Bishop Bill Wright

Bishop William (Bill) Wright was ordained eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle on 15 June 2011 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton.

He is the third and youngest child of Jack and Nan Wright (both deceased). He has a sister, Patricia, and a brother, Robert. He was born on 26 October 1952, in Washington DC, where his father worked as an economist at the International Monetary Fund.

Bill was educated by the Sisters of Mercy at Pymble and by the Jesuits at St Aloysius' College, Milsons Point, with two years at Wimbledon College, another Jesuit school, when Jack was London Manager of the Reserve Bank of Australia.

While preparing for priesthood at St Columba's College, Springwood (1971‐73), and St Patrick's College, Manly (1974‐77), and attaining a Bachelor of Theology, he was employed by the parishes of St Mary's (Western Sydney), Manly and Pymble as a youth worker.

Bill Wright was ordained to the diaconate in October 1976 and to the priesthood on 20 August 1977, at St Mary's Cathedral. After ordination, he gained a BA(Hons), largely in History, at Sydney University.

He has assisted or served as priest in more than eight parishes in Sydney and regional NSW.  During that time he was a member of the Archbishop's Council of Priests and Chairman of the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools Board.

He was appointed Assistant Secretary, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Canberra, in 1995.

He is a member of the Bishops' Commission for Church Ministry and the Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations. 

He is also Co-chair of the Church’s national body for Professional Standards.