# Edmund Collins

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{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| name             = Edmund Collins
| title            = Bishop
| church           = [Roman Catholic](/source/Roman_Catholic)
| diocese          = [Darwin, Northern Territory](/source/Darwin%2C_Northern_Territory), Australia
| appointed        = 3 July 1986<ref name=CatholicHierarchy>{{Catholic-hierarchy|bishop|bcollinse|Bishop Edmund John Patrick Collins, M.S.C.|2015-01-24}}</ref>
| ended            = 3 July 2007<ref name=CatholicHierarchy/>
| motto            = ''Cor Unum'' (One heart)<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/><ref name=ReflectionOnRequiemMass/>
| predecessor      = [John Patrick O'Loughlin](/source/John_Patrick_O'Loughlin)
| successor        = [Eugene Hurley](/source/Eugene_Hurley)
| birth_date       = {{Birth date|1931|3|22|df=y}}<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/>
| birth_place      = [Braidwood, New South Wales](/source/Braidwood%2C_New_South_Wales), Australia
| death_date       = {{Death date and age|2014|8|8|1931|3|22|df=y}}<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/>
| death_place      = [Sydney](/source/Sydney), New South Wales, Australia}}

'''Edmund John Patrick Collins''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} was the Roman Catholic [Bishop of Darwin](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Darwin), Australia, from 1986 to 2007.<ref name=ABC>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-09/darwins-bishop-ted-collins-dies-aged-83/5660440|title=Darwin's Bishop Ted Collins dies aged 83|author=Xavier La Canna|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=2014-08-09|accessdate=2014-08-09}}</ref>

==Early life==
Collins was born in [Braidwood, New South Wales](/source/Braidwood%2C_New_South_Wales) in 1931, the youngest of five children in an Irish-Catholic family, and grew up in [Bermagui](/source/Bermagui%2C_New_South_Wales). His mother died when he was five.<ref name=CatholicWeekly>{{cite web|url=http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/03/dec/7/14.html|title=Conversation: Ted Collins, Bishop of Darwin - Souls to be saved, not locked up|author=Damir Govorcin|date=2003-12-07|accessdate=2014-08-09|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325053954/http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/03/dec/7/14.html|archivedate=2012-03-25}}</ref>

At the age of 16, Collins moved to [Sydney](/source/Sydney) and joined the police service as a [cadet](/source/police_cadet),<ref name=ExPoliceCadets>{{cite web|url=http://www.expolicecadets.asn.au/personality.php?id=3|title=What happened to... Bishop Edmund J P COLLINS MSC AM DD|publisher=Ex-Police Cadets Association of NSW, Inc|accessdate=2014-08-09}}</ref> before becoming a probationary constable at 19.<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin>{{cite web|url=http://www.darwin.catholic.org.au/our-story/bishop-collins.htm |title=Bishop EJP Collins – 1986–2007 |publisher=Diocese of Darwin |accessdate=2014-08-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811172359/http://www.darwin.catholic.org.au/our-story/bishop-collins.htm |archivedate=2014-08-11 }}</ref>

==Priesthood==
In 1953, shortly before he turned 23, Collins attended a [day of recollection](/source/Retreat_(spiritual)) at Kensington Monastery with a group of Catholic police; it was here that he first felt drawn to the priesthood. The following year, aged 24,<ref name=ArchdioceseOfSydney/> Collins resigned from the police force to join the [Missionaries of the Sacred Heart](/source/Missionaries_of_the_Sacred_Heart) at [Douglas Park](/source/Douglas_Park%2C_New_South_Wales). After two years of initial studies and preparation, in 1956 he took his first [vows](/source/Religious_vows) and moved to Croydon Monastery in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne) to study for the priesthood.<ref name=ExPoliceCadets/><ref name=ArchdioceseOfSydney>{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2014/2014811_1975.shtml|title=Northern Territory Mourns Death of Darwin's Much-loved "Bishop Ted"|publisher=Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney|date=2014-08-11|accessdate=2014-08-18|archive-date=19 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819082718/http://www.sydneycatholic.org/news/latest_news/2014/2014811_1975.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> After completing his theological studies, he was ordained a priest in 1963, at age 32,<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/> and appointed to the parish of Randwick ([Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church](/source/Our_Lady_of_the_Sacred_Heart_Church%2C_Randwick)<ref name=CatholicWeekly/>) in Sydney.

Collins remained at Randwick for four years, after which he was transferred to Hindmarsh parish in [Adelaide](/source/Adelaide), for three years, and then to Nightcliff parish in [Darwin](/source/Darwin%2C_Northern_Territory).<ref name=ExPoliceCadets/> He returned to Randwick in 1978 and remained there as parish priest until 1985,<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/><ref name=CatholicWeekly/> after which he went on a [sabbatical](/source/sabbatical).<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/>

===Other responsibilities===
During the 1970s, Collins was Director of Catholic Missions for the Darwin Diocese, and Superior of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Northern Territory.<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/><ref name=CatholicWeekly/>

==Bishop of Darwin==
On 3 July 1986 Collins was consecrated bishop of Darwin;<ref name=CatholicHierarchy/> he adopted the motto ''Cor Unum'' ("one heart").<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/><ref name=ReflectionOnRequiemMass/>

In November 1986, Collins accompanied [Pope John Paul II](/source/Pope_John_Paul_II) as he visited Darwin and [Alice Springs](/source/Alice_Springs)<ref name=HistoryOfNTChurch>{{cite web|url=http://www.darwin.catholic.org.au/our-story/history-nt-church.htm |title=Our Story - History of NT Church |publisher=Diocese of Darwin |accessdate=2014-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906112345/http://www.darwin.catholic.org.au/our-story/history-nt-church.htm |archivedate=2014-09-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://catholicleader.com.au/spirituality/papal-visit-to-the-heart_42189|title=Papal visit to the heart|journal=The Catholic Leader|publisher=Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane|date=2006-10-08|accessdate=2014-06-06}}</ref> as part of the Australian papal tour. While in Alice Springs the Pope gave a speech to [Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples](/source/Indigenous_Australians),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1986/november/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19861129_aborigeni-alice-springs-australia_en.html |title=Address of John Paul II to the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in Blatherskike Park |publisher=The Holy See |date=1986-11-29 |accessdate=2014-09-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140215050200/https://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1986/november/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19861129_aborigeni-alice-springs-australia_en.html |archivedate=2014-02-15 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=29241#.VAqmW7HvPRY|title=The Pope in Alice: 25 years on|author=Frank Brennan|journal=Eureka Street|publisher=Jesuit Communications Australia|date=2011-11-28|accessdate=2014-09-06}}</ref> which inspired Collins to encourage Indigenous Catholics to express their Aboriginality within their Catholic faith, allowing the use of [didgeridoo](/source/didgeridoo)s, [clapstick](/source/clapstick)s and [smoking ceremonies](/source/smoking_ceremony) as part of [Mass](/source/Mass_(Catholic_Church)).<ref name=ArchdioceseOfSydney/><ref name=Stateline>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/nt/content/2006/s2021123.htm|title=Fond Farewell|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|work=Stateline|author=Margie Smithurst|date=2007-08-31|accessdate=2014-08-09}}</ref>

Collins was a public advocate for Indigenous people who were [taken from their families as children](/source/Stolen_Generations).<ref name=ArchdioceseOfSydney/><ref name=Stateline/>

When the Northern Territory [legalised euthanasia in 1995](/source/Rights_of_the_Terminally_Ill_Act_1995), Collins campaigned publicly against the law, and "almost certainly contributed to" its overturning in 1997 by the [Federal Government](/source/Parliament_of_Australia).<ref name=ReflectionOnRequiemMass/><ref name=ArchdioceseOfSydney/><ref name=ABCFuneral/>

In the [1999 Australia Day Honours](/source/1999_Australia_Day_Honours) Collins was made a [Member of the Order of Australia](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_Australia) (AM) for "service to the community through the Catholic Church as Bishop of Darwin, and to the Aboriginal community".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/885806|title=The Most Reverend Edmund John Patrick Collins|last=|first=|date=|website=honours.pmc.gov.au|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191003032316/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/885806 |archive-date=2019-10-03 |access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref>

Collins retired in 2007.<ref name=CatholicHierarchy/> He died on 8 August 2014 at the St Joseph's Aged Care Home in [Kensington](/source/Kensington%2C_New_South_Wales),<ref name=ABC/> and was interred in a crypt at Saint Mary's Cathedral, Darwin.<ref name=ReflectionOnRequiemMass>{{citation|url=http://www.catholic.org.au/media-centre/media-releases/doc_download/1569-reflection-on-requiem-mass-for-bishop-collins |title=Bishop Ted Collins MSC DD AM laid to rest |publisher=Catholic Diocese of Darwin |date=2014-08-21 |accessdate=2014-08-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906133059/http://www.catholic.org.au/media-centre/media-releases/doc_download/1569-reflection-on-requiem-mass-for-bishop-collins |archivedate=2014-09-06 }}</ref><ref name=ABCFuneral>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-19/bishop-ted-remembered-in-darwin/5682010|title=Bishop Ted Collins funeral held in Darwin|date=2014-08-19|accessdate=2014-08-19|author=Xavier La Canna|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation}}</ref>

Ted Collins Village, a housing complex opened in 2011 and run by the [St Vincent de Paul Society](/source/St_Vincent_de_Paul_Society) in Darwin, is named after him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Find_Help/NT/Housing/Ted_Collins_Village|title=Ted Collins Village in Darwin|publisher=St Vincent de Paul Society|accessdate=2014-08-09}}</ref>

==Cyclone Tracy recording==
Collins was in Darwin when it was struck by [Cyclone Tracy](/source/Cyclone_Tracy) in 1974. When the cyclone hit, he switched on a tape recorder, and recorded the sounds of the storm.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/review/blown-away-by-the-impact-of-cyclone-tracy-on-darwin/story-fn9n8gph-1226991030419?nk=46532fe4e283c04a6245528ad34dd8e7|title=Blown away by the impact of Cyclone Tracy on Darwin|author=Sophie Cunningham|publisher=The Australian|date=2014-07-19|accessdate=2014-08-21}}<!--The article is "an edited extract from [Sophie Cunningham's] new book, Warning: The Story of Cyclone Tracy, to be published next week [July 2014] by Text Publishing--></ref> The recording is now in the [Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory](/source/Museum_and_Art_Gallery_of_the_Northern_Territory), as part of the Cyclone Tracy exhibit.<ref name=DioceseOfDarwin/><ref name=ArchdioceseOfSydney/><ref>{{cite book|title=Down Under|author=Bill Bryson|date=2 March 2010|publisher=Random House|isbn=9781409095637|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wg60z6k8qhgC&dq=tape+recording+cyclone+tracy&pg=PT230|accessdate=2014-09-08}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, Edmund (bishop)}}
Category:1931 births
Category:2014 deaths
Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia
Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia
Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Darwin
Category:People from the South Coast (New South Wales)
Category:Australian people of Irish descent
Category:Australian police officers
Category:Members of the Order of Australia

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Edmund Collins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Collins) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Collins?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.