Who We Are
Welcome to the page of the Institute of the Good Shepherd (IBP) in Tasmania!
I am Superior of the House of Saint Joseph, Tasmania and shepherd of the Latin Mass community in Launceston since July 2025.
I was ordained a Catholic priest in 2023, serving in Melbourne as an Assistant Priest before being assigned to beautiful Tasmania in July 2025.
I come to Tasmania with the mission of every shepherd – to bring souls into contact with Christ, the consolation of every heart. The Shepherd’s role is to find, feed and lead the sheep and to build up the family of God. This is at the heart of the mission of the IBP.
Our work is done primarily through sharing the rich tradition of the Catholic Faith in all its facets.
Our family-oriented community based in Launceston, Tasmania is centred on Christ, and is made up of “cradle” Catholics, converts, the interested and newcomers.
We are all seeking God. Whether you are a Catholic or not, I encourage you to reach out or pay us a friendly visit.
Blessings,
Father Shawn Murphy IBP
Name and Motto
The Community of Saint Joseph (Communitas Sancti Joseph) gathers the Community as a spiritual family under the patronage of Saint Joseph. The Motto “Fiducia et Labore” (through trust and work) reminds us of two pillars of the Community: trust in God’s providence and unfailing work for His Kingdom.
Under the Patronage of Saint Joseph
Three reasons for putting the community under the patronage of Saint Joseph:
• To give heartfelt thanks to Saint Joseph for all he has done in founding and guiding the community.
• To put the community and its families firmly under the spiritual patronage of the Protector of the Church.
• To give the community a distinct identity.
Emblem
The emblem is made of two Josephine symbols:
• The 3 fold Lily, representing Saint Joseph’s purity, and purity of faith in the Holy Trinity.
• The Carpenter’s Square, a symbol of prudence and God’s providential care. “You have set all things in right order by proportion: by measure, by number and by weight” (Wis 11:20)
Why The Latin Mass?
Encounter God through the traditional Roman ceremonies of the Catholic Church
Why Mass in Latin?
The traditional Mass is about much more than the language its said in.
Wasn't the Latin Mass abolished?
Find out about the place of the Mass in the Church.
What can I expect and how can I participate?
Find out how to take part in the Latin Mass.
Is there more to it than the Mass?
Be part of our community
Mass and Confession times
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Mass times
- Monday to Thursday 8.00 am Low Mass
- Friday 6.00 pm Low Mass
- Saturday 9.00 am Low Mass
- Sunday 10.00 am High Mass
- Days of Obligation and Feasts 6.00pm
Confessions
- Monday to Thursday 7.15am – 7.45am
- Friday 5.30pm – 5.45pm
- Saturday – 8.15am – 8.45am
- Sunday – 9.15am – 9.45am
- or by request