Archdiocese of Perth
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.
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth Archidioecesis Metropolitae Perthensis | |
|---|---|
| Catholic | |
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 Coat of Arms of the Archdiocese of Perth | |
| Location | |
| Country |  Australia |
| Territory | Greater Perth, Goldfields-Esperance, Peel, Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
| Ecclesiastical province | Perth |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 471,118 km2 (181,900 sq mi)[1] |
Population
|
|
| Parishes |  109[1] |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established |
|
| Cathedral | Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (St Mary's), Perth |
| Secular priests | 163 (2023), plus 72 religious priests[1] |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Leo XIV |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Timothy Costelloe |
| Auxiliary Bishops | |
| Bishops emeritus | Barry Hickey |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
www | |
St Mary's Cathedral located in Perth, Western Australia, is the seat of the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Perth, currently Timothy Costelloe, appointed in February 2012.[2][3][4][5][6]
History
editOn 6 May 1845 the Diocese of Perth was erected in an area covered and administered previously by the Archdiocese of Sydney.
It lost territory repeatedly, to establish on 12 March 1867 the Benedictine Territorial Abbacy of New Norcia, on 10 May 1887 the Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley in Western Australia and on 30 January 1898 the Diocese of Geraldton.
It was elevated as Metropolitan archdiocese on 29 August 1913.
On 12 November 1954 it lost territory to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury.
In 1982 it regained former territory from the suppressed Territorial Abbacy of New Norcia.
Cathedral
editThe Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commonly called St Mary's Cathedral, is the seat of the archbishop and is located in East Perth.
During restoration work in the cathedral between 2003 and 2006, the brick and plaster crypt containing the coffins of bishops Matthew Gibney and Martin Griver was discovered by archaeologists under the floorboards of an aisle in the cathedral.[7][8]
In 2011, the remains of Perth's first bishop, John Brady, were exhumed from his grave in France and he was laid to rest in the crypt.[9]
Province
editThe Ecclesiastical Province of Perth includes for the suffragan dioceses of Broome and Perth's two daughter-bishoprics, Bunbury and Geraldton.
Bishops
editEpiscopal incumbents
editThe following individuals have been elected as archbishop of Perth, or any of its precursor titles:[1]
- Diocesan suffragan bishops
Order Name Title Date installed Ministry ended Term of office Reason for term end 1 John Brady † Bishop of Perth 9 May 1845 3 December 1871^ 26 years, 6 months Died in office 2 Martin Griver † Apostolic Administrator of Perth 1 October 1869 22 July 1873 3 years, 9 months Succeeded as Bishop of Perth Bishop of Perth 22 July 1873 1 November 1886 13 years, 102 days Died in office 3 Matthew Gibney † Coadjutor Bishop of Perth 28 September 1886 1 November 1886 34 days Succeeded as Bishop of Perth Bishop of Perth 1 November 1886 14 May 1910 23 years, 194 days Resigned and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Perth 4 Patrick Clune, CSsR † Bishop of Perth 21 December 1910 28 August 1913 2 years, 8 months Elevated as Archbishop of Perth
- ^ = Bishop John Brady was suspended from his functions motu proprio in October 1851 by Pope Pius IX and José Benito Serra appointed as coadjutor bishop of Perth, reporting to the Archbishop of Sydney. Brady retained the title Bishop of Perth, although living in exile from his Diocese, until his death. Serra served as Coadjutor Bishop and Temporal Administrator of Perth from 1849 to 1851, Apostolic Administrator from 1851 to 1862. Rosendo Salvado was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Perth for three years from 1853[a] while Serra was absent in Europe.[10][11]
- Metropolitan Archbishops
Order Name Title Date installed Ministry ended Term of office Reason for term end 4 Patrick Clune, CSsR † Archbishop of Perth 28 August 1913 24 May 1935 21 years, 8 months Died in office 5 Redmond Prendiville † Coadjutor Archbishop of Perth 11 July 1933 24 May 1935 1 year, 10 months Elevated as Archbishop of Perth Archbishop of Perth 24 May 1935 28 June 1968 33 years, 1 month Died in office 6 Launcelot Goody † Archbishop of Perth 18 October 1968 26 October 1983 15 years Retired and appointed Archbishop Emeritus of Perth 7 William Foley † Archbishop of Perth 26 October 1983 10 February 1991 7 years, 11 months Died in office 8 Barry Hickey Archbishop of Perth 23 July 1991 20 February 2012 20 years, 6 months Retired and appointed Archbishop Emeritus of Perth 9 Timothy Costelloe, SDB Archbishop of Perth 20 February 2012 present 14 years, 3 months incumbent
Coadjutor and auxiliary bishops
edit- Current
- Donald George Sproxton – Appointed auxiliary bishop 12 December 2001,[12] Titular Bishop of Timici
- Nelson Po – Appointed auxiliary bishop 2 February 2026, Titular Bishop of Agunto[13][14]
- Former
- Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Serra y Juliá, O.S.B. † (7 August 1849 – 7 January 1862)
- Coadjutor Bishop Matthew Gibney † (28 September 1886 – 1 November 1886), Titular Bishop of Hippus (1886.09.28 – 1 November 1886)
- Coadjutor Archbishop Redmond Prendiville † (11 July 1933 – 24 May 1935 see above), Titular Archbishop of Cypsela (11 July 1933 – 24 May 1935)
- Auxiliary Bishop Launcelot John Goody (later Archbishop) † (2 August 1951 – 12 November 1954 see above), Titular Bishop of Abydus (2 August 1951 – 12 November 1954), later Bishop of Bunbury (Australia) (12 November 1954 – 18 October 1968)
- Auxiliary Bishop John Joseph Rafferty † (12 June 1955 – 6 January 1962)
- Auxiliary Bishop Myles McKeon † (23 May 1962 – 6 March 1969)
- Auxiliary Bishop Peter Quinn † (26 June 1969 – 26 May 1982)
- Auxiliary Bishop Robert Healy † (2 October 1975 – 25 October 2000)
Other priests of the diocese who became bishops
edit- John O’Reilly †, appointed Bishop of Port Augusta in 1887
- William Bernard Kelly †, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia in 1894; appointed Bishop of Geraldton in 1898: consecrated bishop in 1898
- Justin Joseph Bianchini, appointed Bishop of Geraldton in 1992
- Gerard Joseph Holohan, appointed Bishop of Bunbury in 2001
- Max Leroy Davis, appointed Bishop of Australia, Military in 2003
- † = deceased
Parishes
editThe archdiocese is divided into three separate deaneries that administer individual parishes covering inner metropolitan Perth, outer metropolitan Perth, and country parishes and church centres (with churches dedicated the saints as indicated).
Inner metropolitan Perth
edit
The inner metropolitan deanery covers the cathedral parish of Perth (St Mary); and parishes located in Applecross (St Benedict's), Attadale (St Joseph Pignatelli), Balcatta (St Lawrence and Mary Immaculate), Ballajura (St Mary Mackillop), Bassendean (St Joseph), Bateman (St Thomas More), Bayswater (St Columba), Beaconsfield (Christ the King), Bentley (Santa Clara), Canning Vale (St Emilie de Vialar), Carlisle (Holy Name), City Beach (Holy Spirit), Claremont (St Thomas the Apostle), Cloverdale, (Notre Dame), Como (Holy Family), Cottesloe/Mosman Park (St Mary Star of the Sea), Dianella (Our Lady's Assumption), Doubleview (Our Lady of the Rosary), East Fremantle (Immaculate Conception), East Victoria Park (Our Lady Help of Christians), Embleton (Holy Trinity), Floreat (St Cecilia), Fremantle (St Patrick's Basilica), Girrawheen (Our Lady of Mercy), Glendalough (St Bernadette), Hamilton Hill (Holy Cross), Highgate (Sacred Heart), Hilton (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), Joondanna (St Denis), Innaloo/Karrinyup (St Dominic), Leederville (St Mary), Lynwood (St Jude), Lockridge (Good Shepherd), Manning (St Pius X), Maylands (Queen of Martyrs), Morley (Infant Jesus), Mirrabooka (St Gerald Majella), Mt Lawley (St Paul), Myaree (Pater Noster), Nedlands (Holy Rosary), Nollamara (Our Lady of Lourdes), North Beach (Our Lady of Grace), Northbridge (St Brigid), Osborne Park (St Kieran), Palmyra (Our Lady of Fatima), Queens Park (St Joseph), Riverton (Our Lady Queen of Apostles), Rivervale (St Augustine), Scarborough (Immaculate Heart of Mary), Shenton Park (St Aloysius), South Perth (St Columba), Subiaco (St Joseph), Victoria Park (St Joachim), Willetton (Saints John and Paul), and Wilson (Our Lady of Perpetual Help).
Outer metropolitan Perth
editThe outer metropolitan deanery covers parishes located in Armadale (St Francis Xavier), Baldivis (St Teresa of Calcutta), Clarkson (St Andrew), Ellenbrook (St Helena of the Holy Cross), Gosnells (Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament), Greenmount (St Anthony), Greenwood (All Saints), Guildford (St Mary), Kalamunda (Holy Family), Kelmscott (Good Shepherd), Kwinana (St Vincent), Lesmurdie (Our Lady of Lourdes), Maddington (Holy Family), Maida Vale (St Francis of Assisi), Midland (St Brigid), Mundaring (Sacred Heart), Ocean Reef (St Simon Peter), Pickering Brook (Our Lady of Grace), Port Kennedy (St Bernadette), Rockingham (Our Lady of Lourdes), Spearwood (St Jerome), Thornlie (Sacred Heart), Wanneroo (St Anthony of Padua), Whitford (Our Lady of the Mission), Woodvale (St Luke), Yanchep (Guilderton Community Hall), and Yangebup (Mater Christi).
See also
editNotes
edit- ↑ Some[who?] sources say 'from 1849'.[citation needed]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Archdiocese of Perth". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. 20 March 2026. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ Cardy, Todd (20 February 2012). "Pope appoints new head of Catholic Church in WA". PerthNow. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
- ↑ "Timothy Costelloe selected as Perth's Archbishop". ABC News. Australia. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ↑ Rickard, Jayne; Simpson, Gavin (8 April 2011). "Time's up for Perth Archbishop". The West Australian. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
- ↑ Rosengren, Peter (16 November 2011). "Brisbane's prelate is free to go! No word on Perth". The Record. Australia. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
- ↑ "Archdiocese of Perth" (downloadable PDF) (Press release). Apostolic Nunciature in Australia. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
- ↑ "Ned Kelly's bishop's tomb found under Cathedral pews". Catholic News. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ↑ Laurie, Tiffany (14 October 2006). "Cathedral reveals the secret of its lost bishops". The West Australian. p. 3.
- ↑ Spinks, Bridget (13 July 2011). "Brady to join Bishops in crypt". The Record. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ↑ "The Salvado Era: 1846 – 1900". The Story of New Norcia. New Norcia Benedictine Community. 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ↑ William, Dom. "Salvado, Rosendo (1814–1900)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
- ↑ "Bishop Donald George Sproxton". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2026.
- ↑ O'Brien, Jamie (5 February 2026). "A shepherd who listens: Perth welcomes Bishop-elect Nelson Po". The Record. Retrieved 25 February 2026.
- ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 02.02.2026". Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
Further reading
edit- Busher, Mary (10 January 2005). "History of the Diocese of Perth established 160 years ago". Record. Perth, Western Australia. p. 12.
- Winship, John A (2010). Our cathedral : a history of St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia (paperback). Perth, Western Australia: Archdiocese of Perth. p. 240. ISBN 978-1-453-75519-8.
