Adelaide (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Patrick Michael O’Regan, Archbishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 10 May 1887
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Australia
Square Kilometers: 105,000 (40,556 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://adelaide.catholic.org.au
Mailing Address: Catholic Diocesan Centre, G.P.O. Box 1364, Adelaide, SA 5001; 39 Wakefield Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
Telephone: (08)8210-8112

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Adelaide
- Latin Name: Adelaidensis
- Erected: 5 April 1842
- Vicariate
- Country: Australia
Diocese of Adelaide
- Latin Name: Adelaidensis
- Elevated: 22 April 1842
- Country: Australia

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francis Murphy † (22 Apr 1842 Appointed - 26 Apr 1858 Died)
Patrick Bonaventure Geoghegan, O.F.M. Ref. † (12 Apr 1859 Appointed - 12 Mar 1864 Appointed, Bishop of Goulburn)
Laurence Bonaventure Sheil, O.F.M. Ref. † (23 Jun 1865 Appointed - 1 Mar 1872 Died)
Christopher Augustine Reynolds † (13 Jun 1873 Appointed - 16 Jun 1893 Died)
John O’Reilly † (5 Jan 1895 Appointed - 6 Jul 1915 Died)
Robert William Spence, O.P. † (6 Jul 1915 Succeeded - 5 Nov 1934 Died)
Andrew Killian † (5 Nov 1934 Succeeded - 28 Jun 1939 Died)
Matthew Beovich † (11 Dec 1939 Appointed - 1 May 1971 Retired)
James William Gleeson † (1 May 1971 Succeeded - 19 Jun 1985 Resigned)
Leonard Anthony Faulkner † (19 Jun 1985 Succeeded - 3 Dec 2001 Retired)
Philip Edward Wilson † (3 Dec 2001 Succeeded - 30 Jul 2018 Resigned)
Patrick Michael O’Regan (19 Mar 2020 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Adelaide
5 April 1842	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of New Holland and Van Diemen’s Land	Vicariate Apostolic of Adelaide (erected) Vicariate Apostolic of Hobart (erected)
Diocese of Adelaide
22 April 1842	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Adelaide	Diocese of Adelaide
4 May 1845	Territory Lost	Diocese of Adelaide Archdiocese of Sydney	Vicariate Apostolic of King George Sounde - The Sound (erected)
1847	Territory Added	Vicariate Apostolic of King George Sounde - The Sound (suppressed)	Diocese of Adelaide Diocese of Perth
10 May 1887	Territory Lost	Diocese of Adelaide	Diocese of Port Augusta (erected)
Archdiocese of Adelaide
10 May 1887	Elevated	Diocese of Adelaide	Archdiocese of Adelaide
5 May 1950	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Adelaide (Eyre penisula)	Diocese of Port Augusta

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Adelaide

1950 55,000 550,000 10.0% 67 37 104 528 90 579 43 ap1951

1959 120,000 750,000 16.0% 95 77 172 697 146 681 65 ap1960

1966 158,500 838,000 18.9% 93 96 189 838 180 722 73 ap1967

1970 193,137 942,288 20.5% 97 108 205 942 199 678 74 ap1971

1980 219,000 1,079,000 20.3% 103 110 213 1,028 193 595 76 ap1981

1990 248,000 1,210,000 20.5% 100 92 192 1,291 1 148 460 77 ap1991

1999 266,927 1,254,751 21.3% 91 86 177 1,508 3 147 382 77 ap2000

2000 266,927 1,254,927 21.3% 91 83 174 1,534 3 147 382 56 ap2001

2001 266,927 1,497,634 17.8% 92 85 177 1,508 3 146 382 76 ap2002

2002 267,012 1,254,437 21.3% 93 78 171 1,561 4 121 327 75 ap2003

2003 275,174 1,290,786 21.3% 102 79 181 1,520 4 121 335 75 ap2004

2004 275,174 1,290,786 21.3% 93 60 153 1,798 5 103 326 67 ap2005

2006 275,174 1,290,786 21.3% 72 63 135 2,038 4 123 324 67 ap2007

2012 281,700 1,414,000 19.9% 74 65 139 2,026 7 105 272 61 ap2013

2015 299,000 1,480,000 20.2% 73 59 132 2,265 12 102 246 58 ap2016

2018 322,650 1,736,000 18.6% 78 60 138 2,338 109 245 57 ap2019

2020 278,300 1,534,120 18.1% 92 73 165 1,686 15 123 239 56 ap2021

2022 292,041 1,613,484 18.1% 74 61 135 2,163 14 95 213 57 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Adelaide
1950	55,000	550,000	10.0%	67	37	104	528		90	579	43	ap1951
1959	120,000	750,000	16.0%	95	77	172	697		146	681	65	ap1960
1966	158,500	838,000	18.9%	93	96	189	838		180	722	73	ap1967
1970	193,137	942,288	20.5%	97	108	205	942		199	678	74	ap1971
1980	219,000	1,079,000	20.3%	103	110	213	1,028		193	595	76	ap1981
1990	248,000	1,210,000	20.5%	100	92	192	1,291	1	148	460	77	ap1991
1999	266,927	1,254,751	21.3%	91	86	177	1,508	3	147	382	77	ap2000
2000	266,927	1,254,927	21.3%	91	83	174	1,534	3	147	382	56	ap2001
2001	266,927	1,497,634	17.8%	92	85	177	1,508	3	146	382	76	ap2002
2002	267,012	1,254,437	21.3%	93	78	171	1,561	4	121	327	75	ap2003
2003	275,174	1,290,786	21.3%	102	79	181	1,520	4	121	335	75	ap2004
2004	275,174	1,290,786	21.3%	93	60	153	1,798	5	103	326	67	ap2005
2006	275,174	1,290,786	21.3%	72	63	135	2,038	4	123	324	67	ap2007
2012	281,700	1,414,000	19.9%	74	65	139	2,026	7	105	272	61	ap2013
2015	299,000	1,480,000	20.2%	73	59	132	2,265	12	102	246	58	ap2016
2018	322,650	1,736,000	18.6%	78	60	138	2,338		109	245	57	ap2019
2020	278,300	1,534,120	18.1%	92	73	165	1,686	15	123	239	56	ap2021
2022	292,041	1,613,484	18.1%	74	61	135	2,163	14	95	213	57	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Matthew Beovich † (Archbishop: 11 Dec 1939 to 1 May 1971)
John Etheridge, C.P. †
Leonard Anthony Faulkner † (Priest: 1 Jan 1950 to 14 Sep 1967; Coadjutor Archbishop: 2 Sep 1983; Archbishop: 19 Jun 1985 to 3 Dec 2001)
Patrick Bonaventure Geoghegan, O.F.M. Ref. † (Bishop: 12 Apr 1859 to 12 Mar 1864)
James William Gleeson † (Priest: 25 Jul 1945; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1957; Coadjutor Archbishop: 6 Jul 1964; Archbishop: 1 May 1971 to 19 Jun 1985)
Francis Augustin Henschke † (Auxiliary Bishop: 18 May 1937 to 16 Nov 1939)
Philip James Anthony Kennedy † (Priest: 30 Jun 1962; Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Jan 1973 to 23 Mar 1983)
Andrew Killian † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 11 Jul 1933; Archbishop: 5 Nov 1934 to 28 Jun 1939)
Francis Murphy † (Bishop: 22 Apr 1842 to 26 Apr 1858)
John Henry Norton † (Priest: 8 Apr 1882 to 18 Aug 1906)
John O’Reilly † (Archbishop: 5 Jan 1895 to 6 Jul 1915)
Christopher Augustine Reynolds † (Priest: 20 Apr 1860; Bishop: 13 Jun 1873; Archbishop: 13 May 1887 to 16 Jun 1893)
Laurence Bonaventure Sheil, O.F.M. Ref. † (Bishop: 23 Jun 1865 to 1 Mar 1872)
Robert William Spence, O.P. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 2 May 1914; Archbishop: 6 Jul 1915 to 5 Nov 1934)
Philip Edward Wilson † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 30 Nov 2000; Archbishop: 3 Dec 2001 to 30 Jul 2018)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Adelaide
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 7, Page 58
Diocese of Adelaide
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 74, and Page 75
Archdiocese of Adelaide
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 74
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 9, Page 36

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Archdiocese of Adelaide

Archidioecesis Adelaidensis