Most Rev Peter A Comensoli

Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Sydney
Titular Bishop of Tigisi in Numidia

• View Bishop Peter's Diary / Appointments

Bishop Peter Andrew Comensoli was born in the Illawarra on 25 March, 1964, the fourth son and last child of Mick and Margaret Comensoli. He was baptised at St John Vianney Church, Fairy Meadow, the parish in which he would receive all his sacraments of Christian Initiation, as well as priestly Ordination.

Bishop Peter was educated firstly by the Good Samaritan Sisters at his parish school, and then by the Marist Fathers at St Paul's College, Bellambi. Following school, he worked for four years in the banking sector, while undertaking a part-time Commerce degree at Wollongong University.

Bishop Peter commenced his studies for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Manly in 1986. He graduated from there with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh), a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (STB). He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Wollongong on 22 May 1992. In the subsequent 19 years, he served as an assistant priest and then Administrator of a number of parishes. He was also the Chancellor of the Diocese for 6 years and a member of various clergy and diocesan committees.

Bishop Peter has twice had the opportunity to live and study overseas. Between 1998-2000 he studied for an Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL) in moral theology at the Academia Alfonsiana in Rome, and from 2006-2010 he studied in Scotland, receiving a Master of Letters (MLitt) in moral philosophy at St Andrews University and a PhD in theological ethics at Edinburgh University. During this time he was on loan to the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh, undertaking parish ministry as well as chaplaincy work in both prisons and the Armed Forces. Since January 2011, he has been a lecturer in moral theology at the Catholic Institute of Sydney.

On 20 April 2011, Bishop Peter was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney and ordained to the Episcopy on 8 June 2011 in St. Mary’s Cathedral.

As an auxiliary bishop he has been assigned the titular Episcopal see of Tigisi in Numidia.

To download the details on Bishop Peter's coat of arms, please click here.

To read Bishop Comensoli's address at his Episcopal Ordination on 8 June 2011 at St Mary's Cathedral, please see here.