Peter Elliott (right), son of an Anglican priest, was received into the Roman Catholic Church while studying for a MA in Theology at Oxford. Returning to Australia he was ordained priest in 1973.
In the Eighties he gained a Doctorate of Sacred Theology with a thesis on the sacramentality of marriage; returning to Rome to take up work with the Pontifical Council for the Family. As such he was much involved in several conferences on the family and marriage, including the UN Conference on Population held in Cairo in 1994, the UN Social Summit held in Copenhagen, and the UN Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995. Consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in 2007.
His speech is a shortened version of a speech he delivered at a meeting of Forward in Faith Australia on 13 February, called among other things to welcome his appointment as delegate of the Australian Catholic
Bishops’ Conference in the project to establish a Personal Ordinariate in that country. A working group has been formed under his leadership with members of FiFA, the Traditional Anglican Communion and the Anglican Church of Australia.
Gerry O’Brien is a lay member of the General Synod, and has represented the Diocese of Rochester since 1980.
Nigel Holmes is also a lay member of the General Synod, and has represented the Diocese of Carlisle since 1985.
Canon Andrew Hawes, one of the founder members of New Directions, is the Rural Dean of Beltisloe, Vicar of Edenham, and Warden of the Edenham Regional Retreat House (left)