Patrick Percival Power

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Patrick Percival Power, an Australian priest (b. 11 February 1942, Cooma, New South Wales, Australia) grew up in Queanbeyan and did his primary schooling at St. Christopher's School, Canberra, St. Edmund's College, Canberra and completed his schooling at Chevalier College, Bowral. After leaving school, he undertook his seven years training for the priesthood at St. Columba's College, Springwood, and St Patrick's College, Manly.

He was ordained to the priesthood in Queanbeyan on 17 July 1965 and served in the parishes of Braidwood, Canberra, and Goulburn before being asked by Archbishop Cahill to undertake a doctorate in Canon Law in 1972 at Propaganda Fide College in Rome. On the completion of his studies in mid 1975, Fr. Power returned to Australia and for 10 years served as Archbishop's Secretary (to three Archbishops) and director of the Marriage Tribunal.

In February 1985, he became parish priest of his home parish of Queanbeyan. On 18 April 1986, he was ordained bishop, by Archbishop Francis Patrick Carroll, in St. Christopher's Cathedral, Canberra, becoming the fifth Auxiliary Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn.

Since that time he has served on Bishops' Committees for Laity, Ecumenism, Canon Law, Family & Life, Social Welfare and Media, as Secretary of the Committee for Justice, Development, Ecology and Peace and a member of the Australian Social Justice Council.

Much of his ministry has been in the field of ecumenical and inter-Faith relations. He was the first Catholic co-chairman of AUSTARC, the national Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue. He has served a number of terms as chair of the ACT Churches Council.

At the 1998 Oceania Synod of Bishops in Rome, he spoke on marginalized people in society and in the Church. Much of his efforts have been directed in this area through Catholic Welfare Australia and through local community organizations in Canberra. He has been a strong advocate for the East Timorese and the Palestinian people, for Aboriginal people, for racial respect, for the unemployed and for the rights of the unborn, the old and dying.

In 2000, he chaired a major enquiry into poverty in the ACT. He supported the move to have South Sydney restored to the national Rugby League competition.