Former boat person from Vietnam now Australian Bishop

A Vietnamese refugee who began a new life in Melbourne more than 30 years ago has been chosen by the head of the Catholic Church to be the Bishop of Parramatta.

Vincent Long Nguyen has been auxiliary bishop in Melbourne since 2011, and on Thursday he was appointed Bishop of the Parramatta diocese, in Sydney, by Pope Francis.

"Coming to Australia by boat as a refugee from Vietnam, I found myself a newcomer in Melbourne. I now consider myself a newcomer to the Diocese of Parramatta," Bishop Nguyen said.

The 54-year-old has called Australia home since 1981.

He fled Vietnam in 1980 after the communist government disbanded the seminary he had joined in 1972.

After settling in Melbourne, Bishop Long began his studies for the priesthood in 1984 and was ordained five years later.

He worked as a priest in NSW and Victoria and was transferred to Rome in 2008, before returning to Australia.