Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin

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Bishop(s) James Moriarty, Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese United: 1678 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Dublin Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: Ireland Square Kilometers: 4,165 (1,608 Square Miles) Description: Carlow, parts of Kidare, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Wickow and Wexford Official Web Site: http://www.kandle.ie/ Mailing Address: Bishop's House, Carlow, Ireland Telephone: (059)91.76.725 Fax: 91.76.850

Historical Details

• Diocese of Kildare
  • Latin Name: Kildariensis vel Darensis
  • Erected: 519
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Dublin
  • Country: Ireland

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• St. Conleth † ( 490 Ordained Bishop - 3 May 519 Died)
• Ralph de Bristol † ( 1223 Appointed - )
• Roche MacGeoghegan, O.P. † ( 1630 Appointed - )
• Mark Forstall, O.S.A. † ( 1676 Appointed - 1681 Died)
• Edward Murphy † (11 Sep 1715 Appointed - Sep 1724 Appointed, Archbishop of Dublin)
• James O'Gallagher † (18 May 1737 Appointed - 1751 Died)
• James Keefe † ( 1752 Appointed - 1787 Died)
• Daniel Delany † ( 1787 Succeeded - )
• Michael Corcoran † (20 Mar 1815 Appointed - 23 Feb 1819 Died)
• James Doyle, O.S.A. † ( 1819 Ordained Bishop - 1834 Died)
• Edward Nolan † ( 1834 Appointed - 1856 Resigned)
• Francis Healy † (10 Jan 1838 Appointed - )
• James Walshe † (18 Feb 1856 Appointed - 5 Mar 1888 Died)
• James Lynch, C.M. † (5 Mar 1888 Succeeded - 19 Dec 1896 Died)
• Patrick Foley † (19 Dec 1897 Succeeded - 24 Jul 1926 Died)
• Matthew Cullen † (25 Mar 1927 Appointed - 2 Jan 1936 Died)
• Thomas Keogh † (8 Aug 1936 Appointed - 1967 Retired)
• Patrick Lennon † (25 Sep 1967 Appointed - 10 Dec 1987 Resigned)
• Laurence Ryan † (10 Dec 1987 Succeeded - 4 Jun 2002 Resigned)
• James Moriarty (4 Jun 2002 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Kildare
519	Erected		Diocese of Kildare (erected)
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
1678	United	Diocese of Kildare Diocese of Leighlin	Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
1950	122,936	132,091	93.1%	143	79	222	553		176	675	50	ap1951
1970	130,300	137,000	95.1%	148	94	242	538		250	612	51	ap1971
1980	155,000	162,000	95.7%	141	91	232	668		217	484	54	ap1981
1990	167,025	176,313	94.7%	139	97	236	707		212	385	55	ap1991
1999	171,194	183,187	93.5%	123	89	212	807		143	363	56	ap2000
2000	181,807	192,759	94.3%	126	79	205	886		128	337	56	ap2001
2001	183,105	194,683	94.1%	128	87	215	851		129	332	56	ap2002
2002	185,581	196,846	94.3%	124	89	213	871		126	334	56	ap2003
2003	190,068	203,386	93.5%	117	43	160	1,187	5	69	280	56	ap2004
2004	191,222	204,204	93.6%	114	43	157	1,217		70	296		ap2005*
2006	205,185	220,427	93.1%	114	78	192	1,068		102	301	56	ap2007

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• James Moriarty (Bishop: 4 Jun 2002 - )

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• St. Conleth † (Bishop: 490 to 3 May 519)
• Michael Corcoran † (Bishop: 20 Mar 1815 to 23 Feb 1819)
• Matthew Cullen † (Bishop: 25 Mar 1927 to 2 Jan 1936)
• Ralph de Bristol † (Bishop: 1223)
• Daniel Delany † (Coadjutor Bishop: 1783; Bishop: 1787)
• James Doyle, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 1819 to 1834)
• Patrick Foley † (Coadjutor Bishop: 18 Mar 1896; Bishop: 19 Dec 1897 to 24 Jul 1926)
• Mark Forstall, O.S.A. † (Bishop: 1676 to 1681)
• Francis Healy † (Bishop: 10 Jan 1838)
• James Keefe † (Bishop: 1752 to 1787)
• Thomas Keogh † (Priest: 13 Jun 1909; Bishop: 8 Aug 1936 to 1967)
• Patrick Lennon † (Priest: 19 Jun 1938; Auxiliary Bishop: 14 May 1966; Bishop: 25 Sep 1967 to 10 Dec 1987)
• James Lynch, C.M. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 13 Apr 1869; Bishop: 5 Mar 1888 to 19 Dec 1896)
• Roche MacGeoghegan, O.P. † (Bishop: 1630)
• Edward Murphy † (Bishop: 11 Sep 1715 to Sep 1724)
• Edward Nolan † (Bishop: 1834 to 1856)
• James O'Gallagher † (Bishop: 18 May 1737 to 1751)
• Richard O'Reilly † (Coadjutor Bishop: 20 Jun 1781 to 1782)
• Laurence Ryan † (Priest: 17 Jun 1956; Coadjutor Bishop: 17 Jul 1984; Bishop: 10 Dec 1987 to 4 Jun 2002)
• James Walshe † (Bishop: 18 Feb 1856 to 5 Mar 1888)