The Bishop's Biography
Max
Davis was born in Townsville, Queensland, in 1945. His father, Frederick Davis,
was serving in the RAAF based in Townsville during the last stages of
the Second World War, and his mother Marion Agatha (nee Murray), an immigrant
from Ireland, was working at the Townsville Base Hospital. Immediately on cessation
of hostilities, the family moved back to Perth, WA, their home State. Max Davis
received primary schooling at Our Lady of Victories Parish School, Floreat
Park, and at Mary's Mount Boys College at Kalamunda. Secondary education was
received at Christian Brothers College, Leederville and at Christian Brothers
High School, Mount Lawley. On completion of secondary education he joined the
Royal Australian Navy as an electrical mechanic and served aboard HMAS QUIBERON
in the Far East Strategic Reserve during the period of the Indonesian confrontation
of Malaysia. With the help of serving Australian and British navy Chaplains
he discerned a vocation to priesthood and on return to Australia he was granted
a discharge in May 1964 to begin Seminary training for priesthood. He was a
secular student for the ecclesiastical territory of the Abbey Nullius of New
Norcia in Western Australia and undertook formation in St. Columba's College,
Springwood (NSW), St. Patrick's College, Manly (NSW) and at New Norcia. Subsequently
pastoral care of that territory reverted to the Archdiocese of Perth and Father
Davis was also transferred to that Archdiocese. He was ordained priest in 1971.
He continued his appointment on the staff of St. Benedict's College at New
Norcia for a time and was then appointed to the parishes at Moora and Northam
in Western Australia.
Shortly after he was ordained priest he was commissioned as a Chaplain into the Citizen's Military Forces (now the Army Reserve) and was posted to 5 Cadet Brigade initially and then to 28 RWAR (the Bushmen's Rifles). In December 1975 he was commissioned as a full time Chaplain in the Royal Australia Navy. He served in HMAS NIRIMBA (the RAN Apprentices Training Establishment) near Blacktown, NSW; HMAS CERBERUS at Western Port, Victoria; HMAS MELBOURNE (the aircraft carrier) and as Fleet Chaplain; HMAS LEEUWIN (Junior Recruit Training School) at Fremantle, WA - and for HMAS STIRLING and the Special Air Services Regiment; the US Navy Chaplains School at Newport, Rhode Island, USA; HMAS ALBATROSS (Naval Air Station) near Nowra, NSW - and for HMAS CRESWELL (the Naval College) at Jervis Bay; HMAS JERVIS BAY (the training ship) and for Fleet Duties; the Joint Services Staff College at Weston Creek, ACT; and at Navy Headquarters in Russell Offices Canberra where he was appointed Director General Chaplaincy - Navy. He was made a Prelate of Honour (Monsignor) in 1993 and appointed as Vicar General (and subsequently Chancellor) of the Military Ordinariate where he continued until 1998. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1997.
Monsignor Davis was next to be involved as Chaplain at St. Edmund's College in Canberra and as Assistant Priest at St. Christopher's Cathedral in Canberra until December 2002. Monsignor was also active in providing Masses and retreat activities for Marist College and for providing supply work for many parishes in the Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn. He accepted the need to return to the Chancery of the Ordinariate in March 2003 to assist during a period of reduced staff. He continued there until his appointment as Military Ordinary Bishop of Australia on 16 July 2003. He was consecrated Bishop by his predecessor, Bishop Mayne, in St. Christopher's Cathedral, Canberra, and took possession of the See on 22 August 2003.
He resides at the Chancery for the Ordinariate in Campbell, a suburb of Canberra.