Peter Hollingworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Right Reverend The Honourable
Peter Hollingworth
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| 23rd Governor-General of Australia | |
| In office 29 June 2001 – 29 May 2003 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Sir William Deane |
| Succeeded by | Michael Jeffery |
| Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane | |
| In office 1989–2001 |
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| Preceded by | John Grindrod |
| Succeeded by | Phillip Aspinall |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Peter John Hollingworth
10 April 1935 Adelaide, South Australia |
| Spouse |
Ann Turner
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne |
| Profession | Bishop |
Peter John Hollingworth (born 10 April 1935) is a retired Australian Anglican bishop. He is known for his social work, which he was involved in for many years. From 1989 to 2001, he was the Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane.
In 1991, he was named Australian of the Year. Later, he served as the 23rd Governor-General of Australia from 2001 to 2003. The Governor-General is the King's representative in Australia. Hollingworth resigned from the role in 2003 after facing criticism for his actions as Archbishop. He has also written several books.
Contents
Early Life and Schooling
Peter Hollingworth was born on 10 April 1935, in Adelaide, South Australia. His father was an engineer who had grown up in British India, and his mother came from a pioneering family in South Australia.
In 1941, his family moved to Melbourne so his father could work for the government's aircraft department. Peter went to several state schools before attending Scotch College, Melbourne. He left school when he was 16 and started working at the mining company BHP. At night, he studied accounting.
Path to Becoming a Priest
In 1953, Hollingworth was required to do national service, a type of temporary military service. He worked in the chaplain's office at an Air Force base and decided he wanted to become a priest.
He returned to his studies and enrolled at the University of Melbourne in 1954. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958 and a Licentiate of Theology in 1959. On 6 February 1960, he married Kathleen Ann Turner. They have three daughters.
Hollingworth was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1960. He began his work in North Melbourne. In 1964, he joined the Brotherhood of St Laurence, an Anglican organization that helps people in need. He worked there for 25 years, eventually becoming its executive director in 1980.
He became known for his work helping the poor and wrote books about it. He believed that poverty was a problem caused by how society is structured, not just by individual choices.
Becoming a Bishop and Archbishop
In 1980, Hollingworth was made a canon of St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne. In 1985, he became the Bishop in the Inner City.
Four years later, in 1989, he was elected as the Archbishop of Brisbane. As archbishop, he continued to speak up for the poor and supported the ordination of women as priests.
For his work, he was named Australian of the Year in 1991. He used his position to talk about issues like Aboriginal welfare and youth unemployment. In 1998, he was a delegate at the Australian Constitutional Convention, a meeting to discuss Australia's system of government.
Governor-General of Australia
On 22 April 2001, Prime Minister John Howard announced that Queen Elizabeth II had appointed Hollingworth as the next Governor-General of Australia. He was the first Christian cleric to be appointed to this high office.
He was sworn in on 29 June 2001. As Governor-General, he also became the Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Australia, a high honour.
Resignation from Office
In late 2001, Hollingworth began to face criticism. People questioned how he had handled serious problems during his time as Archbishop of Brisbane in the 1990s.
Hollingworth said that at the time, he did not have enough experience to handle the situations properly. He apologized and stepped down from his roles with several charities.
The new Archbishop of Brisbane, Phillip Aspinall, ordered an inquiry. The report from this inquiry led to more public discussion. In May 2003, after meeting with Prime Minister Howard, Hollingworth decided to "stand aside" from his duties.
On 28 May 2003, he officially announced his resignation. He was the third Governor-General in Australian history to resign from the position.
Honours and Awards
Peter Hollingworth has received many honours for his work with the church and the community.
- In 1976, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
- In 1988, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
- In 1991, he was named Australian of the Year.
- In 1997, he was included on the first list of Australian Living Treasures.
- In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal.
- In 2001, he was promoted to Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) when he became Governor-General.
- In 2001, he was awarded a Doctor of Letters degree by the Archbishop of Canterbury for his research and leadership. He also holds six honorary doctorates from Australian universities.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Hollingworth para niños
