His passing was confirmed in a statement last night from the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.

The diocese said Bishop Wright announced his ill health and confirmed he had submitted his resignation to Pope Francis in September this year. During his leave of absence, the Vicar General, Reverend Andrew Doohan, became the senior person in the diocese.

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"While he had confirmed his ill health, the speed of Bishop Bill's death was unexpected," Reverend Doohan said.

"The Diocese offers its prayers and sympathies to Bishop Bill's family."

He said details of Bishop Wright's funeral were yet to be finalised.

Reverend Doohan said Bishop Wright was ordained on June 15, 2011, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton, succeeding Bishop Michael Malone, who asked that the Vatican accept his retirement due to the impact of the child sexual abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic Church and other religious institutions, leading to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Bishop Malone had been installed as Bishop in 1995, replacing Bishop Leo Clarke, who retired after serving since 1976.

"Bishop Wright led the diocese during a period when it faced the terrible truths of historic child sexual abuse that occurred within the diocese and the failures of some of its past leaders to protect children from abuse," Reverend Doohan said.

"Bishop Bill was recognised as an important figure in supporting survivors and introducing reforms to help the Catholic Church respond to the issue of child sexual abuse.

"Bishop Bill was a warm, considered and deeply faithful man, he was always dedicated to the people of the Diocese and I know he served as an inspiration, not only for many of our clergy but also those in the places he served. He will be greatly missed.

"Bishop Bill was an active and respected member of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. He made major contributions to the Church and the wider communities in which he ministered.

"Bishop Bill recognised the pain of the victims and their families, he acknowledged this and made an abiding commitment to promote the safety, welfare and well-being of children and vulnerable adults.

Bishop Bill's work to support survivors is part of his legacy."

Although the church has praised him deeply, others in the community, affected by the scourge of abuse, had different opinions this evening.

The Newcastle Herald has filed a number of articles in the past few years about Bishop Wright's interaction with the Nash family of Hamilton, in relation to the abuse of Andrew Nash, who committed suicide in 1974, aged 13, after being abused at Marist Brothers Hamilton.

Andrew's mother, Audrey, and brother Geoffrey, expressed disappointment in those articles, and Geoffrey Nash said last night that his views had not changed.

"I've seen what the church has written tonight about Bill and while he made the right noises in public, when push came to shove I believe he put the church before its victims and before the needs of its survivors," Mr Nash said.