The Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, the Most Reverend Michael Malone is the pastoral leader of approximately 150,000 Catholics. The territory in the diocese extends from Lake Macquarie to Taree and as far inland as Merriwa and Murrurundi.

The diocese provides pastoral, health and aged care, social welfare and educational services for the community in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Hunter and Manning areas.

Within these areas there are currently 39 priests who minister in 45 parishes as well as 19 priests who may be retired, on leave or engaged in special duties. Three permanent deacons also minister in the diocese.

The diocese is further divided into ten pastoral regions and four deaneries.

The parishes and agencies of the diocese are supported and resourced pastorally and administratively by the Chancery (Bishop's Office), Diocesan Pastoral Support Unit, State School Religious Education, the Financial Secretariat and the Communications Office.

Aurora, the diocese's monthly, free magazine, has a circulation of 20,000 copies and is distributed to parishes, schools and diocesan agencies.

CatholicCare Hunter-Manning is the mission and outreach agency of the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. CatholicCare provides a range of aged and social services including residential aged care, community aged care, independent living, child and family services and youth and community services.

CatholicCare's social services staff are professionally trained and offer child & family services including foster care, adoption and supervised access; youth work including supported accommodation, skills training and support; counselling for individuals, families & groups; and disability support services.

As part of its ongoing commitment to the provision of quality aged care services the diocese owns, and under the management of CatholicCare, operates one nursing home, eight hostels and a range of self care units and community aged care services throughout the Newcastle, Hunter, Port Stephens, Manning and Lake Macquarie areas. CatholicCare employs approximately 800 staff and caters for more than 1000 clients.

The Catholic Schools Office (CSO) co-ordinates the operation of 44 primary schools, 10 secondary schools and one K-12 school within the diocese, providing educational facilities for approximately 17,100 children and adolescents. The CSO employs over 1000 teachers and around 330 non-teaching staff.

The Catholic Development Fund is a financial intermediary that exists to further the pastoral mission of the Church in the diocese. It does this by lending members' funds to finance diocesan and parish building projects. An important role of the Catholic Development Fund is to generate income for the diocese so as to assist in its pastoral activities.

Caritas Australia, Catholic Mission and the Marriage Tribunal are national Church bodies having a local presence in the diocese.

Caritas Australia is the Catholic Church's agency for overseas aid and development. It is part of the international Caritas network, supporting aid and grassroots programs in nearly every developing country.

Catholic Mission is the official mission aid agency of the Catholic Church providing practical, spiritual and emotional support to communities in 160 developing countries, encouraging all people to be active participants in partnership with the church world-wide.

Religious Congregations (nine in total, three male and six female) also provide a range of pastoral, social welfare, educational, aged care and health services for people in the community.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul is also active within the diocese providing emergency relief, counselling and accommodation services.

Established in 1998, the Two Bishops Trust is a collaborative venture between the Hunter's Catholic and Anglican Churches. The Trust aims to inspire and unite the whole community to find workable, just and creative solutions to the problem of unemployment.

In summary, the diocese employs approximately 2200 (full-time equivalent) staff. These employees are complemented by a multitude of volunteers. Whether we call them volunteers or people involved in ministry, without their generous assistance and commitment, the pastoral works of the Church would be extremely limited or non-existent.

POSITIONS VACANT in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle click here