Richard Umbers
{{short description|Australian Latin Catholic bishop (born 1971)}}
{{For|the Australian rules footballer|Richard Umbers (footballer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific-prefix = The Most Reverend
| name = Richard Umbers
| title = Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney
Titular Bishop of Thala
| image =
| archdiocese = Sydney
| see = Thala
| appointed = 24 June 2016
| enthroned = 24 August 2016
| term_ended =
| ordination = 1 September 2002
| ordained_by = Javier Echevarría Rodríguez
| consecration = 24 August 2016
| consecrated_by = Anthony Fisher
| cardinal =
| rank =
| birth_name = Richard James Umbers
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1971|3|17}}
| birth_place = Ōtāhuhu, New Zealand
| death_date =
| death_place =
| buried =
| nationality = New Zealander, Australian
| religion = Catholic Church
| alma_mater = {{plainlist|
- University of Waikato
- University of Sydney
- Pontifical University of the Holy Cross
- University of Navarre}}
| motto = {{langx|la|Fides et ratio|lit=Faith and reason}}
| coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Richard Umbers.svg
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles
| name=Richard Umbers
| dipstyle=The Most Reverend
| offstyle=His Lordship or My Lord Bishop
| relstyle=Bishop
| deathstyle=
}}
Richard James Umbers (born 17 March 1971{{cite web|url=http://www.dbb.org.au/news/fx-articles.cfm?loadref=12&id=504|title=Diocese of Broken Bay - Latest News}}) is an Australian Catholic bishop. He is currently an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney and the youngest Latin Catholic bishop in Australia.{{cite web|url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/bau12.html|title=Oldest and Youngest Bishops - Australia [Catholic-Hierarchy]|first=David M.|last=Cheney}} He is also the first priest of Opus Dei to be appointed a bishop in Australia.{{Cite web |date=2016-06-27 |title=TWO NEW AUXILIARY BISHOPS FOR CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY - CAS |url=https://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2016/2016624_1297.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627142943/https://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2016/2016624_1297.shtml |archive-date=2016-06-27 |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney}}
Early life
Umbers was born in Ōtāhuhu, New Zealand, on 17 March 1971 to Declan (1927–2013) and Mary (1933–2019) Umbers.{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B9vpX7OlMgg/?igshid=1dk47bkjoxoif | title=Bishop Richard Umbers on Instagram: "Rest in Peace Mum & Dad" }} He is the youngest of five children and the brother of Anthony, Andrew, Gregory and Margaret. He was raised in Papatoetoe.{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneycatholic.org/people/archbishop/homilies/2016/2016824_9.shtml|title=Our Archbishop - Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney}} He originally studied management at the University of Waikato in 1989 but transferred to the University of Sydney in 1992 to receive more intense formation at a centre of Opus Dei in Chatswood, New South Wales. He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Management from the University of Waikato, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=https://www.sydneycatholic.org/people/bishop-richard-umbers/|title=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney - Our People - Bishop Richard Umbers}}
Priesthood
Umbers entered the Opus Dei seminary in Cavabianca, Rome, in 1996 and studied at Santa Croce Pontifical University, Rome, achieving a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1999. Between 1999 and 2002, Umbers studied at the University of Navarre, Spain, where he received a Doctor of Philosophy degree. On 14 February 2002 he was ordained a deacon and was subsequently ordained a priest by Bishop Javier Echevarría, a prelate of Opus Dei, on 1 September 2002 at the Marian shrine of Torreciudad, Spain.{{Cite web|url=http://opusdei.org.au/en-au/article/appointment-of-fr-richard-umbers-as-an-auxiliary-bishop-of-sydney|title=Appointment of Fr Richard Umbers as an Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney|date=24 June 2016 |accessdate=20 July 2016}}
Umbers has been based in Sydney since 2003, and has been chaplain of several educational institutions including Warrane College (2003–04; 2012–16){{Cite web|url=http://www.warrane.unsw.edu.au/news/appointment-of-warrane-college-chaplain-as-an-auxiliary-bishop-of-sydney|title=Appointment of Warrane College Chaplain as an Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney|website=warrane.unsw.edu.au|date=23 June 2016 |accessdate=20 July 2016}} and Creston College (2012–16), residential colleges affiliated with the University of New South Wales, and Redfield College (2005–11), a school of the Parents for Education foundation.{{Cite web |date=2018-07-02 |title=Former Redfield chaplain appointed bishop |url=http://www.redfield.nsw.edu.au/blog/former-redfield-chaplain-appointed-bishop |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702093149/http://www.redfield.nsw.edu.au/blog/former-redfield-chaplain-appointed-bishop |archive-date=2018-07-02 |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Redfield College}} He has been a lecturer for the Centre for Faith, Ethics and Society at the University of Notre Dame Australia.{{Cite web |date=2018-07-02 |title=Scholarship in the Cathedral Open to All |url=http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2014/201436_1944.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702121927/http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2014/201436_1944.shtml |archive-date=2018-07-02 |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney}}
Episcopate
Umbers was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney by Pope Francis on 24 June 2016 along with Anthony Randazzo, he was given the titular see of Thala in Tunisia. They were consecrated by Anthony Fisher on 24 August 2016 in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. He sits on the council of priests of the Archdiocese of Sydney on behalf of Fisher and is a representative for the archdiocese to the St John of God hospitals.{{cite web |last1=Donovan |first1=Ned |date=4 October 2018 |title=The bishops who've never seen their dioceses |url=https://catholicherald.co.uk/issues/oct-5th-2018/bishops-whove-never-seen-their-dioceses/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724230510/https://catholicherald.co.uk/issues/oct-5th-2018/bishops-whove-never-seen-their-dioceses/ |archive-date=2019-07-24 |website=Catholic Herald}} He is published in the field of philosophy, regularly addresses youth gatherings, has an interest in social media, and has a library of his own podcasts. He runs a Twitter account named "Bishop Down Umber", the name of which is a pun on his nationality,{{cite web |title=@BishopUmbers |url=https://twitter.com/BishopUmbers |website=Twitter}} and a Christianity and Theology themed meme page on Instagram named "bishopumbers".{{Cite web|title=Bishop Richard Umbers (@bishopumbers) • Instagram photos and videos|url=https://www.instagram.com/bishopumbers/|website=www.instagram.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-06}} Umbers was naturalised as an Australian Citizen on 15 April 2024.{{Cite web |last=Rodrigues |first=Marilyn |date=2024-04-18 |title=I come from a Land Down Umbers |url=https://catholicweekly.com.au/i-come-from-a-land-down-umbers/ |access-date=2024-10-09 |website=The Catholic Weekly |language=en-AU}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{wikiquote|Richard James Umbers}}
{{commonscat}}
- [https://twitter.com/BishopUmbers Umbers on Twitter]
- [https://www.facebook.com/BishopRichardUmbers Umbers on Facebook]
{{Australian Catholic Archbishops and Bishops}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Umbers, Richard}}
Category:Australian people of Irish descent
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia
Category:University of Waikato alumni
Category:Internet memes introduced in 2015
Category:Religious leaders from Auckland
Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia