Barry Hickey
Encyclopedia
Barry James Hickey, OAM
(born 16 April 1936 in Leonora, Western Australia
) is the current Archbishop
of the Roman Catholic Church archdiocese of Perth, Western Australia
.
on 20 December 1958 He attained a Licentiate in Theology
from the Pontifical Urbaniana University
in 1959 and undergraduate and Masters degrees in Social Workfrom the University of Western Australia
in 1973. He was Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish, Highgate
at the time of his ordination as Bishop of Geraldton
in 1984.
In 1977 he was awarded a Membership of the Order of Australia
(OAM).
He was installed as Archbishop of Perth
on 27 August 1991.
In 1994 he addressed the National Press club
in Canberra regarding the release of the new Catholic Catechism
In 1998, Pope John Paul II
named him Relator Generalis for the Synod
of Oceania in Rome. He was also appointed to the Homeless Persons’ Advisory Committee and the WA Ethnic Affairs Advisory Committee by the government of Western Australia. The Commonwealth appointed him to the Board of the Institute of Family Studies and as a Member of the Australian Citizenship Council
as a last resort. For this stance he was criticised by both Catholic and non-Catholic MPs. Hickey reportedly said that he did not consider that he had made a threat. He also later said that he would not refuse communion.
His comments mirror that of Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney.
.
The title was something that he had come across from the experience of someone who had written of experiencing the charismatic movement in the United Kingdom from an article in The Tablet
– and his support and encouragement of the movement is also found in his Foreword to a book about a Western Australian charismatic group
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 16 April 1936 in Leonora, Western Australia
Leonora, Western Australia
Leonora is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, located northeast of the state capital, Perth, and north of the city of Kalgoorlie. At the 2006 census, Leonora had a population of 401, about a third of whom are of Aboriginal descent. The area is extremely arid, with a...
) is the current Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the Roman Catholic Church archdiocese of Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
.
Early career
Hickey was ordained as a priest in Rome by Paolo Cardinal GiobbePaolo Giobbe
Paolo Giobbe was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Papal Datary in the Roman Curia from 1959 to 1968, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1958.-Biography:...
on 20 December 1958 He attained a Licentiate in Theology
Licentiate in Theology
The Licentiate of Theology or the Licence in Theology is a theological qualification commonly awarded for ordinands and laymen studying theology in the United Kingdom, Malta, Canada, Australia and New Zealand...
from the Pontifical Urbaniana University
Pontifical Urbaniana University
The Pontifical Urbaniana University or Pontifical Urban University is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.-History:...
in 1959 and undergraduate and Masters degrees in Social Workfrom the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
in 1973. He was Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish, Highgate
Highgate, Western Australia
Highgate is an inner suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Vincent and north of the CBD. Highgate was named for the village of Highgate in Kent, England...
at the time of his ordination as Bishop of Geraldton
Geraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
in 1984.
In 1977 he was awarded a Membership of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(OAM).
He was installed as Archbishop of Perth
Catholic Bishops and Archbishops of Perth, Western Australia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth is a Metropolitan Archdiocese in Western Australia. It is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Broome, Bunbury and Geraldton....
on 27 August 1991.
In 1994 he addressed the National Press club
National Press Club (Australia)
The National Press Club is an association of primarily news journalists, but also includes academics, business people and members of the public service, and is based in Canberra, Australia. It was founded in the 1960s as the National Press Luncheon Club by a few journalists with the backing of the...
in Canberra regarding the release of the new Catholic Catechism
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
In 1998, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
named him Relator Generalis for the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of Oceania in Rome. He was also appointed to the Homeless Persons’ Advisory Committee and the WA Ethnic Affairs Advisory Committee by the government of Western Australia. The Commonwealth appointed him to the Board of the Institute of Family Studies and as a Member of the Australian Citizenship Council
Stem cell research
On 5 June 2007 Archbishop Hickey made a controversial statement, by saying that if the Catholic state MPs did not oppose the The Human Reproductive Technology Amendment Bill, which would allow expansion of stem cell research, then they could be refused holy communion or face excommunicationExcommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
as a last resort. For this stance he was criticised by both Catholic and non-Catholic MPs. Hickey reportedly said that he did not consider that he had made a threat. He also later said that he would not refuse communion.
His comments mirror that of Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney.
Cathedral
In the time of the Archbishop's tenure, which ends in 2011, the most significant physical change for the Archdiocese of Perth has been the re-building and completion of the St Mary's Cathedral, PerthSt Mary's Cathedral, Perth
St Mary's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth, and seat of its Archbishop, currently Barry James Hickey...
.
Living Biblically
After a time spent in Jerusalem on holiday in the mid 2000's Archbishop Hickey worked to create a book that would run counter to many Catholic's activities, and encourage a return to the usage and reading of the bible. The result is the book Living BiblicallyThe title was something that he had come across from the experience of someone who had written of experiencing the charismatic movement in the United Kingdom from an article in The Tablet
The Tablet
The Tablet is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Contributors to its pages have included Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI ....
– and his support and encouragement of the movement is also found in his Foreword to a book about a Western Australian charismatic group
Public Stances
The Archbishop has had no qualms about challenging public secularising tendencies in the community, to the point of questioning the newly elected Primer Minister of Australia, Julia Gillard's lack of religious orientationResignation
The Archbishop tendered his resignation in early April 2011, but there is no further information as to whether it is accepted, or if a successor is being chosen at this stagePublications
- (1983) Couples preparing for marriage Northcote, Vic.: Desbooks. ISBN 0949824046
- (2008) Living Biblically – How to find answers to life's deepest question in God's Word Record Books: Leederville, W.A. ISBN 978-0-9802868-2-3
External links
- http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bhickeyb.html
- http://www.perthcatholic.org.au/html/archbishop.html
- http://www.jp2institute.org/admin_hickey.html