Canberra and Goulburn (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Christopher Charles Prowse, Archbishop
Patrick Percival Power, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 19 June 2006
Immediately Subject to the Holy See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Australia
Square Kilometers: 88,000 (33,990 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://cgcatholic.org.au
Mailing Address: G.P.O. Box 3089, Canberra, A.C.T. 2601, Australia
Telephone: (02)6201.9800
Fax: 6257-7410

Historical Details

Diocese of Goulburn
- Latin Name: Gulburnensis
- Erected: 17 November 1862
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Sydney
- Country: Australia
Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn)
- Latin Name: Camberrensis (et Gulburnensis)
- Elevated: 5 February 1948
- Immediately Subject to the Holy See
- Country: Australia

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Hanley † (May 1863 Appointed - 1866 Resigned)
Patrick Bonaventure Geoghegan, O.F.M. Ref. † (12 Mar 1864 Appointed - 9 May 1864 Died)
James Hanley † (23 Jun 1865 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
William Lanigan † (18 Dec 1866 Appointed - 13 Jun 1900 Died)
John Gallagher † (13 Jun 1900 Succeeded - 26 Nov 1923 Died)
John Barry † (1 Mar 1924 Appointed - 22 Mar 1938 Died)
Terence Bernard McGuire † (14 Jun 1938 Appointed - 4 Aug 1953 Resigned)
Eris Norman Michael O’Brien † (16 Nov 1953 Appointed - 29 Nov 1966 Resigned)
Thomas Vincent Cahill † (13 Apr 1967 Appointed - 16 Apr 1978 Died)
Edward Bede Clancy † (24 Nov 1978 Appointed - 12 Feb 1983 Appointed, Archbishop of Sydney)
Francis Patrick Carroll † (25 Jun 1983 Appointed - 19 Jun 2006 Retired)
Mark Benedict Coleridge (19 Jun 2006 Appointed - 2 Apr 2012 Appointed, Archbishop of Brisbane)
Christopher Charles Prowse (12 Sep 2013 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Goulburn
17 November 1862	Erected	Archdiocese of Sydney	Diocese of Goulburn (erected)
10 May 1887	Territory Lost	Diocese of Armidale Diocese of Bathurst Diocese of Goulburn	Diocese of Wilcannia (erected)
28 July 1917	Territory Lost	Diocese of Goulburn (Wagga-Wagga, Lume, Goolamon, Ganmain, Narrandera, Leeton, Jerilderie, Berrigan, Lockhart, Tirana, Henty, Balldale, Gorowa, Albury, and Germanton)	Diocese of Wagga Wagga (erected)
28 July 1917	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Sydney (Milton, Braidwood, Araluen, Moruya, Cobargo, Bega, Pambula, Bombala, Cooma, Michelego, Queanbeyan, and Bungendore)	Diocese of Goulburn
Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn)
5 February 1948	Elevated	Diocese of Goulburn	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn)
15 November 1951	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn) Archdiocese of Sydney	Diocese of Wollongong (erected)
11 February 1956	Territory Added		Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn) Diocese of Wollongong
11 February 1956	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn) (Koorawatha)	Diocese of Bathurst
17 December 1976	Territory Added	Diocese of Wollongong (Eurobadalla)	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn)
17 December 1976	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn) (Waugoola)	Diocese of Bathurst
17 December 1976	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn) (Jemalong)	Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes
Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
19 June 2006	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn)	Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

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 Canberra (and Goulburn)

1950 43,500 167,471 26.0% 85 20 105 414 51 418 36 ap1951

1958 60,211 209,981 28.7% 100 24 124 485 77 401 44 ap1960

1966 78,820 286,082 27.6% 115 61 176 447 106 519 51 ap1967

1968 85,000 310,000 27.4% 110 64 174 488 182 527 53 ap1971

1980 142,000 440,000 32.3% 94 40 134 1,059 116 395 61 ap1981

1990 137,500 479,200 28.7% 81 37 118 1,165 91 294 62 ap1991

1999 158,000 546,000 28.9% 89 42 131 1,206 1 62 216 59 ap2000

2000 158,500 571,000 27.8% 83 40 123 1,288 1 61 222 59 ap2001

2001 159,600 596,000 26.8% 98 42 140 1,140 2 63 217 59 ap2002

2002 162,000 547,040 29.6% 98 30 128 1,265 3 48 180 59 ap2003

2003 161,000 552,000 29.2% 97 27 124 1,298 3 45 231 59 ap2004

2004 160,700 551,400 29.1% 94 25 119 1,350 4 49 174 58 ap2005

Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

2006 159,670 569,000 28.1% 96 24 120 1,330 4 41 164 55 ap2007

2013 162,790 604,078 26.9% 80 44 124 1,312 8 88 138 55 ap2014

2016 170,900 633,000 27.0% 80 16 96 1,780 8 26 115 55 ap2017

2019 178,360 660,600 27.0% 77 19 96 1,857 9 24 115 55 ap2020

2021 183,540 680,500 27.0% 63 19 82 2,238 8 24 115 56 ap2022

2023 186,570 691,740 27.0% 54 18 72 2,591 7 22 60 57 ap2024

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 Canberra (and Goulburn)
1950	43,500	167,471	26.0%	85	20	105	414		51	418	36	ap1951
1958	60,211	209,981	28.7%	100	24	124	485		77	401	44	ap1960
1966	78,820	286,082	27.6%	115	61	176	447		106	519	51	ap1967
1968	85,000	310,000	27.4%	110	64	174	488		182	527	53	ap1971
1980	142,000	440,000	32.3%	94	40	134	1,059		116	395	61	ap1981
1990	137,500	479,200	28.7%	81	37	118	1,165		91	294	62	ap1991
1999	158,000	546,000	28.9%	89	42	131	1,206	1	62	216	59	ap2000
2000	158,500	571,000	27.8%	83	40	123	1,288	1	61	222	59	ap2001
2001	159,600	596,000	26.8%	98	42	140	1,140	2	63	217	59	ap2002
2002	162,000	547,040	29.6%	98	30	128	1,265	3	48	180	59	ap2003
2003	161,000	552,000	29.2%	97	27	124	1,298	3	45	231	59	ap2004
2004	160,700	551,400	29.1%	94	25	119	1,350	4	49	174	58	ap2005
Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
2006	159,670	569,000	28.1%	96	24	120	1,330	4	41	164	55	ap2007
2013	162,790	604,078	26.9%	80	44	124	1,312	8	88	138	55	ap2014
2016	170,900	633,000	27.0%	80	16	96	1,780	8	26	115	55	ap2017
2019	178,360	660,600	27.0%	77	19	96	1,857	9	24	115	55	ap2020
2021	183,540	680,500	27.0%	63	19	82	2,238	8	24	115	56	ap2022
2023	186,570	691,740	27.0%	54	18	72	2,591	7	22	60	57	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

John Barry † (Bishop: 1 Mar 1924 to 22 Mar 1938)
Thomas Vincent Cahill † (Archbishop: 13 Apr 1967 to 16 Apr 1978)
Francis Patrick Carroll † (Archbishop: 25 Jun 1983 to 19 Jun 2006)
Edward Bede Clancy † (Archbishop: 24 Nov 1978 to 12 Feb 1983)
Patrick Joseph Clune, C.SS.R. † (Priest: 24 Jun 1886 to 3 Sep 1894)
John Neil Cullinane † (Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Jan 1959 to 29 Nov 1967)
Patrick Dougherty † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Oct 1976 to 1 Sep 1983)
John Dunne † (Priest: May 1871 to 13 May 1887)
Joseph Wilfred Dwyer † (Priest: 19 May 1894 to 14 Mar 1918)
Patrick Vincent Dwyer †
John Gallagher † (Priest: 1 Nov 1869; Coadjutor Bishop: 29 Mar 1895; Bishop: 13 Jun 1900 to 26 Nov 1923)
Patrick Bonaventure Geoghegan, O.F.M. Ref. † (Bishop: 12 Mar 1864 to 9 May 1864)
James Hanley † (Administrator: May 1863 to 1866; Bishop: 23 Jun 1865 - Did Not Take Effect)
William Lanigan † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1866 to 13 Jun 1900)
Terence Bernard McGuire † (Bishop: 14 Jun 1938; Archbishop: 5 Feb 1948 to 4 Aug 1953)
John Aloysius Morgan † (Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Mar 1969 to 2 Jan 1985)
Eris Norman Michael O’Brien † (Archbishop: 16 Nov 1953 to 29 Nov 1966)
Guilford Clyde Young † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Jul 1948; Apostolic Administrator: 8 Aug 1953 to 10 Oct 1954)

Source(s)

Diocese of Goulburn
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 9, Page 425, and Page 426
Archdiocese of Canberra (and Goulburn)
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 40, Page 353, to Page 355
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 48, Page 582, and Page 583
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 69, Page 118, and Page 119

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

✠

Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

Archidioecesis Camberrensis-Gulburnensis