Roman Catholic Diocese of Armidale

Last updated

Diocese of Armidale

Dioecesis Armidalensis
Cathedral Armidale.jpg
Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph, Armidale; consecrated in 1912
Location
Country Australia
Territory New England and Barwon River regions of New South Wales
Ecclesiastical province Sydney
Coordinates 30°30′58″S151°39′50″E / 30.51611°S 151.66389°E / -30.51611; 151.66389
Statistics
Area91,500 km2 (35,300 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2006)
Decrease2.svg 146,769
Decrease2.svg 43,223 (Steady2.svg 29.4%)
ParishesSteady2.svg 25
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established28 November 1869
Cathedral Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop sede vacante
Metropolitan Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP
Website
armidale.catholic.org.au

The Diocese of Armidale is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney. The Diocese of Armidale was established in 1869 and covers the New England and Barwon River regions of New South Wales.

Contents

Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral is the cathedra of the Bishop of Armidale, presently vacant after Michael Kennedy was appointed to the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. [1] [2] The Administrator is Monsignor Edward (Ted) Wilkes and the administrator sat with the other Australian Bishops while attending the parramatta funeral of former Bishop Kevin Manning in 2024.

History

Erected 28 November 1869. [3] Promptly following the philanthropic acquisition and dedication of land on the western side of central park Armidale, the foundation stone of the first of two brick cathedrals was laid and blessed on 8 December 1870, by the Administrator Monsignor John Thomas Lynch, an alumnus of St Patrick's Maynooth Ireland, on the same day that St Joseph was named as the patron of the Universal Church. [4] The first bishop, Most Reverend Timothy O'Mahony D.D, an alumnus of The Irish College in Rome and a director of the missionary movement of Propaganda Fide for Ireland, was forced to resign over politically motivated false allegations of alcoholism and fathering a child, although he was eventually cleared by a church investigation and subsequent events. [5] A sesquicentenary celebration of Bishop O'Mahony's installation at Armidale, by Archbishop Polding, an English Benedictine, was celebrated on 9.3.2021 and led by Archbishop Fisher and Bishop Kennedy. [6] A large white 2021 dated memorial stone has since been installed on the south side of the cathedral front doors-complementing that on the north side of the cathedral pyrmont sandstone front doors that commemorates another significant event being the blessing of the current cathedral by Cardinal Moran.

Bishops

Bishops of Armidale: [3] [7]

OrderNameTitleDate installedTerm endedTerm of officeReason for term end
1 Timothy O'Mahony Bishop of Armidale1869July 18777–8 yearsResigned from Rome
2 Elzear Torreggiani Bishop of ArmidaleNovember 1879January 190424–25 yearsDied in office
3 Patrick O'Connor Coadjutor Bishop of ArmidaleMay 1903January 19040–1 yearSucceeded as Bishop of Armidale
Bishop of ArmidaleJanuary 1904July 193227–28 yearsDied in office
4 John Coleman Coadjutor Bishop of ArmidaleSeptember 1929July 19322–3 yearsSucceeded as Bishop of Armidale
Bishop of ArmidaleJuly 1932December 194714–15 yearsDied in office
5 Edward Doody Bishop of Armidale25 April 19489 April 196819 years, 350 daysDied in office
6 James Darcy Freeman Bishop of ArmidaleDecember 196819712–3 yearsElevated as Archbishop of Sydney
7 Henry Kennedy Bishop of ArmidaleFebruary 197226 April 199118–19 yearsRetired
8 Kevin Manning Bishop of Armidale10 July 199110 July 19976 years, 0 daysElevated as Bishop of Parramatta
9 Luc Julian Matthys Bishop of ArmidaleMarch 1999December 201111–12 yearsRetired as Emeritus Bishop of Armidale
10 Michael Kennedy Bishop of ArmidaleFebruary 2012February 202310–11 yearsAppointed to Maitland–Newcastle.

James Darcy Freeman was elevated to Cardinal in 1973, concurrent with Archbishop of Sydney.

Coadjutors are included above.

Other priests of the diocese who became bishops

Cathedral

The diocesan cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Joseph and is located in Dangar Street, Armidale, opposite Armidale Central Park and diagonally opposite the Anglican cathedral. It was built in 1911 of Pyrmont stone and Armidale polychrome brick. [8] It was solemnly dedicated on 12 December 1919.[ citation needed ]

Parishes

As of November 2014, there are currently 25 parishes located in Diocese of Armidale:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New England (New South Wales)</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

New England is a geographical region in the north of the state of New South Wales, Australia, about 60 km (37 mi) inland from the Tasman Sea. The area includes the Northern Tablelands and the North West Slopes regions. As of 2021, New England had a population of 185,560, with over a quarter of the people living in the area of Tamworth Regional Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis</span> Archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, United States

The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. It is led by an archbishop who administers the archdiocese from the cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The archbishop has both a cathedral and co-cathedral: the mother church – the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Saint Paul, and the co-cathedral, the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin Rite metropolitan archdiocese in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was elevated in 1874 as an archdiocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Melbourne and is the metropolitan for the suffragan dioceses of Sale, Sandhurst, Ballarat, and the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Ss Peter and Paul. The Archdiocese of Hobart is attached to the archdiocese for administrative purposes. St Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne, currently Peter Comensoli, who succeeded Denis Hart on 1 August 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sale is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, that covers the south east of Victoria, Australia. The diocese was established in 1887.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst</span> Latin Catholic territory in Australia

The Diocese of Sandhurst is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Diocese of Sandhurst was erected in 1874 and covers the central and north-east regions of Victoria, including Bendigo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Australia

The Archdiocese of Hobart is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Australia located in Hobart and covering Tasmania, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in US

The Diocese of Duluth is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern Minnesota in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Group 4 is a rugby league competition in the New England and north west area of New South Wales, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican Diocese of Armidale</span> Diocese of the Anglican Church of Australia

The Anglican Diocese of Armidale is a diocese of the Anglican Church of Australia located in the state of New South Wales. As the Diocese of Grafton and Armidale, it was created by letters patent in 1863. When the Anglican Diocese of Grafton was split off in 1914, the remaining portion was renamed Armidale, retaining its legal continuity and its incumbent bishop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Australia

The Archdiocese of Sydney is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church. Its episcopal see is Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Australia

The Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in the Australian Capital Territory, and the South West Slopes, Southern Tablelands, Monaro and the South Coast regions of New South Wales, Australia. Erected in 1948, the archdiocese is directly subject to the Holy See.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Perth</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Australia covering the Greater Perth, Goldfields-Esperance, Peel and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory

The Archdiocese of Brisbane is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Australia located in Brisbane and covering the South East region of Queensland, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Wagga Wagga</span> Latin Catholic territory in Australia

The Diocese of Wagga Wagga is a Latin Church suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Sydney, established in 1917, covering the Riverina region of New South Wales in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangalore</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Karnataka, India

The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Bangalore is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in India. It was erected as pro-vicariate from, as Vicariate from, as Diocese of Mysore - Bangalore in the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Pondicherry in Southern India from, as Diocese of Bangalore on 13 February 1940 by Pope Pius XII, and elevated to the rank of a Metropolitan Archdiocese on 19 September 1953, with the Suffragan Dioceses of Belgaum, Bellary, Chikmagalur, Gulbarga, Karwar, Mangalore, Udupi, Mysore, and Shimoga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral</span> Catholic cathedral in New South Wales, Australia

Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral is a heritage-listed cathedral at 132 Dangar Street, Armidale, Armidale Regional Council, New South Wales, Australia. It is the diocesan cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Armidale and the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Armidale. The cathedral was designed by John Hennessy of Sheerin and Hennessy, and built from 1911 to 1912 by George Frederick Nott. It is also known as the St Mary & St Joseph Catholic Cathedral and the Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Joseph. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 13 February 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Chiswell</span> Australian Anglican bishop and former civil engineer who is the Bishop of Armidale

Rodney James Chiswell is an Australian Anglican bishop and former civil engineer who has served as the Bishop of Armidale since 27 February 2021, a position which his father, Peter Chiswell, also held. He previously served as rector of St Peter's, South Tamworth, in the Diocese of Armidale from 2008 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Kennedy (bishop)</span> Australian priest

Michael Robert Kennedy is an Australian prelate of the Catholic Church who was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle in February 2023. He was bishop of Armidale from 2012 to 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Michael's Cathedral, Wagga Wagga</span> Catholic cathedral in Australia

St Michael's Cathedral, Wagga Wagga is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga and the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia, currently the Most Reverend Mark Edwards OMI.

Gerard Joseph Hanna is the bishop emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wagga Wagga. He was previously a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Armidale. He was consecrated by Archbishop Francis Carroll at Joyes Hall, Wagga Wagga, on 15 May 2002.

References

  1. "Diocese of Armidale". The Official Directory of the Catholic Church in Australia. National Council of Priests of Australia. Retrieved 25 September 2011.
  2. "Bishop Kennedy appointed Bishop of Maitland-Newcastle". Australian Catholics Bishops Conference Media Blog. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Diocese of Armidale". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 19 February 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
  4. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/quemadmodum-deus-20726 [ bare URL ]
  5. J. J. Farrell, Archbishop Vaughan and the resignation of Bishop O'Mahony, first bishop of Armidale, Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society 15 (1993), 7-23; C.J. Duffy, O'Mahony, Timothy (1825–1892), Australian Dictionary of Biography.
  6. https://armidale.catholic.org.au/bishop-timothy-omahony-sesquicentenary/ [ bare URL ]
  7. "The ten Catholic Bishops of Armidale". The Armidale Star. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  8. "The Catholic Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph, Armidale". Organ Historical Trust of Australia. 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2011.