Roman Catholic Diocese of Wollongong

Last updated

Diocese of Wollongong

Dioecesis Vollongongensis
Location
CountryAustralia
Territory Illawarra and Southern Highlands regions of New South Wales
Ecclesiastical province Sydney
Coordinates 34°25′22″S150°53′32″E / 34.42278°S 150.89222°E / -34.42278; 150.89222
Statistics
Area6,121 km2 (2,363 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics
(as of 2004)
Increase2.svg 647,912
Increase2.svg 195,669 (Steady2.svg 30.2%)
ParishesDecrease2.svg 28
Information
Denomination Catholic Church
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established15 November 1951;
72 years ago
 (1951-11-15)
Cathedral St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Wollongong
Patron saintImmaculate Heart of Mary
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Brian Mascord
Metropolitan Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP
Map
Bistum Wollongong.svg
Website
Catholic Diocese of Wollongong

The Diocese of Wollongong is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. Established in 1951, the diocese covers the Illawarra and Southern Highlands regions of New South Wales. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney

Contents

St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Wollongong is the cathedra of the Bishop of Wollongong, currently Brian Mascord.

History

On 15 November 1951, Pope Pius XII announced that a new diocese would be created from the two archdioceses of Sydney and Canberra & Goulburn. To be named Wollongong, the diocese was officially established on 11 February 1952. Bishop Thomas McCabe was transferred from Port Pirie to become its first bishop and the historic Church of St Francis Xavier in Wollongong became the cathedral. At the time of establishment, there was a Catholic population of approximately 22,000 in 18 parishes.[ citation needed ]

While the Wollongong diocese is relatively recent, the churches of Campbelltown (1835), Appin (1837), Wollongong (1838), Picton (1847), Kiama (1852), Camden (1859), Shellharbour (1861), Nowra (1863), The Oaks (1865), Albion Park (1867), Bulli (1886), Berrima (1889) and Milton-Ulladulla (1890) trace their Catholic legacy back to the early times of European settlement and to the era of Archbishop John Bede Polding, Australia's first bishop.[ citation needed ]

Initially, the diocese was composed of parishes in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Southern Highland regions. In 1954 it was expanded to include Camden and Campbelltown and in 1975 the parishes of Batemans Bay, Moruya and Narooma reverted to the Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn. The boundaries of the diocese have since remained the same. The most recently established parish is Oran Park (founded on 22 June 2015), [1] which meets the borders of the Archdiocese of Sydney and the Diocese of Parramatta. Created out of Camden Parish, Oran Park was founded to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding population in the region.

In 1959, Pope John XXIII dedicated the diocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.[ citation needed ]

Bishops

Bishops of Wollongong

Bishops of Wollongong: [2]

Bishops
OrderNameDate enthronedReign endedTerm of officeReason for term end
1 Thomas Absolem McCabe 15 November 195110 May 197422 years, 176 daysResigned and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Wollongong
2 William Edward Murray 5 June 197512 April 199620 years, 312 daysRetired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Wollongong
3 Philip Wilson 12 April 199630 November 20004 years, 232 daysElevated to Archbishop of Adelaide
4 Peter Ingham 6 June 200130 November 201716 years, 177 daysRetired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Wollongong
5 Brian Mascord 22 February 2018present6 years, 65 daysn/a

Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

Cathedral

Parishes

The diocese is divided into ten deaneries that administer individual parishes, dedicated to particular saints: [3]

  1. Illawarra deanery with regular liturgical services held in the parishes of Albion Park (St Paul), Fairy Meadow (St John Vianney Co-Cathedral), Gwynneville (St Brigid), Unanderra (Immaculate Conception), Warrawong (St Francis of Assisi), West Wollongong (St Therese), and Wollongong (St Francis Xavier)
  2. Macarthur deanery with regular liturgical services held in the parishes of Camden (St Paul), Campbelltown (St John the Evangelist), Eagle Vale (Mary Immaculate), Ingleburn (Holy Family), Macquarie Fields (Mary, Mother of the Church), Picton (St Anthony), Rosemeadow (Our Lady Help of Christians), Ruse (St Thomas More), The Oaks (St Aloysius Parish), and Varroville (Our Lady of Mount Carmel)
  3. South Coast deanery with regular liturgical services held in the parishes of Kangaroo Valley (St Joseph), Kiama (Ss Peter and Paul), Milton (St Mary Star of the Sea), Nowra (St Michael), and Vincentia (Holy Spirit)
  4. Southern Highlands deanery with regular liturgical services held in the parishes of Bowral (St Thomas Aquinas), Mittagong (St Michael), Moss Vale (St Paul) and Penrose Park (Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy)

Other information

The diocese is the eighth largest diocese in Australia in terms of Catholic population (out of 33 total) and the largest non-capital city diocese. The diocese now ministers to 195,000 Catholics in 31 parishes, with 15 migrant chaplaincies. There are 43 Catholic schools, various youth ministries and a range of aged care, disability and welfare services together with special faith movements in the local area.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church

The Diocese of Tucson is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory – or diocese – of the Roman Catholic Church in southern Arizona in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Indiana, United States

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Indiana in the United States.

William Edwin Franklin is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, He served as an auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Dubuque in Iowa from 1987 to 1993, and as bishop of the Diocese of Davenport, also in Iowa, from 1993 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Evansville</span> Catholic diocese in the U.S. state of Indiana

The Diocese of Evansville is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Southwestern Indiana in the United States.

<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.

The Diocese of Bunbury 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 Perth. The Diocese of Bunbury was established in 1954, and covers the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia.

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

The Diocese of Geraldton is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church covering the Mid West, Western Australia. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth.

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

The Diocese of Rockhampton is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Brisbane. Erected in 1882, it covers Central Queensland.

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

The Diocese of Townsville 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 Brisbane. Erected in 1930, the Diocese of Townsville covers North Queensland. It was assembled from territory separated from the Diocese of Rockhampton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst (Australia)</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory

The Diocese of Bathurst (in Australia) is a Latin Church suffragan diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney, established in 1865, covering the Central West and Orana regions of New South Wales, Australia.

Bartholomew Joseph Eustace was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Camden in New Jersey from 1938 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pro-cathedral</span> Church serving temporarily as cathedral

A pro-cathedral or procathedral is a parish church that temporarily serves as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese, or a church that has the same function in a Catholic missionary jurisdiction that is not yet entitled to a proper cathedral. A pro-cathedral is distinct from a proto-cathedral, the term in the Catholic Church for a former cathedral, which typically results from moving an episcopal see to another cathedral, in the same or another city. In a broader context, the term "proto-cathedral" may refer to a church used by a bishop before the designation of a settled cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Ghana

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra covers the Greater Accra Region and parts of the Volta Region. There are 62 parishes and rectories. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Accra is the Metropolitan See for the ecclesiastical province of Accra in Ghana which includes the suffragan dioceses of Ho, Koforidua, Jasikan and Keta-Akatsi. The Latin title of the archdiocese is Archidioecesis Accraënsis, and the corporate title is Archdiocese of Accra. The cathedral parish for the archdiocese is the Holy Spirit Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Penang</span> Roman Catholic diocese in Malaysia

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Penang is situated in the northern as well as the east coast region of Peninsular Malaysia covering 4 northern states, namely Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak as well as the east coast state of Kelantan. It was created on 25 February 1955 together with the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. It is under the ecclesiastical province of Kuala Lumpur.

Peter William Ingham was an Australian bishop. He was the fourth Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Wollongong, serving from 2001 to 2018. From March 2020 until December 2020, he served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Broome.

George Henry Guilfoyle was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Camden in New Jersey from 1968 to 1989. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1964 to 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Wollongong</span> Roman Catholic cathedral in Wollongong, Australia

Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral, located in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Wollongong, presently the Most Reverend Brian Mascord.

The assistant bishops of Sydney are the assistant bishops in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia. They each assist the Archbishop of Sydney by maintaining delegated episcopal oversight over a particular geographical area.

References

  1. "PARISH 5th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS". www.marymackillopparish.org.au. Archived from the original on 14 August 2020.
  2. "Diocese of Wollongong". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2007.
  3. "Parishes". Catholic Diocese of Wollongong. 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2012.