Vale Bishop Kevin. Rest in peace.”
Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long OFM Conv was with Bishop Manning today when he passed, the diocese said in a statement.
“Bishop Kevin Manning was a loving servant of Christ,” Bishop Vincent said.
“He dedicated his life to serving others and the church. He was a man of deep faith and prayer, and he leaves a strong legacy in Parramatta and the Australian Catholic Church.
“I give thanks for his life, for his vision and leadership for our local church and his legacy.”
Born on 2 November 1933 in Coolah, New South Wales, to Kevin and Edith Manning, Kevin Manning was the second eldest in a family of five boys and two girls.
He attended Sacred Heart Primary School in Coolah before going on to St Columba’s College, Springwood where he later began his studies for the priesthood.
He was selected to complete his studies at the Propaganda Fide College in Rome, where he was ordained to the priesthood on 21 December 1961.
From 1962 to 1978, he served as a priest of the Diocese of Bathurst. In 1978, he was appointed assistant wecretary to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in Canberra for five years, and then as Secretary from 1983 to 1991.
In 1991, Bishop Manning was appointed the eighth bishop of Armidale, NSW, where he served until his appointment as Bishop of Parramatta.
Bishop Manning was appointed as the second Bishop of Parramatta on 10 July 1997, and was installed at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, on 21 August 1997.
He served as Bishop for over 12 years until his retirement on 4 March 2010. During this time, he led the youngest diocese during a period of rapid growth as more migrants and people chose to live in the western suburbs and Blue Mountains. This is evidenced by the fact that Parramatta now is bigger than most Australian archdioceses.
Bishop Manning is well-known and well-loved by many in the diocese and across Australia.
During his time as Bishop of Parramatta, he raised the new St Patrick’s Cathedral after the disastrous fire of 1996 and was renowned for his outreach to the marginalised and the poor.
He worked tirelessly campaigning and advocating for justice for workers, First Nations people, migrants and refugees, women and children and the growing youth population in the diocese.
He was the first bishop to reach out to the Muslim community in Western Sydney, building relationships based on mutual respect, and continued this interfaith and ecumenical work with other Christian communities and faiths.
He loved listening to and dialoguing with many people. He was a communicator at heart, and in 1998 launched Catholic Outlook, then a monthly newspaper.
Writing in the first issue, he said: “It gives me great joy to write my first letter to you in Catholic Outlook, an initiative which is close to my heart, for it gives me the opportunity to correspond regularly with you.”
His legacy and work continued after his retirement. He was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese in 2010 until 2012.
A special Bishop Manning Lecture Series was hosted by Catholic Commission for Employment Relations in 2016, and Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese continues the Bishop Manning Support Fund that assists struggling families who desire a Catholic education for their children but cannot afford it.
“Bishop Manning was the epitome of a Good Shepherd,” the diocese’s statement continued.
“He was a dutiful and humble servant full of compassion, humour and a love for the Church. The Diocese of Parramatta owes much to his leadership and vision, and we pray for the repose of his soul and give thanks to God for his earthly life.”
The details for Bishop Kevin Manning’s funeral at St Patrick’s Cathedral Parramatta will be announced in the coming days.