Pope Francis has accepted the resignation letter of Auxiliary Bishop Terence Brady, after he reached the canonical retirement age of 75 for bishops this year.
Bishop Terry, as he is affectionately known, has made a remarkable contribution to the Catholic Church in Australia, especially through ministry to the disadvantaged over many decades.
He began volunteering at the Matthew Talbot hostel for homeless men as a Year 8 student at De La Salle Catholic College in Cronulla and credits the experience with having shaped a desire to serve others, alongside the strong faith nurtured in him from a young age by his Irish-Australian parents.
He left school in Year 10 to work in the Postmaster General’s Department as a clerk and studied for his Higher School Certificate at night.
At the age of 18, Bishop Terry began life as a religious brother with the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, but left before taking his final vows.
He worked for a number of years as a social worker for South Sydney Council, for the police department, as a wardsman at St Vincent’s Hospital and later as Bursar for Daramalan Catholic College in Canberra and as Business Manager for Annals Magazine.
He was ordained a diocesan priest in 1983 and served in a number of Sydney parishes including Sydney Harbour North, Harris Park, Liverpool, Strathfield and Kingsgrove.
Bishop Terry was ordained an Auxiliary Bishop in 2007 and has left a great legacy through his ministry to those in need including as Director of Catholic Mission in the Archdiocese of Sydney and in leadership roles with the St Vincent De Paul Society.
He has also served as Chair for the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life, responsible for defending the rights of migrants and refugees, prisoners and people with disabilities.
The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Fr Gerry Gleeson has paid tribute to Bishop Terry, saying he has been an inspiration to many Australians.
“His concern for social justice and his compassion for those on the margins of society are well known and have been an inspiration to so many people both within and outside the Church”, Fr Gerry said.
“We wish Bishop Terry well as he moves to a new ministry of slightly ‘lesser duties’, as he continues to serve the people of Sydney in new ways.”