Denis Hart

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Denis James Hart (born May 16, 1941 in East Melbourne) is an Australian clergyman and the 8th and current Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne.

Hart was educated at St. John’s Marist Brothers, Hawthorn and at Xavier College, Kew. He studied for the priesthood at Corpus Christi College Werribee and Glen Waverley between 1960 and 1967. He was ordained at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne on 22 July 1967.

He served as a Hospital Chaplain, an Assistant Parish Priest and then Master of Ceremonies at St Patrick’s Cathedral. He supervised the preparation of the books used in worship, including the Lectionary for Mass.

He was Liturgy Director and Assistant Master of Ceremonies for the whole of the Australian Papal Visit in November 1986. In 1987 he became a parish priest and in 1996 he became Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. He has served in the parishes of North Balwyn, North Richmond and West Brunswick. In 1997 he was consecrated a bishop and made an auxiliary bishop to the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

In 2001 he was appointed Archbishop of Melbourne, replacing George Pell, who had been made Archbishop of Sydney. On 29 June 2001 he received the Pallium from Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square. The Archdiocese of Melbourne is the largest Catholic diocese in Oceania. It is possible that Archbishop Hart could be named a cardinal in the next consistory.