Born in Geraldton, on 9 September 1952, Bishop Morrissey grew up on a station in Yalgoo, located over 200kms northeast of the town of Geraldton. He received his primary education via Correspondence and School of the Air Lessons supervised by his mother, Mrs Margaret Morrissey. His secondary education was as a boarder at Aquinas College, in Perth. He attended St Charles Seminary, Perth, and St Francis Xavier Seminary, Adelaide, South Australia.

Bishop Morrissey was Ordained to the Priesthood on 31 January 1981 in St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Geraldton and served in the following Ministries:-

1981 – 1984          Assistant Priest in the Parishes of Bluff Point and Port Hedland.
1983 – 2016         Army Chaplain, with two oversea’ s postings (achieved rank of Lieutenant Colonel)
1985 – 1992          Parish Priest Karratha, Pilbara.
1992 – 2007         Administrator of the Cathedral of St Francis Xavier, Geraldton.
1994 – 2017          Chancellor of the Diocese
2007 – 2014         Parish Priest, Mullewa.
2007 – 2017         Vicar General of the Diocese.
2014 – 2017         Administrator of the Cathedral of St Francis Xavier, Geraldton.

On the eve of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Wednesday 28 June, in the Bishop Bianchini Gymnasium at Nagle in Geraldton,  Bishop Morrissey celebrated his Episcopal Ordination. Unfortunately, due to interior conservation / renovations, St Francis Xavier Cathedral was closed and unavailable.

Bishop Morrissey’s motto is “Trust in the Lord” from Proverbs 3:5.

[Banner image: From a photo supplied by Fr Brian McCoy sj.  'At the Lookout. The Pound, Balgo']