Bishop Joseph O’Connell, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus
of Melbourne, died at Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew on Saturday, aged
81, according to a statemment from the Australian Catholic Bishops
Conference.In 1949 Bishop O’Connell commenced studies for teaching, but at the beginning of 1950 he entered Corpus Christi College Werribee to study for the priesthood and was ordained by Archbishop Justin Simonds in St Patrick’s Cathedral on 28th July 1957.
Bishop O’Connell obtained a doctorate in Canon Law in July 1961 from the Gregorian University, and lived at St Peter’s College in Rome while studying.
He worked in the parishes of West Melbourne and Yarraville, combining this with work in the Archdiocesan Tribunal, becoming Vice Officialis on 13 November 1968.
Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said that Bishop O’Connell’s contribution to Canon Law and a care for migrants will be among the things he will be remembered for.