Last updated on 2 February 2025
Fr Richard Healey is the youngest of five children (two sisters and two brothers) and grew up on the far south coast of NSW on a farm north of Bega. After school, Richard completed a degree in economics at Sydney University (1987-89), before working in Campus ministry as seminarian for the Archdiocese of Sydney. After completing a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology, and a Masters in Theology, Richard joined the Discalced Carmelites at Varroville and Melbourne. He then worked in Communications for the Archdiocese of Sydney.
Fr Richard joined the Diocese of Wollongong at the beginning of 2005. The first five years were spent in the Nowra parish, as a seminarian, deacon and priest, being ordained deacon on 3 December 2005 and priest on 24 June 2006.
In July 2010 he was appointed to Fairy Meadow parish as an assistant priest to the new Lumen Christi pastoral region in Wollongong, and in October 2011 as assistant priest to St Paul’s Parish, Camden. During this time he was the Chaplain to Youth in the Diocese and the Director of Vocations, as well as the Secretary to the Council of Priests.
In February 2015, he was appointed as the ‘priest-in-charge’ of St Columbkille’s Parish in Corrimal. From September 2015 to April 2019 he was Parish Priest of St Paul’s Parish in Albion Park. In July 2020 he moved to Wollongong and worked in the parishes of Thirroul, Bulli and Corrimal, and as assistant chaplain to Wollongong Hospital.
On 1 January 2022 he became an assistant priest in the parish of St John the Evangelist. From 13 December 2023 – 17 February 2024, Richard was seconded to the parish of St Michael’s Nowra, ministering at Holy Spirit Church, Vincentia.
Richard has recently completed a Diploma of Counselling, and has begun working with the Diocesan Tribunal. In 2025 he has begun studies to be a Spiritual Director.
- More information is available on his website.
rmhealey.com
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