John Edward HEAPS

Auxiliary Bishop 1981-1992

Born on 25 Feb 1927, Hamilton, in New South Wales, Australia in the parish of Hamilton. (Maitland Diocese)
His father was Edward Knowles Heaps and his mother was Mary M Walker.
He was educated at Dulwich Hill High School, and attended Seminary at St Columba’s, Springwood; St Patrick’s College, Manly.
He was ordained on 8 Mar 1958, in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney by Cardinal Norman T Gilroy and incardinated in the Archdiocese of Sydney.

He was elected as Bishop on 4 Sep 1981 as Titular Bishop of Cathaig, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney.
He was consecrated (ordained as Bishop) on 31 Oct 1981 in St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney by Cardinal James D'A Freeman (Consecrating Bishop) the Archbishop of Sydney. He was assisted by Archbishop Luigi Barbarito, the Apostolic Pro-Nuncio, and Archbishop James P Carroll, the Titular Archbishop of Amasea; Auxiliary Archbishop of Sydney.
He retired on 31 Mar 1992, to Ramsgate.
During his lifetime, he has been Assistant Priest of Harris Park, Waitara, Guilford, Woollahra. Administrator of Golden Grove; Parish Priest, Malabar, Dover Heights (Regional Bishop); Chaplain - Little Sisters of the Poor, Drummoyne; Director Catholic Immigration Office Sydney. He was awarded MBE - Member of the Order of the British Empire - for work in the re-settlement of migrant people.

Bishop Heaps died on 21 June 2004.

Homily by Bishop David Cremin at the funeral of Bishop Heaps (29 June 2004) 

The Previous Archbishops of the Archdiocese of Sydney

• John Polding OSB, Vicar Apostolic of New Holland 1834-1842; Archbishop of Sydney 1842-1877.
• Roger Bede Vaughan OSB, 1877-1883.
• Patrick Francis Cardinal Moran, 1884-1911.
• Michael Kelly, 1911-1940.
• Norman Thomas Cardinal Gilroy, 1940-1971. Co-adjutor Bishop 1937-1940; Archbishop 1940-46; Cardinal 1946-1971.
• James Darcy Cardinal Freeman, 1971-1983. Auxiliary Bishop Sydney 1957-1969. Bishop Armidale 1969-1971.
• Edward Bede Cardinal Clancy AC, 1983-2001.

The Predecessor Auxiliary and Co-adjutor Archbishops
of the Archdiocese of Sydney

1. Charles Henry Davis OSB, 1848-1854. Also Titular Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle.
2. Joseph Higgins, 1889. (Appointed Bishop of Rockhampton 1889).
3. Michael Sheehan, Co-adjutor Archbishop 1922-1937.
4. Eris Norman Michael O'Brien, 1948-1953. (Appointed Bishop of Canberra-Goulburn 1953.)
5. Patrick Francis Lyons, 1950-1956. (Appointed Co-adjutor Bishop Sale 1956. Bishop 1957-1967.)
6. James Patrick Carroll, 1954-1965. Retired 1984. Died 1995.
7. James Darcy Cardinal Freeman, 1957-1969
8. Thomas William Muldoon, 1960-1986.
9. Edward Francis Kelly MSC, 1969-1975. (Appointed Bishop of Toowoomba 1975.)
10. Edward Bede Cardinal Clancy AC, 1973-1978. (Appointed Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, 1978-1983.)
11. Patrick Laurence Murphy, 1977-1986. (Appointed Bishop of Broken Bay 1986. Retired)
12. Bede Vincent Heather, 1979-1986. (Appointed Bishop of Parramatta 1986. Retired)
13. John Edward Heaps, 1981-1992. Retired 1992. Died 2004.
14. Peter William Ingham, 1993-2001. (Appointed Bishop of Wollongong 2001.)
15. Geoffrey James Robinson, 1984-2004. Retired.
16. David Cremin, 1974-2005. Retired.

See also:

• Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
• Current Auxiliary Bishops of Sydney
  • Bishop Julian Porteous
  • Bishop Anthony Fisher OP
• Significant Early Pioneers in the Church in Sydney