College Chaplain

Celebrating the Rt. Rev. Dr. Bradly Billings 

Article by Reverend Peter Landry, College Chaplain

As media cycles often seem fixated on scandal, clickbait and larger-than-life personalities, it is easy to overlook the quiet role models who simply get on with loving and serving others. So, in a rare break from my usual ramblings, I would like to pause and celebrate someone who has powerfully and selflessly supported the Overnewton community for over a decade, the Right Reverend Doctor Bradly Billings, or as he is affectionately known, Bishop Brad. 

Before you panic, this is not an obituary. Bishop Brad is very much alive and well. However, in December 2025 he was elected the 11th Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide, and so he will soon be wrapping up his ministry here in Melbourne. As he prepares to sacrifice exquisite Melbourne coffee for the quieter streets of the City of Churches, it feels right to reflect on what he has meant to our College and to the wider community. 

Since 2016, Bishop Brad has served as Assistant Bishop overseeing Northern and Western Melbourne (or “episcopate,” if you want to improve your church vocabulary). While that role covers a vast and diverse area, he has never been a distant figure for Overnewton. He has attended College events and carnivals, presided at Junior School Carol Services and Yirramboi Holy Week Services, commissioned me as College Chaplain, and met regularly with College leadership to listen, encourage and pray for our community. 

One of Bishop Brad’s great strengths is that he combines deep theological wisdom with genuine warmth. He thinks carefully, speaks graciously, and listens attentively. He has supported clergy, school leaders and community members with patience and humility. He is the kind of leader who remembers names, asks thoughtful questions, and follows up with prayer, often about very specific aspects of school life. 

On a personal note, I am deeply grateful for Bishop Brad’s kindness to my family and me as we relocated to Australia. From practical support to wise counsel (and more than a few reassuring conversations when I wasn’t entirely sure what I was doing), his generosity has meant more than he probably realises. 

His impact was beautifully evident at his farewell service at St Paul’s Cathedral this past Sunday. The Cathedral was full, a wonderful testimony in itself. At the end of the service, the Archbishop invited anyone who wished to come forward and pray for Bishop Brad. The response was overwhelming, the majority of the congregation moved forward. It was a powerful moment, and there were more than a few misty eyes present. When that many people want to pray for you, you’ve probably done something right. 

Bishop Brad’s leadership has modelled something important for our students: that faith can be thoughtful, leadership can be gentle, and strength can look like humility. In a school committed to forming young people of character, respect and empathy, that example matters. 

As Bishop Brad and his family prepare to move to Adelaide, we give thanks for his faithful service and pray for God’s blessing on this new season. 

A Prayer for Bishop Brad 

Loving God, Thank you for Bishop Brad, for who he is and for all he has meant to our community. Be with him and his family as they say goodbye to Melbourne and begin this new chapter in Adelaide. May they receive the same warmth, generosity and hospitality that they have so freely given to others. Continue to bless and guide him as he leads, and bless the Diocese of Melbourne as it prepares for what comes next. 

 

We pray this in Jesus’ name, 

 

Amen. 

Bishop Brad, thank you. Adelaide is gaining a wonderful Archbishop, and we are deeply grateful for the years that you have shared with us.