The current Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, the most Reverend Les Tomlinson, was last night appointed to Sandhurst by Pope Benedict XVI.

It is expected Bishop Tomlinson will be installed as the seventh Bishop of Sandhurst on March 1 by the Metropolitan of the Victorian Province, Archbishop Dennis Hart.

The new bishop was born and raised in Mildura. He started his studies for priesthood at Corpus College, Werribee, before being invited to be part of the initial class of St Paul’s National Seminary in Kensington, New South Wales.

He has a long history of involvement with church’s finance committees, as a pastor and worked in various roles with the Knights of the Southern Cross and St Vincent de Paul Society.

Yesterday, the new bishop remembered Bishop Joe as a man whose gifts to Sandhurst were many and said he hoped his own unique gifts would further enhance the parish.

We wish him well and have little doubt this will be the case.

But we must not forget the efforts of Monsignor Frank Marriott during the past 14 months, who took on the role of caretaker during the absence of a bishop.

While mourning the loss of a dear friend in Bishop Joe, Monsignor Marriott worked tirelessly to ensure the diocese continued despite the absence of its leader.

We say thanks to Monsignor Marriott for all that he has done to continue the legacy of his friend – and to prepare the diocese for the next chapter under a new bishop.