He was the sixth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dunedin from 2004 until 2018, when he reached the retirement age of 75.
[1] Campbell was born in Otautau, New Zealand, and educated at St Therese's Convent School in Invercargill (Dominican sisters) and at Marist Brothers' Primary and Marist Brothers' High schools, Invercargill, before training as a priest at Holy Name Seminary, Christchurch, and Holy Cross College, Mosgiel.
He was parish priest at Bluff (1979–86), St. Joseph's Cathedral (1986-92), at Green Island (1992–95), at Waikiwi (1995-2000) and rector at Holy Cross Seminary, Auckland (2001–04).
Campbell was appointed the sixth Bishop of Dunedin by Pope John Paul II on 29 April 2004.
Campbell's resignation as Bishop of Dunedin was accepted by Pope Francis on 22 February 2018 and his successor, Michael Dooley, was appointed on the same day.