Archdiocese of Perth

{{Short description|Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Australia}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2015}} {{Infobox diocese | jurisdiction = Metropolitan Archdiocese | name = Perth | latin = Archidioecesis Metropolitae Perthensis | local =  | border = Catholic | image = St Mary's Cathedral, Perth - 2009 (2).jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Perth | coat = Perth catholic COA.png | coat_size = 150px | coat_alt = | coat_caption = Coat of Arms of the Archdiocese of Perth  | country = {{flag|Australia}} | territory = Greater Perth, Goldfields-Esperance, Peel, Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands | province = Perth | coordinates =   | area_km2 = 471,118 | area_footnotes = <ref name="ch.dpert"/> | population = {{profit}} 2,114,911<ref name="ch.dpert"/> | population_as_of = 2023 | catholics = {{profit}} 527,450<ref name="ch.dpert"/> | catholics_percent = {{profit}} 23 | parishes = {{profit}} 109<ref name="ch.dpert"/> | churches =  | congregations =  | schools =  | members =   | denomination = Catholic Church | sui_iuris_church = Latin Church | rite = Roman Rite | established = {{Ubil | {{start date and age|6 May 1845}} (diocese) | {{start date and age|28 August 1913}} (archdiocese) }} | cathedral = Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (St Mary's), Perth | cocathedral = | patron = | priests = 163 (2023), plus 72 religious priests<ref name="ch.dpert"/>  | pope = {{incumbent pope}} | bishop = | bishop_title = | metro_archbishop = Timothy Costelloe | coadjutor = | auxiliary_bishops = {{ubl | Donald Sproxton | Nelson Po }} | vicar_general = | emeritus_bishops = Barry Hickey  | map = Erzbistum Perth.svg | map_alt = | map_caption =  | website = {{Official URL}} | footnotes = }} The '''Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth''' is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Australia covering the Greater Perth, Goldfields-Esperance, Peel and Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia.

St Mary's Cathedral located in Perth, Western Australia, is the seat of the Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Perth, currently Timothy Costelloe, appointed in February 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/pope-appoints-new-head-of-catholic-church-in-wa/story-e6frg13u-1226276378075 |title=Pope appoints new head of Catholic Church in WA|author=Cardy, Todd |work=PerthNow |date=20 February 2012 |access-date=19 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-20/costelloe-appointed-perth-archbishop/3841162?section=wa |title=Timothy Costelloe selected as Perth's Archbishop |date=21 February 2012 |work=ABC News |location=Australia |access-date=21 February 2012 }}</ref><ref name="TWA-2011-04-08">{{cite news |author1=Rickard, Jayne |author2=Simpson, Gavin |date=8 April 2011 |title=Time's up for Perth Archbishop |url=https://thewest.com.au/news/australia/times-up-for-perth-archbishop-ng-ya-173898 |access-date=25 November 2025 |work=The West Australian}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.therecord.com.au/site/index.php/Nation/brisbanes-prelate-is-free-to-go |work=The Record |title=Brisbane's prelate is free to go! No word on Perth |author=Rosengren, Peter |date=16 November 2011 |access-date=21 December 2011 |location=Australia }}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Archdiocese of Perth |date=17 February 2012 |url=http://www.catholic.org.au/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=1237&Itemid=355 |format=downloadable PDF |access-date=21 February 2012 |publisher=Apostolic Nunciature in Australia }}</ref>

== History == On 6 May 1845 the Diocese of Perth was erected in an area covered and administered previously by the Archdiocese of Sydney.

It lost territory repeatedly, to establish on 12 March 1867 the Benedictine Territorial Abbacy of New Norcia, on 10 May 1887 the Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley in Western Australia and on 30 January 1898 the Diocese of Geraldton.

It was elevated as Metropolitan archdiocese on 29 August 1913.

On 12 November 1954 it lost territory to establish the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bunbury.

In 1982 it regained former territory from the suppressed Territorial Abbacy of New Norcia.

== Cathedral == [[File:St Mary's Cathedral, Perth - 2009 (2).jpg|thumb|right|Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (St Mary's), Perth]] {{main|St Mary's Cathedral, Perth}} The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commonly called St Mary's Cathedral, is the seat of the archbishop and is located in East Perth.

During restoration work in the cathedral between 2003 and 2006, the brick and plaster crypt containing the coffins of bishops Matthew Gibney and Martin Griver was discovered by archaeologists under the floorboards of an aisle in the cathedral.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://cathnews.acu.edu.au/610/78.php |title=Ned Kelly's bishop's tomb found under Cathedral pews |work=Catholic News |date=16 October 2006 |access-date=22 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | author = Laurie, Tiffany | date = 14 October 2006 | title = Cathedral reveals the secret of its lost bishops | work = The West Australian | page = 3 }}</ref>

In 2011, the remains of Perth's first bishop, John Brady, were exhumed from his grave in France and he was laid to rest in the crypt.<ref name=exhume>{{cite news |url=https://therecord.com.au/news/local/brady-to-join-bishops-in-crypt/|title=Brady to join Bishops in crypt |work=The Record |author=Spinks, Bridget |date=13 July 2011 |access-date=1 January 2012 }}</ref>

== Province == The Ecclesiastical Province of Perth includes for the suffragan dioceses of Broome and Perth's two daughter-bishoprics, Bunbury and Geraldton.

==Bishops== === Episcopal incumbents === {{see also|Diocesan bishop|Bishop (Catholic Church)|Catholic Church hierarchy}} The following individuals have been elected as archbishop of Perth, or any of its precursor titles:<ref name="ch.dpert">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Archdiocese of Perth |encyclopedia=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dpert.html |date=20 March 2026 |accessdate=26 March 2026 |publisher=David M. Cheney}}</ref> ;''Diocesan suffragan bishops'' :{| class="wikitable" !Order !Name !Title !Date installed !Ministry ended !Term of office !Reason for term end |- |align="center"|{{nts|1}} ||John Brady † ||Bishop of Perth ||align="center" |9 May 1845 ||align="center" |3 December 1871<sup>^</sup> ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1845|05|09|1871|12|03}} ||Died in office |- |rowspan=2 align="center"|{{nts|2}} ||rowspan=2 |Martin Griver † ||Apostolic Administrator of Perth ||align="center" |1 October 1869 ||align="center" |22 July 1873 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1869|10|1|1873|7|22}} ||Succeeded as Bishop of Perth |- |Bishop of Perth ||align="center" |22 July 1873 ||align="center" |1 November 1886 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1873|07|22|1886|11|01}} ||Died in office |- |rowspan=2 align="center"|{{nts|3}} ||rowspan=2 |Matthew Gibney † ||Coadjutor Bishop of Perth ||align="center" |28 September 1886 ||align="center" |1 November 1886 ||align="right"|{{age in days|1886|09|28|1886|11|01}} days ||Succeeded as Bishop of Perth |- |Bishop of Perth ||align="center" |1 November 1886 ||align="center" |14 May 1910 ||align="right"|{{age in years and days|1886|11|01|1910|05|14}} ||Resigned and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Perth |- |rowspan=2 align="center"|{{nts|4}} ||rowspan=2 |Patrick Clune, CSsR † ||Bishop of Perth ||align="center" |21 December 1910 ||align="center" |28 August 1913 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1910|12|21|1913|08|28}} ||Elevated as Archbishop of Perth |- |} *<sup>^</sup> = Bishop John Brady was suspended from his functions ''motu proprio'' in October 1851 by Pope Pius IX and José Benito Serra appointed as coadjutor bishop of Perth, reporting to the Archbishop of Sydney. Brady retained the title Bishop of Perth, although living in exile from his Diocese, until his death. Serra served as Coadjutor Bishop and Temporal Administrator of Perth from 1849 to 1851, Apostolic Administrator from 1851 to 1862. Rosendo Salvado was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Perth for three years from 1853{{efn |Some{{who? |date=March 2025}} sources say 'from 1849'.{{cn |date=March 2025}}}} while Serra was absent in Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newnorcia.wa.edu.au/protecting-a-unique-heritage/the-story-of-new-norcia/the-salvado-era.html |title=The Salvado Era: 1846 – 1900 |work=The Story of New Norcia |publisher=New Norcia Benedictine Community |year=2011 |access-date=27 January 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=William, Dom |title=Salvado, Rosendo (1814–1900) |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/salvado-rosendo-2627/text3635 |access-date=27 January 2012}}</ref>

;''Metropolitan Archbishops'' :{| class="wikitable" !Order !Name !Title !Date installed !Ministry ended !Term of office !Reason for term end |- |align="center"|{{nts|4}} |||Patrick Clune, CSsR †||Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |28 August 1913 ||align="center" |24 May 1935 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1913|08|28|1935|05|24}} ||Died in office |- |rowspan=2 align="center"|{{nts|5}} ||rowspan=2 |Redmond Prendiville † ||Coadjutor Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |11 July 1933 ||align="center" |24 May 1935 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1933|07|11|1935|05|24}} ||Elevated as Archbishop of Perth |- |Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |24 May 1935 ||align="center" |28 June 1968 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1935|05|24|1968|06|28}} ||Died in office |- |align="center"|{{nts|6}} ||Launcelot Goody † ||Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |18 October 1968 ||align="center" |26 October 1983 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1968|10|18|1983|10|26}} ||Retired and appointed Archbishop Emeritus of Perth |- |align="center"|{{nts|7}} ||William Foley † ||Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |26 October 1983 ||align="center" |10 February 1991 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1983|10|26|1991|10|02}} ||Died in office |- |align="center"|{{nts|8}} |||Barry Hickey ||Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |23 July 1991 ||align="center" |20 February 2012 ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|1991|07|23|2012|02|20}} ||Retired and appointed Archbishop Emeritus of Perth |- |align="center"|{{nts|9}} |||Timothy Costelloe, {{small|SDB}} ||Archbishop of Perth ||align="center" |20 February 2012 ||align="center" |present ||align="right"|{{Age in years and months|2012|02|20}} ||''incumbent'' |- |}

=== Coadjutor and auxiliary bishops === {{see also|Auxiliary bishop}} ;Current

* Donald George Sproxton – Appointed auxiliary bishop 12 December 2001,<ref name="ch.bsproxton">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Bishop Donald George Sproxton |publisher=David M. Cheney |encyclopedia=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsproxton.html |accessdate=26 March 2026 |date=25 February 2024}}</ref> Titular Bishop of Timici * Nelson Po – Appointed auxiliary bishop 2 February 2026, Titular Bishop of Agunto<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Jamie |date=2026-02-05 |title=A shepherd who listens: Perth welcomes Bishop-elect Nelson Po |url=https://therecord.com.au/news/news/a-shepherd-who-listens-perth-welcomes-bishop-elect-nelson-po/ |access-date=2026-02-25 |website=The Record |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name="po">{{cite web |title=Resignations and Appointments, 02.02.2026 |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2026/02/02/260202b.html |website=Holy See Press Office |access-date=27 February 2026}}</ref>

;Former * Coadjutor Bishop Joseph Serra y Juliá, O.S.B. † (7 August 1849 – 7 January 1862) * Coadjutor Bishop Matthew Gibney † (28 September 1886 – 1 November 1886), Titular Bishop of Hippus (1886.09.28 – 1 November 1886) * Coadjutor Archbishop Redmond Prendiville † (11 July 1933 – 24 May 1935 ''see above''), Titular Archbishop of Cypsela (11 July 1933 – 24 May 1935) * Auxiliary Bishop Launcelot John Goody (later Archbishop) † (2 August 1951 – 12 November 1954 ''see above''), Titular Bishop of Abydus (2 August 1951 – 12 November 1954), later Bishop of Bunbury (Australia) (12 November 1954 – 18 October 1968) * Auxiliary Bishop John Joseph Rafferty † (12 June 1955 – 6 January 1962) * Auxiliary Bishop Myles McKeon † (23 May 1962 – 6 March 1969) * Auxiliary Bishop Peter Quinn † (26 June 1969 – 26 May 1982) * Auxiliary Bishop Robert Healy † (2 October 1975 – 25 October 2000)

===Other priests of the diocese who became bishops=== *John O’Reilly †, appointed Bishop of Port Augusta in 1887 *William Bernard Kelly †, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia in 1894; appointed Bishop of Geraldton in 1898: consecrated bishop in 1898 *Justin Joseph Bianchini, appointed Bishop of Geraldton in 1992 *Gerard Joseph Holohan, appointed Bishop of Bunbury in 2001 *Max Leroy Davis, appointed Bishop of Australia, Military in 2003 *† = deceased

== Parishes == The archdiocese is divided into three separate deaneries that administer individual parishes covering inner metropolitan Perth, outer metropolitan Perth, and country parishes and church centres (with churches dedicated the saints as indicated).

===Inner metropolitan Perth=== [[File:St Patrick's Basilica, Fremantle.jpg|thumb|right|St Patrick's Basilica, Fremantle]] The inner metropolitan deanery covers the cathedral parish of Perth (St Mary); and parishes located in Applecross (St Benedict's), Attadale (St Joseph Pignatelli), Balcatta (St Lawrence and Mary Immaculate), Ballajura (St Mary Mackillop), Bassendean (St Joseph), Bateman (St Thomas More), Bayswater (St Columba), Beaconsfield (Christ the King), Bentley (Santa Clara), Canning Vale (St Emilie de Vialar), Carlisle (Holy Name), City Beach (Holy Spirit), Claremont (St Thomas the Apostle), Cloverdale, (Notre Dame), Como (Holy Family), Cottesloe/Mosman Park (St Mary Star of the Sea), Dianella (Our Lady's Assumption), Doubleview (Our Lady of the Rosary), East Fremantle (Immaculate Conception), East Victoria Park (Our Lady Help of Christians), Embleton (Holy Trinity), Floreat (St Cecilia), Fremantle (St Patrick's Basilica), Girrawheen (Our Lady of Mercy), Glendalough (St Bernadette), Hamilton Hill (Holy Cross), Highgate (Sacred Heart), Hilton (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), Joondanna (St Denis), Innaloo/Karrinyup (St Dominic), Leederville (St Mary), Lynwood (St Jude), Lockridge (Good Shepherd), Manning (St Pius X), Maylands (Queen of Martyrs), Morley (Infant Jesus), Mirrabooka (St Gerald Majella), Mt Lawley (St Paul), Myaree (Pater Noster), Nedlands (Holy Rosary), Nollamara (Our Lady of Lourdes), North Beach (Our Lady of Grace), Northbridge (St Brigid), Osborne Park (St Kieran), Palmyra (Our Lady of Fatima), Queens Park (St Joseph), Riverton (Our Lady Queen of Apostles), Rivervale (St Augustine), Scarborough (Immaculate Heart of Mary), Shenton Park (St Aloysius), South Perth (St Columba), Subiaco (St Joseph), Victoria Park (St Joachim), Willetton (Saints John and Paul), and Wilson (Our Lady of Perpetual Help).

===Outer metropolitan Perth=== The outer metropolitan deanery covers parishes located in Armadale (St Francis Xavier), Baldivis (St Teresa of Calcutta), Clarkson (St Andrew), Ellenbrook (St Helena of the Holy Cross), Gosnells (Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament), Greenmount (St Anthony), Greenwood (All Saints), Guildford (St Mary), Kalamunda (Holy Family), Kelmscott (Good Shepherd), Kwinana (St Vincent), Lesmurdie (Our Lady of Lourdes), Maddington (Holy Family), Maida Vale (St Francis of Assisi), Midland (St Brigid), Mundaring (Sacred Heart), Ocean Reef (St Simon Peter), Pickering Brook (Our Lady of Grace), Port Kennedy (St Bernadette), Rockingham (Our Lady of Lourdes), Spearwood (St Jerome), Thornlie (Sacred Heart), Wanneroo (St Anthony of Padua), Whitford (Our Lady of the Mission), Woodvale (St Luke), Yanchep (Guilderton Community Hall), and Yangebup (Mater Christi).

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== {{Refbegin}} *{{cite news |author=Busher, Mary |title=History of the Diocese of Perth established 160 years ago |work=Record |location=Perth, Western Australia |date=10 January 2005 |page=12 }} *{{cite book |title=Our cathedral : a history of St Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia |author=Winship, John A |location=Perth, Western Australia |publisher=Archdiocese of Perth |year=2010 |pages=240 |isbn=978-1-453-75519-8 |type=paperback }} {{Refend}}

==External links== * {{Official website}} * [https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/pert0.htm Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth profile] on GCatholic.org * [https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dpert.html Archdiocese of Perth profile] on Catholic-Hierarchy.org

{{Catholic Dioceses in Australia}} {{Subject bar |auto=y |portal1=Western Australia |portal2=Catholic Church}} {{authority control}} {{coord|31|57|19.58|S|115|51|55.29|E|source:plwiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Archdiocese of Perth}} . Perth, Archdiocese of Category:Religion in Perth, Western Australia Category:1845 establishments in Australia Category:Religious organizations established in 1845 Perth