The Very Reverend Dr Gerald Gleeson has been appointed as Australian Catholic University’s Senior Advisor, Catholic Identity and Mission.
“This newly created role will assist the Vice-Chancellor and President to ensure the university remains a vibrant, relevant and inclusive community rooted in Catholic values and teachings, and hence able to dialogue with the world and contemporary culture,” said an ACU statement.
Fr Gleeson will retire from his current role as vicar general of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney before joining ACU in a part-time capacity on 13 January 2025.
He previously served as Associate Professor of Philosophy and Christian Ethics at the Catholic Institute of Sydney. He is a board member of CatholicCare Sydney and Chair of the Board of Sydney Catholic Schools.
He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Leuven and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge.
With Vice-President and Director of Identity and Mission, Fr Anthony Casamento CSMA, set to finish up at ACU in April next year, this new role will be a vital link between the university community, church authorities and external stakeholders.
ACU will shortly advertise the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Catholic Mission.
Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis said he was delighted to be welcoming Fr Gleeson to ACU in the new year.
“Fr Gleeson’s academic expertise in philosophy and ethics, his extensive experience in Catholic education, church administration and his important role in the life of the church will be an enormous asset to ACU,” he said.