Dinner in Honor of The Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, His Grace the Most Reverend Mark Coleridge

Chancellor, Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, Dr Patrick Mullins; President, Queensland Court of Appeal, the Honourable Justice Debra Mullins AO; Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University and Emeritus Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland, the Honourable Martin Daubney AM KC; Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, Your Grace the Most Reverend Jeremy Greaves KCSJ; Your Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane; and all of you around this table, and especially our guest of honour, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, Your Grace the Most Reverend Mark Coleridge.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Your Grace, Graeme and I are delighted to welcome you to Government House this evening, and to have this opportunity as your retirement looms to honour your distinguished service to our city and to Catholic parishes across greater South-East Queensland.

I am so pleased we could bring together some of your friends and colleagues who have supported you during the 13 years you have held the position of Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, and I thank you all for being here.

When Your Grace was appointed Archbishop, by Pope Benedict XVI in April 2012, you indicated that it would be the “greatest challenge” of your life, but that you considered it “a mission rich in possibility”.

I am sure that these years have been incredibly busy, and that the demands placed upon you have been significant.

Yet I hope that when you reflect on your time in Brisbane, you will do so with tremendous pride, and with immense fondness.

And while there has no doubt been difficulties over the years, your thoughtful and inspirational leadership has not only guided the Church through such times, but it has strengthened its purpose and vision, in our state and across our country.

By encouraging people to embrace a sense of listening and talking, and by renewing the archdiocese’s vital outreach work, Your Grace has enhanced the sense of unity that underpins the faith itself—one that is built on love and patience, sharing and helping one another.

This is so important in a time when the speed of change continues to have such an unsettling effect.

Yet, I am sure you would all agree that it is the duty of each of us, to try to make a genuine positive difference to the world, wherever we can do so.

This evening, I thank Your Grace for your dedication to the people of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, the broader Queensland community, to civic life in our state, and for the over 50 years of pastoral service you have given to the Catholic Church in Australia.  

While we are sad to see you leave, this evening’s dinner gives us all a chance to express our deepest gratitude to you, for your many tangible achievements as Archbishop, and for being such an inspirational leader, teacher and friend.

We wish you well in your retirement, and hope that wherever life takes you next, you find joy and peace.