{{Short description|Catholic ecclesiastical territory}} {{For|the Anglican Church in North West Australia|Anglican Diocese of North West Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox diocese | jurisdiction = Diocese<!-- Type of jurisdiction: i.e. Diocese or Archdiocese --> | name = Geraldton | latin = Dioecesis di Geraldton | local = <!-- Name in the native language --> | image = St Francis Xavier Cathedral.jpg | image_size = frameless | image_alt = | caption = St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Geraldton <!---- Locations ----> | country = {{flag|Australia}} | metropolitan = Perth | territory = Mid West, Western Australia | province = Province of Perth | coordinates = {{coord|28|46|38|S|114|36|50|E|source:kolossus-plwiki|display=inline}}<!-- Use {{coord}} --> <!---- Statistics ----> | area_km2 = 1,318,310<!-- Area in square kilometers, automatically converted --> | population = {{loss}} 114,662 | population_as_of = 2006 | catholics = {{profit}} 27,135<!-- Number of Catholics in the diocese --> | catholics_percent = {{profit}} 23.7 | parishes = {{steady}} 12<!-- Number of parishes in the diocese --> | churches = <!-- Number of churches in the diocese --> | congregations = <!-- Number of congregations in the diocese --> | schools = <!-- Number of church supported schools in the diocese --> | members = <!-- Number of members in the diocese --> <!---- Information ----> | denomination = Catholic Church | sui_iuris_church = Latin Church | rite = Roman Rite | established = 30 January 1898 | cathedral = St Francis Xavier's Cathedral, Geraldton | cocathedral = | patron = | priests = <!-- Number of priests in the diocese --> <!---- Current leadership ----> | pope = {{incumbent pope}} | bishop = Michael Henry Morrissey | metro_archbishop = Timothy Costelloe | coadjutor = | auxiliary_bishops = | vicar_general = | emeritus_bishops = Justin Joseph Bianchini <!---- Map ----> | map = | map_alt = | map_caption = <!---- Website ----> | website = [http://www.geraldtondiocese.org.au/ Catholic Diocese of Geraldton] | footnotes = }} The '''Roman Catholic Diocese of Geraldton''' is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church covering the Mid West, Western Australia. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth.
Its cathedral episcopal see is St Francis Xavier Cathedral, in Geraldton.
== History == Established on 30 January 1898 as '''Diocese of Geraldton''' / Geraldtonen(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the then Diocese of Perth (now its Metropolitan).
== Statistics == {{As of|2014}}, it pastorally served 29,700 Catholics (23.1% of 128,800 total) on 131,831 km² in 16 parishes and 24 missions with 18 priests (12 diocesan, 6 religious), 35 lay religious (10 brothers, 25 sisters), 3 seminarians.
=== Parishes === The diocese has fifteen parishes with regular liturgical services held in the following locations, with churches dedicated to particular saints:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geraldtondiocese.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=19&Itemid=14 |title=Parishes of the Garaldton Diocese |work=Catholic Diocese of Geraldton |access-date=9 October 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005184712/http://geraldtondiocese.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=19&Itemid=14 |archive-date=5 October 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> *Geraldton (Cathedral of St Francis Xavier), Greenough (St Peter), and Rangeway (St John) *Bluff Point (St Lawrence) and Wonthella (St Patrick) *Carnarvon (St Mary Star of the Sea) and Exmouth (St John) *Dongara (Our Lady Star of the Sea) and Leeman (Mary Queen of Peace) *Karratha (St Paul), Dampier (St Peter), and Wickham (Our Lady of the Pilbara) *Leonora (Sacred Heart), Laverton (Christ the Redeemer), and Leinster *Morawa (Holy Cross) *Mt Magnet (St Brigid), Meekatharra (Christ the King), and Cue (St Patrick) *Mullewa (Our Lady of Mt Carmel) and Mingenew (St Joseph) *Newman (St Joseph) *Northampton (Our Lady in Ara Coeli), Kalbarri (Our Lady Help of Christians), and Nanson (Our Lady of Fatima) *Port Hedland (St Cecilia) *South Hedland (St John the Baptist) *Three Springs (St Paul), Perenjori (St Joseph), Coorow (Our Lady Queen of Peace), and Carnamah (St Andrew) *Tom Price (St Thomas) and Paraburdoo (St Theresa)
==Bishops== ===Episcopal ordinaries=== The following individuals have been elected as Bishops of Geraldton:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dgera.html |title=Diocese of Geraldton |work=The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church |date=20 February 2011 |access-date=9 October 2011 }}</ref> :{| class="wikitable" !Order !Name !Date enthroned !Reign ended !Term of office !Reason for term end |- |align="center"|{{nts|1}} ||William Bernard Kelly † ||align="center" |21 March 1898 ||align="center" |26 December 1921 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|df=yes|1898|03|21|1921|12|26}} ||Died in office |- |align="center"|{{nts|2}} ||Richard Ryan, Congregation of the Mission (C.M.) ||align="center" |30 January 1923, previously Apostolic Vicar of Kimberley in Western Australia (1894–1909) ||align="center" |10 March 1926 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|df=yes|1923|01|30|1926|03|10}} ||Appointed Bishop of Sale (Australia) (10 March 1926 – 16 June 1957) |- |align="center"|{{nts|3}} ||James Patrick O'Collins † ||align="center" |11 February 1930 ||align="center" |23 December 1941 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1930|02|11|1941|12|23}} ||Appointed Bishop of Ballarat (Australia) (23 December 1941 – 1 May 1975) |- |align="center"|{{nts|4}} ||Alfred Gummer † ||align="center" |24 February 1942 ||align="center" |5 April 1962 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1942|02|24|1962|04|05}} ||Died in office |- |align="center"|{{nts|5}} ||Francis Xavier Thomas † ||align="center" |18 June 1962 ||align="center" |31 July 1981 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1962|06|18|1981|07|31}} ||Retired as Bishop Emeritus of Geraldton |- |align="center"|{{nts|6}} ||William Foley † ||align="center" |13 July 1981 ||align="center" |26 October 1983 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1981|07|13|1983|10|26}} ||Elevated as Metropolitan Archbishop of Perth (26 October 1983 – 10 February 1991) |- |align="center"|{{nts|7}} ||Barry Hickey ||align="center" |22 March 1984 ||align="center" |23 July 1991 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1984|03|22|1991|07|23}} ||Elevated as Metropolitan Archbishop of Perth (23 July 1991 – 20 February 2020), also Vice-President of Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (5 May 2006 – 4 May 2012) |- |align="center"|{{nts|8}} ||Justin Joseph Bianchini ||align="center" |25 March 1992 ||align="center" |15 May 2017||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1992|03|25}} ||Retired as Bishop Emeritus of Geraldton |- |- |align="center"|{{nts|9}} ||Michael Morrissey||align="center" |15 May 2017 ||align="center" |incumbent ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|2017|05|15}} || |- |}
===Other priest of this diocese who became bishop=== *Bryan Gallagher †, appointed Bishop of Port Pirie in 1952
== Catholic Education == {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! Crest ! School ! Location ! Details |- | | [http://www.sfxpsgeraldton.wa.edu.au/ St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School] | Geraldton | Primary K–6 |- | | [http://www.stlps.wa.edu.au/ St Lawrence's School] | Bluff Point | Primary K–6 |- | | [http://www.stjohnsrway.wa.edu.au St John's School] | Rangeway | Primary K–7 |- | | [http://www.stpaulskarratha.wa.edu.au St Paul's School] | Karratha | Primary K–7 |- | | [http://www.olmcmullewa.wa.edu.au Our Lady of Mt Carmel] | Mullewa | Primary K–7 |- | | [http://www.smsn.wa.edu.au St Mary's School] | Northampton | Primary K–7 |- | | St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic School | Carnarvon | Combined Primary and Secondary, K–10 |- | | [http://www.stcecilia.wa.edu.au St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School] | Port Hedland | Primary K–7 |- | | [http://www.ncc.wa.edu.au Nagle Catholic College] | Geraldton | Secondary Day school, 7–12 |- | | [http://www.stlukes.karratha.com St Luke's College] | Karratha | Secondary Day school, 8–12 |- | | [http://www.cbas.wa.ed.au Christian Brothers Agricultural School] | Tardun | Secondary Day school, 8–10 |}
== See also == {{stack|{{portal|Catholicism|Western Australia}}}} * List of Catholic dioceses in Australia * Catholic Church in Australia
== References == {{Reflist}}
== Sources and external links == * [http://www.geraldtondiocese.org.au/ Catholic Diocese of Geraldton] * [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/gera0.htm GCatholic, with Google map & satellite photo – data for most sections] {{Catholic Dioceses in Australia}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geraldton, Roman Catholic Diocese}} Category:Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Perth Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in Australia Mid West 1898 establishments in Australia Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 19th century Religious organizations established in 1898 Category:Geraldton