Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, Ontario

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton (Latin: Dioecesis Hamiltonensis) is a suffragan Latin Church diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto, in Ontario, Canada.

Diocese of Hamilton

Dioecesis Hamiltonensis
Location
CountryCanada
MetropolitanToronto
Statistics
Area16,824 km2 (6,496 sq mi)
Population
- Catholics
620,518 (32.4%)
Information
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedFebruary 29, 1856
CathedralCathedral Basilica of Christ the King
Patron saintBlessed Virgin Mary in the mystery of the Annunciation
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopDavid Douglas Crosby
Vicar GeneralAndré M. Little
Bishops emeritusAnthony F. Tonnos
Website
hamiltondiocese.com

The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral Basilica of Christ the King, dedicated to Christ the King in 1933, in Hamilton, Ontario.
There is a former Cathedral, St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, also in Hamilton and a minor basilica, Our Lady Immaculate, in Guelph, Ontario.

History
  • It was established on 29 February 1856 by Pope Pius IX as Diocese of Hamilton / Hamiltonen(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the Archdiocese of Toronto, which became its Metropolitan.
  • On 22 November 1958, it lost territory to establish the Diocese of Saint Catharines.

Bishops

Episcopal ordinaries
  • John Farrell (1856.02.29 – death 28 September 1873), a native of Ireland, consecrated May 11, 1856. He introduced Catholic schools, built St. Mary's Cathedral, and helped to establish the academies of the Ladies of Loretto in Hamilton and Guelph. He also encouraged the founding of St. Jerome's College by the Fathers of the Resurrection, and confided the Owen Sound Missions to the Basilian Fathers. The CRC had been formed in 1836 in Paris. Many of its members were Polish emigrees who left their native country in a time of political turmoil.
  • P. F. Crinnon (1874.02.03 – death November 25, 1882), also born in Ireland and consecrated April 19, 1873. He built St. Patrick's Church in Hamilton, Ontario, established the House of Providence, Dundas and secured a site for Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
  • James Joseph Carbery (1883.09.04 – death 17 December 1887 in Ireland), Dominican Order (O.P.) also born in Ireland, consecrated on November 11, 1883, and held an important diocesan synod.
  • T. J. Dowling, D.D., first Canadian incumbent (1889.01.11 – death 1924.08.06), previously Bishop of Peterborough (Canada) (1886.12.14 – 1889.01.11). Since his May 1889 installment, 14 new parishes had been established, 28 priests ordained, and 22 new churches, schools and presbyteries erected. Catholic hospitals at Hamilton and Guelph, and the new House of Providence at Dundas were also established in his time. During Dowling's time, there were 42 priests in the diocese of Canadian by birth. Four were from Ireland, four from the United States, four from France, three from Germany, two from Poland and two from Italy. Candidates for the priesthood studied at St. Jerome's College in Berlin, Ontario (now called Kitchener, Ontario) and Grand Seminary in Montreal, Quebec. The diocese had nine parishes for German-speaking people and one Indian parish. There were also chapels for Poles and Italians.
  • John T. McNally (1924.08.12 – 1937.02.17), previously Bishop of Calgary (Canada) (1913.04.04 – 1924.08.12); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Halifax (Canada) (1937.02.17 – 1952.11.18).
  • Joseph F. Ryan (1937.08.16 – retired 1973.03.27), died 1990. His term brought much growth and expansion of churches and Catholic schools.
  • Paul F. Reding (1973.09.14 – death 1983.12.08) succeeding as previous Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton (1966.07.02 – 1973.09.14) and Titular Bishop of Liberalia (1966.07.02 – 1973.09.14)
    • Auxiliary Bishop (1978.02.09 – 1982.08.12) James Hector MacDonald, Titular Bishop of Gibba (1978.02.09 – 1982.08.12); next Bishop of Charlottetown (Canada) (1982.08.12 – 1991.02.02), Metropolitan Archbishop of Saint John’s (Newfoundland, Canada) (1991.02.02 – retired 2000.12.04)
  • Anthony F. Tonnos (1984.05.02 – retired on November 8, 2010 after 27 years in the diocese, informally remaining active), succeeding as previous Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton (1983.05.13 – 1984.05.02) and Titular Bishop of Nationa (1983.05.13 – 1984.05.02)
    • Auxiliary Bishop Matthew Francis Ustrzycki (1985.05.10 – retired 2007.06.01, still informally active in the diocese), Titular Bishop of Nationa (1985.05.10 – ...)
    • Auxiliary bishop Gerard (Paul) Bergie (2005.07.11 – 2010.09.14), Titular Bishop of Tabæ (2005.07.11 – 2010.09.14); next Bishop of Saint Catharines (Ontario, Canada) (2010.09.14 – ...)
  • Bishop David Douglas Crosby (November 8, 2010 – present), also Vice-President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (2013.09.25 – 2015.09.15), President of Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (2015.09.15 – ...); previously Bishop of the Bishop of Labrador City–Schefferville (Canada) (1997.10.24 – 2007.05.31), Bishop of Saint George’s (Canada) (2003.08.06 – 2007.05.31), Bishop of Corner Brook and Labrador (Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada) (2007.05.31 – 2010.09.24)
    • Auxiliary bishop Daniel Joseph Miehm (2013.02.20 – 2017.03.10), Titular Bishop of Gor (2013.02.20 – 2017.03.10); next Bishop of Peterborough (Canada) (2017.03.10 – ...).

Auxiliary bishops
  • Paul Francis Reding (1966-1973), appointed Bishop here
  • James Hector MacDonald (1978-1982), appointed Bishop of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
  • Anthony Frederick Tonnos (1982-1983), appointed Bishop here
  • Matthew Francis Ustrzycki (1985-2017)
  • Gerard Paul Bergie (2005-2010), appointed Bishop of Saint Catharines, Ontario
  • Daniel Joseph Miehm (2013-2017), appointed Bishop of Peterborough, Ontario

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
  • Joseph Anthony O’Sullivan, appointed Bishop of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in 1931
  • Joseph Lawrence Wilhelm, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Calgary, Alberta in 1963
  • John Michael Sherlock, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of London, Ontario in 1974
  • Thomas Christopher Collins, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta in 1997; future Cardinal

Statistics and extent

As per 2014, it pastorally served 626,723 Catholics (28.5% of 2,201,155 total) on 16,824 km² in 124 parishes and 1 mission with 228 priests (137 diocesan, 91 religious), 35 deacons, 269 lay religious (102 brothers, 167 sisters) and 15 seminarians.[1]

The Diocese of Hamilton comprises the counties and regions of Brant, Bruce, Grey, Halton, Waterloo, Wellington, Wentworth, as well as four Townships in the County of Dufferin, all located in Ontario. The Diocese of Hamilton had begun as a Catholic Mission in Upper Canada (Ontario). There are 6 deaneries (Brant, Bruce-Grey, Halton, Hamilton, Waterloo and Wellington) which have 126 parishes in their geographical grouping. There are 7 Catholic school boards in the diocese, 1 Catholic university and 3 university Catholic campus ministries. It has 142 secular and 98 religious priests ministering to 620,518 people in 126 parishes.

Catholic schools

The Government of Ontario accords Catholic schools the same rights as public schools. The taxes paid by Catholics go to support Catholic schools only. Teachers, whether religious or lay, must be qualified to teach according to the same regulations as those governing public school teachers.

  • St Mary's Pro-Cathedral. Cathedral from 1856-1927
  • St. Patrick's Church. Cathedral from 1927-1933
  • Cathedral of Christ the King (Hamilton). Cathedral from 1933–Present

Current affairs

The Diocese of Hamilton celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006, with Anthony Tonnos celebrating Mass at the seat of the diocese. Special signs, marks and posters were commissioned for many of the diocese's churches, schools and buildings.

gollark: I like to do a "higher or lower" game as this also involves IO and conditionals.
gollark: They can hack mine, but that would be mean and thus impossible.
gollark: Cool.
gollark: Or just "ghostdog.[SOME TLD]".
gollark: You could just go through a list of words or wikipedia pages or something and pick out cool-sounding things.

See also

References
  1. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/hami0.htm GCatholic
  • GCatholic, with Google map and satellte photo- data for most sections
  • Catholic Hierarchy - Diocese of Hamilton
  •  Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Hamilton". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  • Detailed Short History
  • Diocese of Hamilton Website
  • Holy Sepulchre Cemetery

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