Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles
Diocese of Argyll and the Isles Dioecesis Ergadiensis et Insularum Sgìre-easbaig Earraghàidheal 's nan Eilean(Scottish Gaelic) | |
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Location | |
Country | Scotland |
Territory | Most ofArgyll and Bute,southern part ofHighland,andOuter Hebrides,plus theIsle of Arran |
Ecclesiastical province | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
Metropolitan | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
Statistics | |
Area | 31,080 km2(12,000 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2015) 74,546 10,660 (14.3%) |
Parishes | 25 |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Rite | Latin Rite |
Established | 4 March 1878 |
Cathedral | St Columba's Cathedral,Oban |
Secular priests | 29 |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Brian McGee |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Leo Cushley |
Episcopal Vicars |
|
Website | |
rcdai.org.uk |
TheDiocese of Argyll and the Isles(Latin:Diocesis Ergadiensis et Insularum) is aLatin Churchecclesiastical territory ordioceseof theCatholic ChurchinScotland,in theProvince of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh.[1]
Overview
[edit]The diocese covers an area of 31,080 km² and has a Catholic population of 10,546 (14.1%) out of a total population of 74,546 (2006 figures). Theseeis in the town ofObanwhere the seat is located atSt Columba's Cathedral.[1]
History
[edit]The diocese was erected on 5 March 1878 following therestoration of the Scottish Catholic hierarchy.On 28 December 2015Pope Francisappointed FatherBrian McGeeto succeed the Right ReverendJoseph Toalas eleventhBishop of Argyll and the Isles.[1]
Timeline
[edit]After its establishment in 1878, the seat of the diocese was in various buildings each overlapping the same site:[2]
- 5 March 1878: The Scottish Catholic hierarchy is restored and the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles is erected. There was no cathedral, and the bishop resided in, what became, the Cathedral House. It was bought from theSociety of Jesuswho previously used it as a summer retreat house.
- Early 1880s: A wooden building served as the pro-cathedral for the diocese. It was located on the site of the Cathedral Hall.
- 1886: Achurch made of corrugated ironbecame the pro-cathedral. It was known as the 'Tin Cathedral' and was given to the diocese by theMarquess of Bute.
- 1919:Bishop Donald Martindecided to build a permanent cathedral.
- 14 September 1932: The foundation stone ofSt Columba's Cathedralwas laid.
- 29 October 1933: The 'Tin Cathedral' was demolished to allow space for the cathedral to be finished. Worship continued in the Cathedral Hall.[3]
- 25 December 1934: The cathedral was opened.
Deaneries and parishes
[edit]The diocese is organised into three deaneries each with several parishes:[4]
- St Andrew's Deanery
Dean: Fr Michael Hutson
- Parishes
- St Columba's Cathedral,Oban
- The Visitation,Taynuilt
- St Andrew,Rothesay
- St Margaret,Lochgilphead
- St Mun,Dunoon
- St Kieran,Campbeltown
- Holy Cross,Brodick
- St Margaret's Deanery
Dean: Fr Roddy McAuley
- Parishes:
- St Mary,Arisaig
- St Margaret,Roybridge
- Our Lady of the Assumption,Portree
- Our Lady of the Angels,Mingarry
- St Mun,Ballachulish
- St Mary,Fort William
- St John's,Caol
- Our Lady of the Rosary and St Columba,Kingussie
- St Mary & St Finnan,Glenfinnan
- Our Lady of Perpetual Succour & St Cumin,Morar
- St Michael's Deanery
Dean: Fr Michael MacDonald
- Parishes:
- Our Holy Redeemer,Stornoway
- St Barr,Northbay
- St Michael,Eriskay
- St Peter,Daliburgh
- Our Lady, Star of the Sea,Castlebay
- St Mary,Bornish
- St Mary,Benbecula
- St Michael,Ardkenneth[5]
Education
[edit]There are Catholic primary schools inRothesay,Oban,DunoonandFort William.[6]
Bishops
[edit]Past and present ordinaries
[edit]The following is a list of the Bishops of Argyll and the Isles:[1]
- Angus MacDonald(appointed 22 March 1878 – translated to theArchdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburghon 15 July 1892)
- George John Smith(appointed 31 December 1892 – died 18 January 1918)
- Donald Martin(appointed 2 April 1919 – died 6 December 1938)
- Donald Alphonsus Campbell(appointed 5 October 1939 – translated to theArchdiocese of Glasgowon 6 January 1945)
- Kenneth Grant(appointed 15 December 1945 – died 7 September 1959)
- Stephen McGill,P.S.S. (appointed 4 April 1960 – translated to theDiocese of Paisley25 July 1968)
- Colin Aloysius MacPherson(appointed 2 December 1968 – died 24 March 1990)
- Roderick Wright(appointed 11 December 1990 – resigned 19 September 1996)
- (Keith O'Brien,appointedapostolic administratorJune 1996 – resigned October 1999)
- Ian Murray(appointed 3 November 1999 – retired 16 October 2008)
- Joseph Anthony Toal(appointed 16 October 2008 - translated toDiocese of Motherwell23 June 2014)
- sede vacante(23 June 2014 - 28 December 2015)
- Brian McGee(appointed 28 December 2015)
Coadjutor Bishop
[edit]- Ewen (Hugh) Cameron(1917), did not take effect
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcd"Diocese of Argyll and The Isles".Catholic-Hierarchy.org.David M. Cheney.Retrieved6 October2010.
- ^History of St Columba’s Cathedral, ObanfromBarraCatholic.co.ukretrieved 16 April 2014
- ^Oban: The end of the Pro-CathedralfromThe Tabletretrieved 16 April 2014
- ^"Deaneries".Retrieved3 January2019.
- ^"Hebridean Parishes of Ardkenneth and Bornish".Retrieved3 January2019.
- ^"Catholic schools".Retrieved3 January2019.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Diocesan statistics
- Hunter Blair, David Oswald (1907).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- GCatholic.org
- Catholic Hierarchy