Diocese of Shrewsbury

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Bishop(s) Brian Michael Noble, Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 29 September 1850 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Birmingham Rite: Latin (or Roman) Country: England Region: Great Britain Square Kilometers: 6,136 (2,370 Square Miles) Description: Counties of New Cheshire, Shropshire , Telford and Wrekin with parts of Derbyshire, Halton, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Warrington. Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org/ Mailing Address: 2 Park Road South, Prenton, Wirral CH43 4UX, England, Great Britian Telephone: (0151)652-9855 Fax: 653-5172

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• James Brown † (27 Jun 1851 Appointed - 14 Oct 1881 Died)
• Edmund Knight † (25 Apr 1882 Appointed - 28 May 1895 Resigned)
• John Carroll † (11 May 1895 Succeeded - 14 Jan 1897 Died)
• Samuel Webster Allen † (19 Apr 1897 Appointed - 13 May 1908 Died)
• Hugh Singleton † (1 Aug 1908 Appointed - 17 Dec 1934 Died)
• Ambrose James Moriarty † (17 Dec 1934 Succeeded - 3 Jun 1949 Died)
• John Aloysius Murphy † (3 Jun 1949 Succeeded - 22 Aug 1961 Appointed, Archbishop of Cardiff, Wales)
• William Eric Grasar † (26 Apr 1962 Appointed - 20 Mar 1980 Resigned)
• Joseph Gray † (19 Aug 1980 Appointed - 23 Jun 1995 Retired)
• Brian Michael Noble (23 Jun 1995 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
29 September 1850	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Central District Vicariate Apostolic of Lancashire District Vicariate Apostolic of Wales District	Diocese of Shrewsbury (erected)
1895	Territory Lost	Diocese of Newport and Menevia Diocese of Shrewsbury	Vicariate Apostolic of Wales (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
1950	102,250	1,331,706	7.7%	140	69	209	489		190	100	76	ap1951
1969	193,231	1,800,000	10.7%	164	81	245	788		106	395	105	ap1971
1980	202,300	2,000,000	10.1%	182	64	246	822		102	292	116	ap1981
1990	199,000	1,840,000	10.8%	166	42	208	956	2	62	263	121	ap1991
1999	190,614	1,832,900	10.4%	145	30	175	1,089	6	51	213	117	ap2000
2000	196,338	1,832,900	10.7%	155	33	188	1,044	17	54	206	117	ap2001
2001	196,338	1,832,900	10.7%	145	35	180	1,090	22	54	201	116	ap2002
2002	193,400	1,832,900	10.6%	147	33	180	1,074	26	49	204	116	ap2003
2003	194,710	1,836,000	10.6%	144	34	178	1,093	30	48	183	110	ap2004
2004	234,617	1,838,000	12.8%	141	33	174	1,348	31	54	183	110	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Brian Michael Noble (Bishop: 23 Jun 1995 - )

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Samuel Webster Allen † (Bishop: 19 Apr 1897 to 13 May 1908)
• John Brewer † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 May 1971 to 17 Nov 1983)
• James Brown † (Bishop: 27 Jun 1851 to 14 Oct 1881)
• John Carroll † (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Aug 1893; Bishop: 11 May 1895 to 14 Jan 1897)
• William Eric Grasar † (Bishop: 26 Apr 1962 to 20 Mar 1980)
• Joseph Gray † (Bishop: 19 Aug 1980 to 23 Jun 1995)
• Edmund Knight † (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 May 1879; Bishop: 25 Apr 1882 to 28 May 1895)
• Ambrose James Moriarty † (Priest: 10 Mar 1894; Coadjutor Bishop: 18 Dec 1931; Bishop: 17 Dec 1934 to 3 Jun 1949)
• John Aloysius Murphy † (Priest: 21 Mar 1931; Coadjutor Bishop: 7 Feb 1948; Bishop: 3 Jun 1949 to 22 Aug 1961)
• Hugh Singleton † (Bishop: 1 Aug 1908 to 17 Dec 1934)
• Gerard William Tickle † (Priest: 28 Oct 1934 to 12 Oct 1963)