Diocese of Leeds

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Bishop(s) Arthur Roche, Bishop David Every Konstant, Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Name Changed: 20 December 1878 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Liverpool Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: England Region: Great Britain Square Kilometers: 4,075 (1,573 Square Miles) Description: Comprising: County of West Yorkshire and parts of North Yorkshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Humberside and Lancashire. Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/ Mailing Address: Hinsley Hall, 62 Headingley Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS6 2BX, England, Great Britian Telephone: (0113)261-8000 Fax: 261-8035

Historical Details

• Vicariate Apostolic of Yorkshire District
  • Erected: 1840
  • Country: England
  • Region: Great Britain

• Diocese of Beverley
  • Elevated: 29 September 1850
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Westminster
  • Country: England
  • Region: Great Britain

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• John Briggs † (3 Jul 1840 Appointed - 17 Sep 1860 Resigned)
• Robert Cornthwaite † (3 Sep 1861 Appointed - 16 Jun 1890 Died)
• WIlliam Gordon † (16 Jun 1890 Succeeded - 7 Jun 1911 Died)
• Joseph Robert Cowgill † (7 Jun 1911 Succeeded - 12 May 1936 Died)
• Henry John Poskitt † (19 Aug 1936 Appointed - 19 Feb 1950 Died)
• John Carmel Heenan † (27 Jan 1951 Appointed - 2 May 1957 Appointed, Archbishop of Liverpool)
• George Patrick Dwyer † (3 Aug 1957 Appointed - 5 Oct 1965 Appointed, Archbishop of Birmingham)
• William Gordon Wheeler † (25 Apr 1966 Appointed - 12 Jul 1985 Retired)
• David Every Konstant (12 Jul 1985 Appointed - 7 Apr 2004 Resigned)
• Arthur Roche (7 Apr 2004 Succeeded - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Yorkshire District
1840	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern District	Vicariate Apostolic of Yorkshire District (erected)
Diocese of Beverley
29 September 1850	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Yorkshire District	Diocese of Beverley
20 December 1878	Territory Lost	Diocese of Beverley	Diocese of Middlesbrough (erected)
Diocese of Leeds
20 December 1878	Name Changed	Diocese of Beverley	Diocese of Leeds
30 May 1980	Territory Lost	Diocese of Leeds Diocese of Nottingham	Diocese of Hallam (erected)

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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 Leeds
1950	179,000	3,354,395	5.3%	284	54	338	529		59	761	141	ap1951
1970	258,284	3,641,228	7.1%	310	62	372	694		67	742	182	ap1971
1980	269,500	3,655,000	7.4%	298	65	363	742	4	76	779	187	ap1981
1990	192,800	2,169,000	8.9%	195	34	229	841	5	38	313	129	ap1991
1999	172,474	2,200,000	7.8%	194	11	205	841	19	16	212	130	ap2000
2000	166,958	2,000,000	8.3%	187	10	197	847	19	12	199	125	ap2001
2001	157,957	2,000,000	7.9%	185	8	193	818	19	11	192	124	ap2002
2002	155,035	2,000,000	7.8%	186	9	195	795	21	11	176	124	ap2003
2003	155,035	2,000,000	7.8%	185	11	196	790	21	14	172	124	ap2004
2004	154,957	2,000,000	7.7%	187	16	203	763	24	18	191	124	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops

• John Briggs † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Jul 1840; Bishop: 29 Sep 1850 to 17 Sep 1860)
• Robert Cornthwaite † (Bishop: 3 Sep 1861 to 16 Jun 1890)
• Joseph Robert Cowgill † (Coadjutor Bishop: 26 Sep 1905; Bishop: 7 Jun 1911 to 12 May 1936)
• George Patrick Dwyer † (Bishop: 3 Aug 1957 to 5 Oct 1965)
• WIlliam Gordon † (Coadjutor Bishop: 28 Dec 1889; Bishop: 16 Jun 1890 to 7 Jun 1911)
• John Carmel Heenan † (Bishop: 27 Jan 1951 to 2 May 1957)
• David Every Konstant (Bishop: 12 Jul 1985 to 7 Apr 2004)
• Gerald Moverley † (Priest: 28 Apr 1946; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Dec 1967 to 30 May 1980)
• Thomas Kevin O'Brien † (Priest: 20 Jun 1948 to 9 Nov 1981)
• Henry John Poskitt † (Priest: 15 Jul 1917; Bishop: 19 Aug 1936 to 19 Feb 1950)
• Arthur Roche (Priest: 19 Jul 1975 to 12 Apr 2001; Coadjutor Bishop: 16 Jul 2002; Bishop: 7 Apr 2004)
• William Gordon Wheeler † (Priest: 31 Mar 1940 to 29 Jan 1964; Bishop: 25 Apr 1966 to 12 Jul 1985)