1975: Receiving the pallium from Archbishop Gino Paro, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio.


1975:With Mother Teresa at the opening of a home for destitute men in Mickleham.

 
 


c.1975: Playing his usual round of golf with fellow priests in Glenroy, shortly after his appointment as Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne.


1979: With Governor General Sir Zelman Cowen and Archbishop Luigi Barbarito at the opening of the Casa Elda Vaccari Hostel for elderly Italians.
 
 


1986: Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Frank Little pray at the Archbishops Memorial at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne.


Mid-1990s: Standing (left) with three of the four auxiliary bishops (Bishop Peter Connors, Bishop Hilton Deakin and Bishop George Pell, now Cardinal Pell) inspecting the progress of the restoration works of St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne.
 
 


2007: With Archbishop Denis Hart celebrating Academy of Mary Immaculate's Mercy Day at St Patrick's Cathedral


2007: In 1961, Fr Frank Little presented the Academy of Mary Immaculate sports captain, Kathy (Rogers) Overman, with the winning cup for achievement in sport. Archbishop Little and Kathy met again 46 years later at the school's sports achievement night.
 
 


2007: With Sr Mary Maloney, school principal, at Academy of Mary Immaculate's 150th anniversary celebrations.


2007: At Academy of Mary Immaculate's 150th anniversary celebrations.


Photographs
© MDHC Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
© Peter & John Casamento







Biography

Archbishop Thomas Francis Little was appointed the sixth Archbishop of Melbourne by Pope Paul VI on the 1 July 1974.

Archbishop Little was born in Werribee on 30 November 1925. His father, Gerald Thompson Little, a well known Melbourne surveyor and engineer and his mother, Kathleen Annie Little (nee McCormack), settled in Essendon. He was educated firstly at St Columba's School, Essendon, then St Monica's Christian Brothers College, Moonee Ponds. As a boarder at St Patrick's College, Ballarat, he completed his secondary education.

In 1943 he entered Corpus Christi College, Werribee to begin studies for the priesthood. In 1947 he continued his studies at Propaganda Fide College, Rome and was ordained to the priesthood in the chapel of the College on 3 October 1950, by Cardinal Fumasoni Biondi. For the next three years he pursued his doctoral studies through the Urban University in Rome and was awarded his doctorate in 1953. 

On his return to Melbourne in 1953 he was appointed as assistant priest to Carlton, then to assistant at St Patrick's Cathedral in 1955. For the next three years, 1956 to 1959, he worked as Secretary to the Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Romolo Carboni, in Sydney. He returned to Melbourne as assistant priest to St Patrick's Cathedral in 1959, Dean of the Cathedral in 1965 and Parish Priest of St Ambrose's, Brunswick in 1971.

During these years he was directly and enthusiastically involved in pastoral work with the large number of migrants finding a new home in Australia, especially with the Italian community.

In Melbourne at this time he was actively involved in:

  • lecturing in the Provincial seminary a member of the Diocesan Ecumenical Affairs Commission 
  • a member and Chair of Victorian Action for World Development
  • on the organising committee for the Melbourne Eucharistic Congress 
  • Episcopal Vicar for the Apostolate of the laity 
  • chaplain to teams of Our Lady

In 1973 he was appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne and Titular Bishop of Temuniana. He was ordained as a Bishop on 21 February 1973 by Cardinal James Knox during the International Eucharistic Congress held in Melbourne that year. Residing in Moonee Ponds as Parish Priest, and as a regional Bishop, he was given pastoral responsibility for the north western region of Melbourne. In 1974 he succeeded Cardinal Knox as Archbishop of Melbourne.

Two particular honours have been bestowed on Archbishop Little in recognition of his many years of leadership not only in the Roman Catholic Church, but also for the wider community:

  • In 1977 he was created a Knight Commander of the British Empire
  • On the 10 April 1992 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Theology by the Melbourne College of Divinity, particularly for his work for ecumenism and theological education in the Archdiocese.

In 1983 he attended the Synod of Bishops in Rome. The Synod's theme that year was "Reconciliation".

During his time as Archbishop of Melbourne his support of the education and renewal for the Catholic community expressed itself in such initiatives as:

  • the publication of the Religious Education Guidelines 
  • the launch of the RENEW programme
  • the establishment of Deaneries and 
  • the "Tomorrow's Church" process

A commitment to the continuing formation of lay people and priests was a characteristic of Archbishop Little's ministry. Archbishop Little was well known in his native city for his ardent support for Essendon Football Club. In 1996, his resignation from the Office for reasons of health was accepted by the Holy Father.