Bathurst in Canada (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Michel Proulx, O. Praem., Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 13 March 1938
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Moncton
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Province: New Brunswick
Country: Canada
Square Kilometers: 18,770 (7,249 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Atlantic (Atlantique)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: B
Official Web Site: https://diocesebathurst.com
Mailing Address: Eveche, C.P. 460, 645 avenue Murray, Bathurst, NB E2A 3Z4, Canada
Telephone: (506)546-1420
Fax: 546-1423

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Rogers † (8 May 1860 Appointed - 7 Aug 1902 Resigned)
Thomas Francis Barry † (7 Aug 1902 Succeeded - 19 Jan 1920 Died)
Patrice-Alexandre Chiasson, C.I.M. † (9 Sep 1920 Appointed - 31 Jan 1942 Died)
Camille-André Le Blanc † (25 Jul 1942 Appointed - 8 Jan 1969 Resigned)
Edgar Godin † (9 Jun 1969 Appointed - 6 Apr 1985 Died)
Arsène Richard † (15 Nov 1985 Appointed - 6 Jan 1989 Died)
André Richard, C.S.C. (20 May 1989 Appointed - 16 Mar 2002 Appointed, Archbishop of Moncton, New Brunswick)
Valéry Vienneau (3 Jul 2002 Appointed - 15 Jun 2012 Appointed, Archbishop of Moncton, New Brunswick)
Daniel Jodoin (22 Jan 2013 Appointed - 18 Oct 2022 Appointed, Bishop of Nicolet, Québec)
Michel Proulx, O. Praem. (28 Oct 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Chatham
8 May 1860	Erected	Diocese of Saint John in New Brunswick	Diocese of Chatham (erected)
22 February 1936	Territory Lost	Diocese of Chatham (County of Kent) Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick (Counties of Westmorland, Albert, Kent, and some French parishes in the County of Northumberland)	Archdiocese of Moncton (erected)
22 February 1936	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Chatham (from Halifax to Moncton)
Diocese of Bathurst in Canada
13 March 1938	Name Changed	Diocese of Chatham	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada
13 May 1939	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada (Rogersville and Harwicke)	Archdiocese of Moncton
16 December 1944	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada (Madawaska, Victoria, and Restigouche Sud)	Diocese of Edmundston (erected)
9 February 1959	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada (Miramichi (Indian Mission of Burnt Church))	Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick
24 January 1962	Territory Added	Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick (Parish of Beaver Brook)	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada
11 November 2008	Territory Lost	Diocese of Bathurst in Canada (Ascension (in Beaverbrook))	Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Bathurst in Canada

1950 86,055 113,788 75.6% 103 32 135 637 28 424 84 ap1951

1959 103,562 134,000 77.3% 126 35 161 643 49 556 68 ap1960

1966 93,535 112,000 83.5% 105 34 139 672 101 520 55 ap1967

1970 96,436 115,936 83.2% 94 32 126 765 32 443 55 ap1971

1976 104,907 119,092 88.1% 85 11 96 1,092 35 430 55 ap1977

1980 111,700 122,400 91.3% 84 27 111 1,006 45 336 57 ap1981

1990 114,782 124,782 92.0% 70 17 87 1,319 27 299 62 ap1991

1999 112,130 122,130 91.8% 54 11 65 1,725 17 242 62 ap2000

2000 110,888 120,888 91.7% 52 9 61 1,817 1 14 236 62 ap2001

2001 110,563 120,563 91.7% 51 9 60 1,842 1 14 218 62 ap2002

2002 109,345 119,345 91.6% 49 6 55 1,988 1 10 212 62 ap2003

2003 110,474 120,474 91.7% 48 7 55 2,008 1 12 206 62 ap2004

2004 109,634 119,634 91.6% 48 7 55 1,993 1 13 196 62 ap2005

2006 108,156 118,156 91.5% 45 7 52 2,079 13 187 62 ap2007

2012 104,900 115,300 91.0% 40 5 45 2,331 5 147 57 ap2013

2015 93,994 103,994 90.4% 32 3 35 2,685 3 135 56 ap2016

2018 94,406 102,406 92.2% 33 5 38 2,484 5 123 56 ap2019

2020 97,000 105,000 92.4% 30 6 36 2,694 1 6 118 56 ap2021

2022 89,062 99,751 89.3% 24 3 27 3,298 1 3 110 56 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Bathurst in Canada
1950	86,055	113,788	75.6%	103	32	135	637		28	424	84	ap1951
1959	103,562	134,000	77.3%	126	35	161	643		49	556	68	ap1960
1966	93,535	112,000	83.5%	105	34	139	672		101	520	55	ap1967
1970	96,436	115,936	83.2%	94	32	126	765		32	443	55	ap1971
1976	104,907	119,092	88.1%	85	11	96	1,092		35	430	55	ap1977
1980	111,700	122,400	91.3%	84	27	111	1,006		45	336	57	ap1981
1990	114,782	124,782	92.0%	70	17	87	1,319		27	299	62	ap1991
1999	112,130	122,130	91.8%	54	11	65	1,725		17	242	62	ap2000
2000	110,888	120,888	91.7%	52	9	61	1,817	1	14	236	62	ap2001
2001	110,563	120,563	91.7%	51	9	60	1,842	1	14	218	62	ap2002
2002	109,345	119,345	91.6%	49	6	55	1,988	1	10	212	62	ap2003
2003	110,474	120,474	91.7%	48	7	55	2,008	1	12	206	62	ap2004
2004	109,634	119,634	91.6%	48	7	55	1,993	1	13	196	62	ap2005
2006	108,156	118,156	91.5%	45	7	52	2,079		13	187	62	ap2007
2012	104,900	115,300	91.0%	40	5	45	2,331		5	147	57	ap2013
2015	93,994	103,994	90.4%	32	3	35	2,685		3	135	56	ap2016
2018	94,406	102,406	92.2%	33	5	38	2,484		5	123	56	ap2019
2020	97,000	105,000	92.4%	30	6	36	2,694	1	6	118	56	ap2021
2022	89,062	99,751	89.3%	24	3	27	3,298	1	3	110	56	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Thomas Francis Barry † (Priest: 5 Aug 1866; Coadjutor Bishop: 30 Sep 1899; Bishop: 7 Aug 1902 to 19 Jan 1920)
Donat Chiasson † (Priest: 6 May 1956 to 23 Mar 1972)
Patrice-Alexandre Chiasson, C.I.M. † (Bishop: 9 Sep 1920 to 31 Jan 1942)
Gérard Dionne †
James Leonard Doyle †
Edgar Godin † (Priest: 15 Jun 1941; Bishop: 9 Jun 1969 to 6 Apr 1985)
James Michael Hill † (Priest: 24 Jun 1923 to 22 Jun 1946)
Camille-André Le Blanc † (Bishop: 25 Jul 1942 to 8 Jan 1969)
Louis-Joseph-Arthur Melanson † (Priest: 9 Jul 1905 to 25 Nov 1932)
Henry Joseph O’Leary † (Priest: 21 Sep 1901 to 29 Jan 1913)
Louis James O’Leary † (Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Jan 1914 to 10 Sep 1920)
Arsène Richard † (Bishop: 15 Nov 1985 to 6 Jan 1989)
Norbert Robichaud † (Priest: 1 May 1931 to 22 Feb 1936)
James Rogers † (Bishop: 8 May 1860 to 7 Aug 1902)
Joseph Edward Troy † (Priest: 28 May 1959 to 1 Mar 1984)

Source(s)

Diocese of Chatham
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 178
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 28, Page 288, and Page 289
Diocese of Bathurst in Canada
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 30, Page 227, and Page 228
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 54, Page 185, and Page 186

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Diocese of Bathurst in Canada

Dioecesis Bathurstensis in Canada

Bishop(s)

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)