Vale Patrick Percival Power, February 11,1942-September 15, 2025.

Beloved bishop Pat Power, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Canberra and Goulburn Archdiocese, died on Monday morning. He was 83.

His death was announced by Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Catholic Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, who said: “He was loved and revered as an outspoken supporter for the poor and marginalised.

“Over the last few years he serenely responded to major health issues.

“He died at the Southern Cross Campbell Residential Care in Canberra. 

“Bishop Power, a quintessential Canberran, was priest for 60 years and a bishop for 39 years. In 2009 he was named Canberra Citizen of the Year.”

He was born in Cooma in 1942 and grew up in Queanbeyan. He was educated at St Christopher’s School and St Edmund’s College and Chevalier College in Bowral.

After leaving school he trained for the priesthood and was ordained in Queanbeyan in 1965.

In 1985 he became parish priest of his home parish of Queanbeyan.

He was ordained bishop by Archbishop Francis Carroll in St Christopher’s Cathedral in 1986.

An openly progressive bishop, Power chose to retire five years early, at age 70 in 2012, citing the Vatican’s inability to listen and the twin crises of clergy sex abuse and the shortage of priests as the most vexing issues facing the church.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.