Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns is a Latin Rite suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, erected initially as a vicariate apostolic in 1877 and elevated to a diocese in 1941, covering the far north region of Queensland, Australia.[1]

Diocese of Cairns

Dioecesis Cairnensis
Location
Country Australia
TerritoryFar North region of Queensland
Ecclesiastical provinceBrisbane
MetropolitanBrisbane
Coordinates16°55′00″S 145°46′21″E
Statistics
Area377,000 km2 (146,000 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2006)
235,396
59,912 ( 25.5%%)
Parishes 24
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
RiteLatin Rite
Established1877 as Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland;
10 May 1887 as Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown;
8 July 1941 as Diocese of Cairns
CathedralSt Monica's Cathedral, Cairns
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopSede Vacante (vacant)
Website
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cairns

St Monica's Cathedral is the seat of the Catholic Bishop of Cairns, currently James Foley.

History

Following the discovery of gold near Cooktown in 1872 and the establishment and growth of sugar production during the 1870s, the Bishop of Brisbane, James Quinn, visited Cooktown in 1874. The first church was opened a year later.[2] Quinn had earlier been petitioning the Roman Curia to create a vicariate in north Queensland to minister to Catholics in the region and to evangelise the Aborigines, with the Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland officially created in 1877. An initial attempt to install Italian priests from the Pontifical Seminary of the Apostles Saints Peter and Paul of Rome was a failure; mainly due to cultural and language issues with both the indigenous and predominately Irish lay population.[2] Quinn, from Ireland, appointed one of his fellow countryman, John Cani as the first Pro-Vicar who served up until Quinn's death in 1882 when Cani returned to Brisbane before being appointed as the first Bishop of Rockhampton. A short term under Monsignor Paul Fortini followed, marked by his clash with the laity in Herberton which he then placed under interdict in 1883; this meant that sacraments could not be celebrated in that town. Fortini was recalled to Rome.[2]

A stable period followed under the pastoral care of the Augustinians. The number of parishioners grew from approximately 2,000 (in 1884) to about 4,000 (in the 1890s); and to approximately 10,000 Catholics (by 1914) spread across eight church districts with 13 priests.[3] The growth of pastoral industries and mining in the interwar years led to the expansion of the Vicariate west across the Atherton Tablelands and the creation of an additional nine parishes; and eventual establishment as a suffragan diocese in 1941.[3]

Ordinaries

The following individuals have been elected as Roman Catholic Bishop of Cairns, or any of its precursor titles:[4]

Order Name Title Date enthroned Reign ended Term of office Reason for term end
1John Cani †Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland30 January 1877[2]3 January 18824 years, 338 daysElevated to Bishop of Rockhampton
2Paul Fortini †Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland12 February 188215 January 18841 year, 337 daysRecalled[2] to Rome and appointed Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Queensland
3John Hutchinson, OSA †Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland15 January 188413 May 18873 years, 118 daysElevated to Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown
Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown13 May 188728 October 189710 years, 168 daysDied in office
4James Murray, OSA †Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown28 March 189813 February 191415 years, 322 daysDied in office
5John Heavey, OSA †Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown3 May 191414 July 194127 years, 72 daysElevated to Bishop of Cairns
Bishop of Cairns14 July 194112 June 19486 years, 334 daysDied in office
6Thomas Cahill †Bishop of Cairns11 November 194813 April 196718 years, 153 daysElevated to Archbishop of Canberra (and Goulburn)
7John Torpie †Bishop of Cairns14 September 19675 August 198517 years, 325 daysRetired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Cairns
8John BathersbyBishop of Cairns17 January 19863 December 19915 years, 320 daysElevated to Archbishop of Brisbane
9James FoleyBishop of Cairns16 July 1992202028 years, 30 daysRetired and Appointed Bishop Emeritus

Parishes

The diocese is divided into three separate deaneries that administer individual parishes:[5]

  1. The Northern deanery is formed of the following parishes Cairns (St Monica's Cathedral), Edmonton (St Therese's in Bentley Park), Earlville (Our Lady Help of Christians), Gordonvale (St Michael), West Cairns (St Francis Xavier's in Manunda), Mossman & Port Douglas (St Augustine's in Mossman, and St Mary's in Port Douglas), North Cairns (Mother of Good Counsel), Northern Beaches (Holy Cross in Trinity Park, Sacred Heart in Freshwater, and St Augustine's in Stratford), and Parramatta Park (St Joseph's).
  2. The Southern deanery is based on the Cassowary Coast with parishes at Babinda (St Rita's), Innisfail (Mother of Good Counsel), Mourilyan & South Johnstone (Christ the King at Mourilyan, and St Rita's at South Johnstone), Silkwood (St John's), and Tully (St Clare of Montefalco in Tully, Our Lady Star of the Sea in Cardwell, and Holy Spirit at Wongaling Beach).
  3. The Western deanery extends west of the Tablelands with parishes: Atherton (St Joseph), Cooktown (St Mary), Dimbulah (St Anthony), Georgetown (St Patrick), Gulf Savannah (Our Lady Help of Christians), Herberton (St Patrick), Malanda (St James), Mareeba (St Thomas of Villanova in Mareeba, and St Christopher's in Kuranda), Millaa Millaa (St Rita), Ravenshoe (St Teresa of the Child Jesus in Ravenshoe, and Holy Rosary at Mount Garnet), Weipa (St Joseph), and Thursday Island (including Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church on Thursday Island, St Joseph's on Hammond Island, Holy Family on Horn Island, and St Stephen at Bamaga).
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See also
  • Roman Catholicism in Australia

References
  1. University, Find & Connect Web Resource Project, The University of Melbourne and Australian Catholic. "Catholic Diocese of Cairns - Organisation - Find & Connect - Queensland". www.findandconnect.gov.au. Archived from the original on 2 May 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  2. Dunn, Geoffrey (Rev) (17 February 2010). "The Journey to 1941". Diocese History. Catholic Diocese of Cairns: 1. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  3. Dunn, Geoffrey (Rev) (17 February 2010). "The Journey to 1941". Diocese History. Catholic Diocese of Cairns: 2. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  4. "Diocese of Cairns". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 21 May 2011. Archived from the original on 11 November 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  5. "Parish information". Diocese of Cairns. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
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