A Strange Way Home

A Strange Way Home is the story of a journey that spans continents and cultures, faith and family. In this deeply reflective memoir, Archbishop Mark Coleridge traces the path from his Irish, Scottish and English forebears, through childhood in Melbourne and Adelaide, to the classrooms of Melbourne University, the seminaries of Australia, the streets of Rome, and ultimately Archbishop's House in Brisbane.

More than a chronicle of events, this is an exploration of what it means to belong. Along the way, Coleridge wrestles with questions that confront every life: Who am I? Where do I come from? What does it mean to be at home? Through stories of family, friendship, loss, faith, vocation and leadership, he reveals how the search for home is often less about a place than a lifelong process of coming to terms with oneself, others, the Church and God.

Written with candour, wisdom and literary grace, A Strange Way Home offers a rare glimpse into the life of one of Australia's most respected church leaders. Mark Coleridge served as Archbishop of Brisbane from 2012 to 2025 and previously worked in the Holy See's Secretariat of State after studies in Rome. A gifted preacher, scholar and communicator, he has been a leading voice in Australian Catholic life for more than four decades.

Part memoir, part meditation, and part spiritual autobiography, this is the story of a life shaped by faith and the enduring search for home.

Mark Coleridge was ordained a priest of Melbourne in 1974. He studied in Rome and worked in the Vatican before being named Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in 2002, Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn in 2006, and Archbishop of Brisbane in 2012. He retired in 2025.