Auxiliaries down under

The Holy Father today has named two new Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Melbourne: Reverend Don Timothy Costelloe, S.D.B, Rector of Melbourne’s Salesian Theological College; and Reverend Monsignor Peter John Elliott, a priest and Episcopal Vicar for the Archdiocese.

Bishop-elect Costelloe was born in 1954 in East Melbourne, entered the Salesian order in 1977 and was ordained in 1986. He obtained a License in Theology from Rome’s Salesian University and a Doctorate in Theology from the University of Melbourne. He has served as Religious Education Coordinator, Spiritual Director at the Salesian College, Professor at the Catholic Theological College, Assistant Director for the Pre-Novitiate, Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish in Victoria Park, Rector and Formation Director for the Salesian House for Studies and Pastor in Clifton Hill, Member of the Provincial Council, and Consultant as well as General Secretary for the Synod of Bishops for Oceania that took place in Rome in 1998.

Bishop-elect Elliott was born in 1943 in Melbourne, attended the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, obtained Bachelor and Master degrees at the University of Melbourne. He then went to Oxford where he obtained a Masters degree in Theology and entered the Catholic Church. A little later, he entered the seminary, studying at Corpus Christi College in Melbourne and then at the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He was ordained in 1973. He has served in several parochial and diocesan positions. He is currently Episcopal Vicar for Religious Education, Director of Melbourne’s John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, a Consultor for the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and a member of the Congregation for the Clergy’s International Council for Catechesis.