The Diocese of Shrewsbury (Latin: Dioecesis Salopiensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the Province of Birmingham which encompasses the pre-1974 counties of Shropshire and Cheshire in the North West and West Midlands of England.
Diocese of Shrewsbury Dioecesis Salopiensis | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
| Location | |
| Country |  England |
| Territory |  Shropshire CheshireWith parts of:  Greater Manchester Merseyside |
| Ecclesiastical province | Province of Birmingham |
| Coordinates | 52°42′29″N 2°45′14″W / 52.708°N 2.754°W |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 6,136 km2 (2,369 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2014) 1,923,400 189,827 (9.9%) |
| Parishes | 92 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | 29 September 1850 |
| Cathedral | Shrewsbury Cathedral |
| Secular priests | 141 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Mark Davies |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Bernard Longley |
| Vicar General |
|
| Episcopal Vicars |
|
| Map | |
 Diocese of Shrewsbury within the Province of Birmingham | |
| Website | |
| dioceseofshrewsbury.org | |
The diocese includes rural areas of Shropshire as well as Manchester south of the River Mersey and other urban areas such as Birkenhead, Stockport and Ellesmere Port. The current bishop, Mark Davies, succeeded on 1 October 2010.[1]
Geographical location
editThe diocese comprises the counties of Shropshire and Cheshire and the parts of Greater Manchester and Merseyside which were formerly in Cheshire. Before 1895, it also included North Wales (then lost for the erection of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Menevia, now, since 1987, in that of Wrexham). In 2007, new pastoral areas and regions were created, replacing the former deaneries.[2]
| Region | Name | Regional Dean[3] |
|---|---|---|
| A | Shropshire and Wrekin | Stephan Coonan |
| B | Central Cheshire | John Daly |
| C | North Cheshire | Russell Cooke |
| D | South Trafford & Wythenshawe | |
| E | Stockport & Tameside | |
| F | Wirral |
Past and present bishops
editOrdinaries
edit
- James Brown (appointed 27 June 1851 – died 14 October 1881)
- Edmund James Knight (appointed 25 April 1882 – resigned 28 May 1895)
- John Carroll (succeeded 11 May 1895 – died 14 January 1897)
- Samuel Webster Allen (appointed 19 April 1897 – died 13 May 1908)
- Hugh Singleton (appointed 1 August 1908 – died 17 December 1934)
- Ambrose James Moriarty (succeeded 17 December 1934 – died 3 June 1949)
- John Aloysius Murphy (succeeded 3 June 1949 – translated to the Archdiocese of Cardiff on 22 August 1961)
- William Eric Grasar (appointed 26 April 1962 – resigned 20 March 1980)
- Joseph Gray (appointed 19 August 1980 – retired 23 June 1995)
- Brian Michael Noble (appointed 23 June 1995 – retired 1 October 2010)
- Mark Davies (current bishop, succeeded 1 October 2010)
Coadjutor Bishops
edit- John Carroll (1893–1895)
- Mark Davies (2009–2010)
- Ambrose James Moriarty (1931–1934)
- John Aloysius Murphy (1948–1949)
Auxiliary Bishops
edit- John (Jack) Brewer (1971–1983), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Lancaster
- Edmund James Knight (1879–1882), appointed Bishop here
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
edit- Philip Anthony Egan, appointed Bishop of Portsmouth in 2012
- Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Wales, Wales in 1895
- Gerard William Tickle, appointed Bishop of Great Britain, Military in 1963
Catholic education in the diocese
editThere are 112 Catholic schools and colleges serving 43,198 pupils. [4]
| School Type | Voluntary Aided Primary | Voluntary Aided Secondary | Sixth Form Colleges | Independent Schools | Primary Academies | Secondary Academies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of schools | 76 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 11 |
| Number of Students | 18,768 | 7,236 | 2,179 | 1,217 | 3,027 | 10,771 |
- All figures are as of August 2019
Patron saints of the diocese
edit1) Our Lady, Help of Christians – 24 May
2) Saint Winefride – 3 November
Parish pastoral areas and regions
editOn 1 October 2007, local deaneries were abolished and parishes grouped together to form 'Pastoral Areas', not as a replacement of parishes but to strengthen local Catholic communities, ensuring the sharing of services and groups and to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Each LPT (local pastoral team [see below]) has two co-leaders (one priest; one layperson) and each region is headed by a Regional Dean.[2]
Region A – Shropshire & Wrekin Catholic Region
editRegional Dean: Stephen Coonan
| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | LPA 1 | Shrewsbury Cathedral (http://www.shrewsburycathedral.org/) Monkmoor, St Winefride |
St Mary's St Winefride's |
Holy Trinity Academy | Royal Shrewsbury Shropshire Nuffield |
| A | LPA 2 | Ellesmere, St Michael Farndon |
Our Lady & St Oswald | Holy Trinity Academy | Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt H + Forces |
| A | LPA 3 | Church Stretton, St Milburga Cleobury Mortimer, St Elizabeth |
Moor Park | Holy Trinity Academy | |
| A | LPA 4 | Bridgnorth, St John Broseley |
St John's St Luke's |
Holy Trinity Academy | Princess Royal |
| A | LPA 5 | Albrighton, St Joseph Market Drayton, Ss Thomas & |
Ss Peter & Paul's St Mary's, Madeley |
Holy Trinity Academy | (+Cosford) + Stoke Heath |
Region B – Central Cheshire
editRegional Dean: John Daly
| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | LPA 6 | Alderley Edge, St Pius X Handforth, St Benedict |
St Benedict's St Vincent's |
All Hallows CH St Nicholas CH |
Styal Prison |
| B | LPA 7 | Bollington, St Gregory Congleton, St Mary |
St Alban's St Edward's |
All Hallows CH | Macclesfield District Gen East Cheshire Hospice |
| B | LPA 8 | Barnton, Our Lady of Fatima Holmes Chapel, St Margaret |
St Bede's St Joseph's |
St Nicholas CH | St Luke's Hospice |
| B | LPA 9 | Alsager, St Gabriel Crewe, St Mary |
St Anne's St Gabriel's |
St Thomas More CH | Leighton Hosp + M'chester Metropolitan Univ |
Region C – North Cheshire
editRegional Dean: Russell Cooke
| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | LPA 10 | Ellesmere Port, Our Lady Ellesmere Port, St Bernard |
Our Lady star of the Sea St Bernard's |
Ellesmere Port Catholic High | Ellesmere Port Hospice Good Shepherd Hospice |
| C | LPA 11 | Blacon, St Theresa Chester, St Francis |
St Clare's St Theresa's |
Chester Catholic High School St Nicholas Catholic High |
Countess of Chester Grosvenor Nuffield |
| C | LPA 12 | Castlefields, St Augustine Frodsham, St Luke |
Holy Spirit Our Lady's |
Chester Catholic High School St Chad's Catholic High |
Halton General Hospital Halton Haven Hospice |
| C | LPA 13 | Appleton, St Monica |
Our Lady's St Augustine's |
Cardinal Newman Catholic High | North Cheshire Hospital + Thorn Cross YOI |
Region D – South Trafford & Wythenshawe
editRegional Dean: John Rafferty
| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | LPA 14 | Baguley, Sacred Heart & St Peter Benchill, St John & St Thomas |
Sacred Heart St Aidan's |
St Paul's CH | Wythenshawe General |
| D | LPA 15 | Altrincham, St Vincent Hale Barns, Holy Angels |
St Hugh's St Vincent's Infants |
Blessed Thomas Holford |
St Ann's Hospice |
| D | LPA 16 | Ashton-on-Mersey, All Saints Partington, Our Lady |
All Saints Holy Family |
Blessed Thomas Holford |
Region E – Stockport & Tameside
editRegional Dean:
| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | LPA 17 | Brinnington, St Bernadette Marple, Holy Spirit |
St Joseph's St Bernadette's |
Harrytown CH Aquinas College |
Stepping Hill Hospital Cherry Tree Hospital |
| E | LPA 18 | Dukinfield, St Mary Hattersley, St James |
St James' St Mary's |
All Saints CC | |
| E | LPA 19 | Cheadle, St Chad Cheadle Hulme, St Ann |
Cheadle Infants Cheadle Juniors |
St James CH Aquinas College |
Cheadle Royal Hospital Stepping Hill Hospital |
| E | LPA 20 | Adswood, St Ambrose Bramhall, St Vincent |
Cheadle Infant Cheadle Primary |
Harrytown CH St James CH |
Stepping Hill Hospital |
Region F – Wirral
editRegional Dean: Nick Kern
| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | LPA 21 | Leasowe, Our Lady of Lourdes Liscard, St Alban |
Our Lady of Lourdes St Alban's |
St Mary's St Anselm's |
|
| F | LPA 22 | Moreton, Sacred Heart Greasby, Our Lady of Pity |
Sacred Heart
Our Lady of Lourdes |
St Mary's St Anselm's |
|
| F | LPA 23 | Heswall, Our Lady & St John |
Our Lady of Lourdes St Alban's |
St Mary's Chester Catholic High School |
Murrayfield Hospital |
| F | LPA 24 | Bebington, St Luke Bromborough, Christ the King |
St Anne's Christ the King |
St John Plessington St Anselm's |
Clatterbridge Hospital
St John's Hospice |
| F | LPA 25 | Birkenhead, St Joseph Noctorum, St Peter |
St Joseph's, B'head St Joseph's, Upton |
St John Plessington St Mary's |
Arrowe Park Hospital |
| F | LPA 26 | Birkenhead, Holy Cross & St Paul |
Holy Cross Our Lady's |
Plessington St Mary's |
Modern history
edit
The first bishop of the diocese was James Brown, president of Sedgeley Park School, who was consecrated 27 July 1851. Out of a total population of 1,082,617, Catholics numbered about 20,000. There were thirty churches and chapels attended by resident priests, and six stations; one convent, that of the Faithful Companions of Jesus, in Birkenhead, to which was attached a boarding school for young women, and also a small day-school for poor children. There were Jesuits at Holywell, who also had a college at St. Bruno's, Flintshire, and a Benedictine at Acton Burnell. When Brown celebrated the jubilee of his consecration, the secular priests had increased to sixty-six and the regulars to thirty-two. Instead of one religious house of men and one of women, there were now four of men and nine of women; and many elementary schools had been provided for the needs of Catholic children.
In 1852 the bitter feeling caused by the re-establishment of the hierarchy found vent in serious riots at Stockport. On 29 June a large mob attacked the Church of St Philip and St James; they broke the windows and attempted to force in the doors, but before they could effect an entrance, Randolph Frith, the rector, succeeded in removing the Blessed Sacrament, and secreting it with the chalices, etc., in a small cupboard in the side chapel. He was compelled to flee immediately to the belltower, and, whilst the rabble were destroying whatever they could lay their hands upon, he made his escape along the roof, and descended by the spouting at the back of the presbytery. Much of the church furniture, with vestments, etc., was piled up in the street and burned. At St Michael's, the Host was desecrated, and the pyx and ciborium carried away.
Although the Catholic population of the diocese was 58,013 (as of the early 20th century), Shropshire contributed under 3,000, partly on account of agricultural depression and the consequent flocking to industrial centres. There were ninety clergy, sixteen convents, representatives of four orders of men, eight secondary schools for girls, an orphanage and industrial school for boys, a home for aged poor, a home for penitents, and an orphanage erected in memory of Bishop Knight. At Oakwood Hall, Romiley, a house of retreats for working-men opened and had done important work; and at New Brighton, the nuns of Our Lady of the Cenacle opened a house of retreats for working-women and ladies.
Shropshire is singularly rich in archaeological interest, its pre-Reformation parish churches, the noble ruins of monasteries round the Wrekin, the Roman city of Viroconium (Wroxeter), the lordly castle of Ludlow, giving the county a place apart in the heart of the antiquary. In Shrewsbury itself, where once Grey, Black, and Austin Friars and the Black Monks of St. Benedict had foundations, there is now the cathedral, designed by Edward Pugin. Chester, too, with its streets, black and white houses, and venerable cathedral and city walls, claims the visitor's attention. When the body of Daniel O'Connell was brought back from Genoa, it rested in the old chapel in Queen's Street on its way to Ireland.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Bishop Mark Davies. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 12 March 2010.
- ^ a b The Diocese of Shrewsbury – Pastoral, Spiritual & Practical Care to the Local Communities Archived 23 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Shrewsbury Voice – Oct 2007
- ^ Shrewsbury Diocese Handbook 2008
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Shrewsbury". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
Bibliography
edit
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Shrewsbury". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.