Pastoral Farewell Letter from the Bishop of Bathurst

Posted on September 19, 2026 
Filed under Bathurst Diocese, People

After the service in Bathurst Cathedral today to signal the end of his time as Bishop, Mark Calder released this Pastoral Farewell Letter –

“Dear brothers and sisters,

At our recent Bishop-in-Council meeting in Dubbo, BiC asked that what I shared with them in my Bishop’s Matters might be shared more widely across the Diocese.

As this was my final Bishop’s Matters, I was a little more reflective than usual. I didn’t attempt to rehearse the last seven years, nor offer a grand assessment of my time here. Rather, I wanted to note with thanksgiving something of what the Lord has done among us, acknowledge some areas where I have needed considerable help, and say something about what I hope the Diocese will continue to value and pursue in the next chapter.

So, with only a little adaptation for a wider audience, here is something of what I shared. …”

– Download the PDF file to read his full letter.