Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes

The Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Sydney. The Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes was established in 1887, initially as the Diocese of Wilcannia (this town on the Darling River was then important due to the dominance of river transport). The diocese adopted its current name in 1917 when six parochial districts of Diocese of Bathurst, including those of Parkes and Forbes, were added to its western neighbour.[1] The diocese covers the Far West region of New South Wales in Australia. The Bishop's office is in Forbes but his seat is in Sacred Heart Cathedral, Broken Hill.

Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes

Dioecesis Vilcanniensis–Forbesinus
Sacred Heart cathedral in Broken Hill; consecrated in 1960
Location
CountryAustralia
TerritoryFar West region of New South Wales
Ecclesiastical provinceSydney
Coordinates31°57′12″S 141°27′33″E
Statistics
Area414,398 km2 (160,000 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2004)
Decrease 118,257
Decrease 35,904 (Increase 30.4%)
ParishesSteady 20
Information
DenominationCatholic Church
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established10 May 1887 as the Diocese of Wilcannia; 28 July 1917 as the Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes
CathedralSacred Heart, Broken Hill
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopColumba Macbeth-Green, OSPPE
Metropolitan ArchbishopAnthony Fisher OP
Vicar GeneralKevin Michael Manning
Bishops emeritusChristopher Henry Toohey
Map
Website
Official website

History

In 1887, the Diocese of Wilcannia was erected by Pope Leo XIII, on territories taken from the three now-neighbouring dioceses: Armidale, Bathurst (see below) and Goulburn (later absorbed in the present Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese), making it one of the oldest dioceses in Australia.

In 1917, the area of the diocese was enlarged (at the expense of the neighbouring Diocese of Bathurst) and its name changed to the Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes to take account of the added parishes.

On 9 June 2009, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Christopher Toohey due to reasons of personal health. In April 2011, Bishop Toohey released a personal statement admitting that his behaviour during the early years of his ministry with young adults in his pastoral care was "not consistent with that required of a good person". Although the specific behaviours were not mentioned, the church stated that any acts were not criminal in nature. To date, Bishop Toohey is the most senior member of the Church to admit to inappropriate behaviour with young adults.[2] The Pope appointed Sydney auxiliary bishop Terence Brady as apostolic administrator from 2009 until 2011. In 2011 the Bishop Emeritus of Parramatta, Kevin Michael Manning, was appointed to succeed Brady.[3]

Bishops

Ordinaries

The following men have been Bishop of Wilcannia:[4]

Order Name Date installed Term ended Term of office Reason for term end
1John Dunne13 May 188725 December 191629 years, 226 daysDied in office

The following individuals have been elected as Bishop of Wilcannia–Forbes:[4]

Order Name Date installed Term ended Term of office Reason for term end
1William Hayden13 March 191811 February 193011 years, 335 daysElevated as Archbishop of Hobart
2Thomas Martin Fox9 June 193110 July 196736 years, 31 daysDied in office
3Douglas Joseph Warren26 September 196730 March 199426 years, 185 daysRetired
4Barry Francis Collins30 March 199415 November 20006 years, 230 daysDied in office
5Christopher Henry Toohey9 July 20019 June 20097 years, 335 daysResigned
6Columba Macbeth-Green, OSPPE12 April 2014present9 years, 182 daysCurrently bishop

In absence of an appointed Bishop, the following bishops have been appointed as Apostolic Administrator of Wilcannia–Forbes:

Auxiliary bishop

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Cathedral

Sacred Heart Cathedral, Broken Hill has been the cathedral of the diocese since 1905, though the bishops of Wilcannia had their residence in Broken Hill since 1889. The cathedral parish has some 5,500 parishioners, most of whom live in Broken Hill.

Parishes

Churches are located in the following parishes and locations (dedicated to saints as indicated):[5]

ImageLocationCoordinatesNameBuilt
Balranald34°38′16″S 143°33′52″ESt Dymphna
BarhamSacred Heart
Bogan GateAll Saints
BooligalSt Michael
BourkeHoly Spirit and St Ignatius
BrewarrinaSt Patrick
Broken HillSacred Heart Cathedral1905
BurongaSt Micheal
CobarSt Laurence O'Toole
Condobolin33°5′3″S 147°8′46″ESt Joseph
DaretonSt Maria Goretti
DeniliquinSt Michael
FifieldSt Dymphna
Forbes32°22′48″S 148°0′29″ESt Laurence O'Toole
GoolgowiSt John Vianney
HaySt Fergal
HillstonOur Lady of Good Counsel
IvanhoeSt Laurence O'Toole
MathouraSt Brigid
MenindeeSt Patrick
MoamaSt Aloysius
MoulameinSt Mary
Narromine Roman Catholic Church 001
NarromineBlessed Sacrament and St Augustine
Nevertire Roman Catholic Church 001
NevertireSt Brigid
North Broken HillSs Peter and Paul
NymageeSt Mary
St Patrick's Roman Catholic church, Nyngan, 2017 (01)
Nyngan31°33′48″S 147°11′29″ESt Patrick
Parkes33°08′17″S 148°10′35″EHoly Family
Peak HillSt James
Tooleybuc35°1′43″S 143°20′23″ESt Mary
TottenhamSt Anthony
TrangieSt Carthage
TrundleSt Michael
TullamoreSt Mary
WakoolSt Joseph
Warren Roman Catholic Church 002
WarrenSt Mary
WentworthSt Francis Xavier
WilcanniaSt John
WombootaSt Paul

Boundaries

With 414,398 square kilometres (160,000 sq mi) in its territory, the Diocese of Wilcannia–Forbes is the largest diocese in New South Wales. More than half of the State is part of its territory. The Diocese comprises the territory in New South Wales west of a line from the Murray River 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of Tocumwal, to the Murrumbidgee River near Darlington Point, to the Lachlan River 32 kilometres (20 mi) down from Euabalong but excluding the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area; thence to the eastern boundary by the Lachlan River including the whole of the Forbes Shire. The eastern boundary is the Eurow-Nyrang Mountains, the Harvey Range, a line from the junction of the Brummagen Creek and the Macquarie River to a point on the Macquarie River 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north of Warren, thence north in a straight line crossing the Barwon River, 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of Walgett, to the Queensland border, including Carinda, Lightning Ridge and Goodooga. The boundaries were enlarged in 1917 to include six new parochial areas taken from Bathurst Diocese, including the parishes of Forbes and Parkes.[1]

Schools

See also

References
  1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166984642?searchTerm=diocese of wilcannia&searchLimits=l-decade=191
  2. "Retired bishop admits to 'inappropriate behaviour'" (transcript). Lateline. Australia. 28 April 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  3. "Bishop Manning new Administrator for Wilcannia-Forbes". News. Catholic Diocese of Parramatta. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  4. "Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes". The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church. 21 May 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
  5. "The Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes Parishes". Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes. 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
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