Diocese of Down and Connor Dioecesis Dunensis et Connorensis Deoise An Dúin agus Chonaire | |
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Location | |
Country | Northern Ireland |
Territory | Most of counties Antrim and Down and part of County Londonderry |
Ecclesiastical province | Province of Armagh |
Coordinates | 54°55′26″N 6°06′07″W / 54.924°N 6.102°W |
Statistics | |
Area | 934 sq mi (2,420 km2) |
Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2019) 977,600 402,470 (41.2%) |
Parishes | 87 |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic Church |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 1453 (Union of the dioceses of Down and Connor) |
Cathedral | St Peter's Cathedral, Belfast |
Patron saint | St Malachy and St MacNissi |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Alan McGuckian |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Eamon Martin |
Vicar General | Fr Eugene O'Hagan (The Priests) and Canon John Murray |
Judicial Vicar | Fr Joseph Rooney |
Map | |
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Website | |
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The Diocese of Down and Connor, (Latin: Dioecesis Dunensis et Connorensis; Irish: Deoise an Dúin agus Chonaire) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Ireland. It is one of eight suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Armagh. Bishop Alan McGuckian is Bishop.
Territorial remit
The territorial remit of the diocese includes much of counties Antrim and Down, including the cities of Belfast, Lisburn and Bangor, and the large towns Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Downpatrick, Holywood, Larne and Newtownards. The population of the diocese is about one million, of which approximately 30% are Roman Catholic with Sunday mass attendance estimated at 20%.[1] There are currently 88 parishes and ministries in the diocese served by fewer than 100 priests, though the significance of individual parishes has been overtaken by the development of 'pastoral communities'. The diocese is Ireland's second largest in terms of population (after the Archdiocese of Dublin).[1]
History
St Fergus (died 583) is named as first Bishop of Down. The Diocese of Connor was founded in 480 by St Macnissi, and St Malachy was bishop there (1124). The dioceses of Down and Connor were permanently joined in 1439.
In 1670, as an effect of the Reformation, wars, and penal laws, in the whole of Down and Connor there were only 2,500 Catholic families. When at length the pressure of penal legislation was removed Catholicism revived rapidly.
In the period 1810–1840, a period of relaxation of the penal laws culminating in Catholic Emancipation, an estimated forty new churches were built. The progress thus made under William Crolly (1825–1835) and Cornelius Denvir (1835–65) was continued, as Belfast expanded as a city, under Patrick Dorrian (1865–86) and Patrick MacAlister (1886–95) and Henry Henry (1895–1908).
Diocesan statistics
- Number of Catholics = 329,243
- Number of parishes = 86 [2]
- Number of churches = 151
- Number of priests in diocesan ministry = 131
- Number of permanent deacons in ministry (2018) = 9
- Number ordained (2018) = 1
- Number of retired priests = 44
- Seminarians = 8 [2]
- Number of brothers = 30
- Number of sisters = 243
- St. Mary's College of Education on roll = 994
- Number of primary & nursery schools = 164 (on roll = 32,306)
- Number of grammar schools = 12 (on roll = 10,795)
- Number of secondary school = 31 (on roll = 15,621)
- Baptisms = 4,096 [2]
- First communions = 4,740 [2]
- Confirmations = 5,207 [2]
- Marriages = 1,250
(The Down and Connor Directory)
City parishes
Listed are city parishes listed by the Diocese of Down and Connor.
- St Peter's Cathedral, Belfast[3]
- St Patrick's Church, Belfast / Pro-Cathedral, Donegall Street, Belfast[4]
- Christ the Redeemer, Lagmore[5]
- Corpus Christi, Ballymurphy, Belfast
- St. Patrick's, Derriaghy[6]
- Drumbo & Carryduff[7]
- Hannahstown[8]
- Holy Cross, Ardoyne[9]
- Holy Family, Newington[10]
- Holy Rosary, Ormeau Road[11]
- Holy Trinity, Turf Lodge
- Loughshore - Three parishes: St Mary’s Greencastle, County Antrim, Star of The Sea Whitehouse, County Antrim and St James’, Whiteabbey[12]
- Nativity, Poleglass[13]
- Our Lady Queen of Peace, Kilwee
- Sacred Heart, Glenview Street, Oldpark Road, Belfast
- St Agnes', Andersonstown Road, Belfast[14]
- St Anne's, Kingsway/Upper Lisburn Road, Belfast[15]
- St Anthony's, Willowfield, Woodstock Road, Belfast[16]
- St Bernadette's, Rosetta Road, Castlereagh[17]
- St Brigid's, Malone Road, Belfast[18]
- St Colmcille's, Ballyhackamore and Dundonald areas of East Belfast[19]
- St Gerard's, Antrim Road, Belfast[20]
- St John's, Falls Road, Belfast[21]
- St Luke's, Twinbrook
- St Malachy's, Alfred Street, Belfast[22]
- St Mary's, Chapel Lane, Belfast[23]
- St Mary's-On-The-Hill, Glengormley[24]
- St Matthew's, Bryson Street, Belfast[25]
- St Michael The Archangel, Finaghy Road North, Belfast
- St Oliver Plunkett, Glenveagh Drive, Glen Road, Belfast[26]
- St Paul's, Falls Road, Belfast
- St Teresa's, Glen Road, Belfast[27]
- St. Therese of Lisieux, Somerton Road, Belfast
- St Vincent De Paul, Ligoniel[28]
Country parishes
Listed are country parishes listed by the Diocese of Down and Connor.
- Aghagallon & Ballinderry (St Patrick's)[29]
- Ahoghill (St Marys Church; Ballynafie Road, Ahoghill)
- Antrim (St Comgall's and St Joseph's)[30]
- Armoy (St. Olcan's)
- Ballintoy (St Mary's and St Joseph's)
- Ballycastle (St Patrick's & St Brigid's)[31]
- Ballyclare & Ballygowan (Sacred Heart)[32]
- Ballygalget (St Patrick's Church)
- Ballymena/Kirkinriola (All Saints and St Patrick's)[33]
- Ballymoney & Derrykeighan (Our Lady & St Patrick's)[34]
- Bangor (St Comgall's, Bangor; Most Holy Redeemer, Ballyholme; St Comgall's, Donaghadee)[35]
- Carnlough (St John the Evangelist)[36]
- Carrickfergus (St Nicholas')[37]
- Castlewellan (under the patronage of St Malachy]
- Coleraine
- Crossgar[38]
- Culfeightrin (Ballyvoy)
- Cushendall (St Patrick's) & Cushendun (St Patrick's, Craigagh & St Mary's "Star of the Sea", Culraney)
- Downpatrick (St Patrick’s, Downpatrick; St Malachy’s, Ballykilbeg; St Brigid’s, Rathkeltair; St Colmcille’s)
- Drumaroad & Clanvaraghan (St John the Baptist; Our Lady of the Angels)
- Dundrum & Tyrella
- Duneane (Moneyglass & Toome)
- Dunloy & Cloughmills
- Dunsford & Ardglass (St Nicholas’, Ardglass; St Mary’s, Dunsford)
- Glenariff[39]
- Glenarm[40]
- Glenavy & Killead [41]
- Glenravel & The Braid
- Holywood[42]
- Kilcoo (St Malachy’s)
- Killough (St Patrick’s, Legamaddy; St Joseph’s, Killough; Star of the Sea, Rossglass)
- Killyleagh[38]
- Kircubbin[43]
- Larne[44]
- Lisburn (under the patronage of St Patrick) [45]
- Loughguile
- Loughinisland (St Macartan’s)
- Lower Mourne
- Newcastle/Maghera (Our Lady of the Assumption, Newcastle; St Patrick's, Bryansford)[46]
- Newtownards & Comber (St Patrick's Newtownards; Our Lady of the Visitation, Comber)[47]
- Portaferry (St Patrick’s, Ballyphilip; St Cooey’s, Portaferry)[48]
- Portglenone (Blessed Virgin Mary Immaculate)[49]
- Portrush (St Patrick's)[50]
- Portstewart (St Mary's Star of the Sea)[51]
- Randalstown (St MacNissi's)[52]
- Rasharkin (St Mary's)[53]
- Saintfield & Carrickmannon
- Saul & Ballee (St Patrick's, Saul; St Joseph's, Downpatrick; St Tassach's, Carlin)[54]
- Strangford (Star of the Sea)
- Upper Mourne
Ad limina visit 2006
Bishop Patrick Walsh, Bishop Anthony Farquhar and Bishop Donal McKeown met with Pope Benedict XVI on the first morning of their visit. They spoke with the Pope for 20 minutes privately in which they discussed things like education, child sexual abuse, peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.[55]
Ad limina visit 2017
Bishop Treanor joined other Irish bishops in February 2017 for the ad limina visit.[56] Unlike previous visits there were no private meetings with diocesan bishops and Pope Francis, rather the Pontiff spoke with the bishops together.[57]
Previous bishops
Ordinaries
The following is a basic list of the Roman Catholic bishops and vicars apostolic.[58][59]
- John Fossade (1442–1450)
- Thomas Knight. O.S.B. (1453–1469)
- Tadhg Ó Muirgheasa (1469–1480)
- Tiberio Ugolino (1483–1519)
- Robert Blyth, O.S.B. (1520–1539)
- Eugene Magennis (1539–1559)
- Miler Magrath, O.F.M. (1565–1580)
- Donat O'Gallagher, O.F.M. (1580–1581)
- Bl. Conor O'Devany, O.F.M. (1582–1612)
- (Patrick Hanratty, vicar apostolic, 1614–1625)
- Edmund Dungan (1625–1629)
- Hugh Magennis, O.F.M. (1630–1640)
- (See vacant, 1640–1642)
- Heber MacMahon (1642–1643) Appointed Bishop of Clogher before his consecration as Bishop of Down and Connor could take place.
- Arthur Magennis, O.Cist. (1647–1653)
- (Michael O'Beirn, vicar apostolic, 1657–1670)
- Daniel Mackey (1671–1673)
- (See vacant, 1673–1711)
- (Terence O'Donnelly, vicar apostolic, 1711–unknown)
- James O'Shiel, O.F.M. (1717–1724)
- John Armstrong (1727–1739)
- Francis Stuart, O.F.M. (1740–1749)
- Edmund O'Doran (1751–1760)
- Theophilus MacCartan (1760–1778)
- Hugh MacMullan (1779–1794)
- Patrick MacMullan (1794–1824)
- William Crolly (1825–1835)
- Cornelius Denvir (1835–1865)
- Patrick Dorrian (1865–1885)
- Patrick MacAlister (1886–1895)
- Henry Henry (1895–1908)
- John Tohill (1908–1914)
- Joseph MacRory (1915–1928)
- Daniel Mageean (1929–1962)
- William Philbin (1962–1982)
- Cahal Brendan Daly (1982–1990)
- Patrick Joseph Walsh (1991–2008)
- Noel Treanor (2008–2022)
Auxiliary bishops
- Patrick Dorrian (1860–1865) (coadjutor)
- Patrick Walsh (May 1983 – 1991)
- Anthony Farquhar (May 1983 – December 2015)
- Michael Dallat (1993–2000)
- Donal McKeown (2001–2014)
See also
- Diocese of Down and Dromore (Church of Ireland)
- Diocese of Connor (Church of Ireland)
- Roman Catholicism in Ireland
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Northern Ireland
- Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland
References
- ^ a b "Creating Pastoral Communities Consultation" (PDF). Diocese of Down and Connor. 10 January 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Report of the Trustee charitycommission.gov.uk
- ^ "St. Peter's Cathedral, Belfast". St. Peter's Cathedral, Belfast. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ "St. Patrick's Church". St. Patrick's Church. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Christ the Redeemer". Lisburn.com. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Patrick's Church". Lisburn.com. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "Parish of Drumbo & Carryduff". Local Prayers. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "Hannahstown Parish". Hannahstown Parish. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Holy Cross Parish, Ardoyne". Holy Cross Parish, Ardoyne. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Holy Family Parish, Newington". Holy Family Parish, Newington. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Holy Rosary Parish, Belfast". Holy Rosary Parish, Belfast. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Loughshore Parishes". Loughshore Parishes. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Church of the Nativity". Lisburn.com. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Agnes' Parish, Belfast". St. Agnes' Parish, Belfast. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Saint Anne's Parish". Saint Anne's Parish. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St Anthony's Catholic Church". St Anthony's Catholic Church. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Bernadette's Church". St. Bernadette's Church. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St Brigid's Parish, Belfast". S Brigid's Parish, Belfast. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Comcille's". St. Colmcille's. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "St Gerard's Parish". St Gerard's Parish. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "St. John's, Falls Road". St. John's, Falls Road. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Malachy's Parish". St. Malachy's Parish. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Mary's Parish, Belfast". St. Mary's Parish, Belfast. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Marys-on-the-hill Parish". St. Mary's-on-the-hill Parish. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St Matthew's Parish". Local Prayers. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Oliver Plunkett Parish". St. Oliver Plunkett Parish. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St. Teresa's Parish". St. Teresa's Parish. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "St Vincent De Paul, Ligoniel". St Vincent De Paul, Ligoniel. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Aghagallon and Ballinderry Parish". Aghagallon & Ballinderry Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Antrim Parish". Antrim Parish. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ "Ballycastle Parish". Ballycastle Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Ballyclare and Ballygowan Parish". Ballyclare and Ballygowan Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Ballymena Parish". Ballymena Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Ballymoney Parish". Ballymoney Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Parish of Bangor". Parish of Bangor. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Parish of St John the Evangelist, Carnlough". Parish of St John the Evangelist, Carnlough. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Carrickfergus Parish". Carrickfergus Parish. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Parishes of Kilmore & Killyleagh - Home".
- ^ "Glenariffe Parish – St Patrick's and St Brigid's, Glenariffe".
- ^ "Carnlough and Glenarm Parishes - Down and Connor Diocese".
- ^ "Home - Glenavy and Killead Parish".
- ^ "St Colmcille's Holywood".
- ^ "Parish Of Ardkeen".
- ^ "Home | larne-parish".
- ^ "St Patrick's Church | PARISH OF BLARIS - LISBURN".
- ^ "Parish of Maghera". Parish of Maghera. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Parish of Newtownards and Comber". Parish of Newtownards and Comber. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Portaferry Parish". Portaferry Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Parish of Portglenone". Parish of Portglenone. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "St Patrick's Church". St Patrick's Church. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Portstewart Parish". Portstewart Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "St MacNissi's Church". St MacNissi's Church. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "St Mary's Parish". St Mary's Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Saul & Ballee Parish". Saul & Ballee Parish. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
- ^ "Bishops' Ad Limina Pilgrimage 2006".
- ^ "Audiences".
- ^ "'His style models for us the life of the Church...'". 19 March 2017.
- ^ Fryde, E. B.; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 423–424. ISBN 0-521-56350-X.
- ^ Diocese of Down and Connor. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 26 August 2009.
External links
- Diocese of Down and Connor (GCatholic.org)
- Catholic-Hierarchy.org – Diocese Profile
- Profile from NewAdvent.org – info from Catholic Encyclopedia