On 20th December 2016, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett and appointed Fr Gregory Homeming, a priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelite, as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Lismore.
The Bishop-elect will receive Episcopal Ordination on 22 February 2017 at 7.00pm in St Carthage’s Cathedral at which our new bishop will also take canonical possession of the See in assuming the cathedra as Sixth Bishop of Lismore.
The Holy Father also appointed Bishop Jarrett the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese until the day when the Bishop-elect receives Episcopal Ordination and takes canonical possession of the See.
Born in Sydney on 30 May 1958, to a Australian Chinese family, Fr Homeming completed his primary education in Shepparton, Victoria and secondary school at St Aloysius College, Milsons Point. He took degrees in Economics and Law (B.Ec and LLB) at Sydney University and then worked as a lawyer in a Sydney law firm from 1981 to 1985.
At the end of 1985, Fr Homeming joined the Discalced Carmelite Order making his first profession on 1 February 1987. He then studied a Bachelor of Theology at Melbourne College of Divinity and a Masters in Philosophy at the University of Melbourne.
Fr Homeming was ordained a priest on 20 July 1991. As a Discalced Carmelite, he has held the positions of Major Superior, Novice Master, Prior and Retreat Director.
In addition to his love of spiritual direction and retreat formation, Fr Homeming enjoys reading, classical music, art and cooking Chinese meals for the friars.
Bishop Jarrett, the Apostolic Administrator has asked that “In anticipation of the forthcoming ordination, this prayer is being offered in all parishes in the Diocese: ‘For Gregory, our Bishop-elect, as he prepares to take up the sacred office of Bishop of the Church of Lismore. As our Chief Shepherd in the line of the Apostles, may he govern your people in love, and inspire and strengthen them in the faith, and in their lives of Christian witness.’”