The people of Broken Bay have joined with the Diocese of Parramatta in mourning the loss of Bishop Kevin Manning, Bishop Emeritus of Parramatta, who passed away at the age of 90 in Bathurst on Monday.
Bishop Manning served as the second bishop of Parramatta, overseeing the Diocese from 1997 until his retirement in 2010. Prior to that, he had served as Bishop of Armidale between 1991 and 1997.
Bishop Manning was born on 2 November 1933, in Coola, NSW. He 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 completed his studies in Rome at the Propaganda Fide College, where he was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Bathurst on 21 December 1961.
He served as a priest in the Diocese until 1978 when he was appointed Assistant Secretary 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. In 1997, he was appointed as the second Bishop of Parramatta and installed at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, on 21 August 1997.
As Bishop, he helped raise the new St Patrick’s Cathedral after fire damaged the old structure. He also became known for his work reaching out to the marginalised, poor, First Nations people, migrants and Muslim community.
During his tenure, he also launched Catholic Outlook, the then monthly newspaper of the Diocese of Parramatta.
Following his retirement in 2010, he served as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes until 2012.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, the Bishop of Parramatta was with Bishop Manning when he passed away.
“Bishop Kevin Manning was a loving servant of Christ. 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, said Bishop Vincent.
“I give thanks for his life, for his vision and leadership for our local church and his legacy,” he said.
The details of Bishop Kevin Manning’s funeral at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta are expected to be announced in the coming days.