Welcome
Welcome to the Diocese of Lismore, a vibrant and diverse Catholic community on the beautiful east coast of New South Wales, Australia.
Our diocese covers 460 kilometres of lush rainforests, bush and white sandy beaches from Tweed in the north to Laurieton in the south. We serve more than 97,000 Catholics across 22 parishes, 47 schools, 10 outside school hours care services, 12 aged and community care services, and St Vincent’s Private Hospital.
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Who are we
Our history
The history of the Catholic Church in the mid-north and far north coast of New South Wales commenced with the arrival of Bishop John Bede Polding in 1834 and the progressive creation of new dioceses like Armidale in 1871. In the following fifteen years the Catholic population and coastal communities grew to the extent that another diocese was needed to support the rise in numbers. In 1887 the area was divided off from Armidale and became the Diocese of Grafton until 1900, when it was renamed the Diocese of Lismore. Learn more about our history and our past bishops.
Our faith
Our faith compels us to act justly, love unconditionally, and walk humbly with God. Inspired by Catholic social teaching, we are dedicated to promoting human dignity, advocating for the poor and marginalised, and working towards a more just and compassionate society. Our various ministries and community support initiatives reflect Christ’s love and compassion to all. Find out more about what we believe.
Our Bishop
Bishop Greg Homeming leads our Diocese with love and compassion. Bishop Greg received episcopal ordination at St Carthage’s Cathedral on 22 February 2017, becoming the sixth Bishop of Lismore. Learn more about Bishop Greg Homeming.
How to join
Whether you are a lifelong Catholic or someone seeking to learn more about our faith, the Diocese of Lismore welcomes you. Together, we can continue to build a community where faith, hope, and love flourish. Find your local parish.
What we believe
Our beliefs are based on our Catholic faith, which focus on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We invite you to look into our Catholic faith and join us in living as Jesus would encourage us to live every day. Contact your nearest Catholic parish if you wish to learn more.
“An authentic faith – which is never comfortable or completely personal – always involves a deep desire to change the world, to transmit values, to leave this earth somehow better than we found it.” — Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium
Jesus is the Son of God
At the heart of our beliefs is that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who became man to offer us a new way of living and to live life in its fulness. Jesus showed us God’s infinite love for people through His life, teachings, crucifixion, and resurrection. He also gave us the gift of eternal life. We try to live by His example and teachings, loving God with all our hearts and our neighbours as another self.
The Holy Trinity
We believe in the Holy Trinity, one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mystery of our faith reveals how close we are to God, and invites us into a deep relationship with God and with one another.
Sacraments
The sacraments are an essential part of our faith journey because they allow us to experience God’s grace, which is sharing in Jesus’ own life. We meet the living Christ and get the strength to live as His disciples through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Baptism brings us into the Christian community, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick sustain and sanctify us at different points in our lives.
Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition
We honour the Bible as Sacred Scripture as the inspired word of God that shows us how to live our lives. We honour Sacred Tradition, together with the Sacred Scriptures as one living witness of faith handed down to us. The Sacred Tradition can be distinguished from the Church’s traditions, which have been passed down through the generations, and which form the basis for our beliefs and actions.
The Church
The Diocese of Lismore is united within the Catholic Churches in Australia and the worldwide communion of Catholic Churches. Our Mission is to spread the Gospel and help those in material or spiritual need. The parishes in our diocese create a community of faith, hope, and love, helping each other grow spiritually and to live as Jesus taught.
Social teaching and mission
Our faith tells us to do the right thing, love everyone, and walk humbly with God. Catholic social teaching inspires us to work for a fairer and just society by promoting human dignity, speaking up for the poor and marginalised, and working for a better world. Our ministries and community support programs reflect Christ’s love and compassion for all regardless of religious affiliation or no religion.
Contact your local Catholic parish and you will be welcomed and find companions for your journey. These companions are ordinary women and men trying to live out their faith as best they can, they do not constitute a community of the perfect or the good, just those trying to live as Jesus taught us.
We invite you to join us on this journey of faith, as we grow together in understanding and living out the Gospel.
Catholic Impact Report
The report highlights the collective mission, service, and outreach of the Diocese of Lismore, and reflects the generosity and service of thousands of people – clergy, staff, and volunteers – who live the Gospel every day.