Grand Falls (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Robert Anthony Daniels, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 30 October 1964
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Province: Newfoundland
Country: Canada
Square Kilometers: 42,368 (16,364 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Atlantic (Atlantique)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: GF
Official Web Site: https://www.rcdioceseofgfnl.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 8 A Church St., P.O. Box 771, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2M4, Canada
Telephone: (709)489-4019
Fax: 489-8431

Historical Details

Diocese of Harbour Grace
- Latin Name: Portus Gratiae
- Erected: 29 February 1856
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
- Province: Newfoundland
- Country: Canada
Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls
- Latin Name: Portus Gratiae-Grandfallensis
- Name Changed: 22 February 1958
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
- Province: Newfoundland
- Country: Canada

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Dalton, O.F.M. Ref. † (29 Feb 1856 Appointed - 5 May 1869 Died)
Enrico Carfagnini, O.F.M. Ref. † (13 May 1870 Appointed - 27 Feb 1880 Appointed, Bishop of Gallipoli)
Ronald MacDonald † (24 May 1881 Appointed - 3 Sep 1906 Resigned)
John March † (28 Aug 1906 Appointed - 12 Jan 1940 Died)
John Michael O’Neill † (8 Jun 1940 Appointed - 23 Nov 1972 Resigned)
Alphonsus Liguori Penney † (23 Nov 1972 Appointed - 28 Mar 1979 Appointed, Archbishop of Saint John’s, Newfoundland)
Joseph Faber MacDonald † (11 Jan 1980 Appointed - 23 Oct 1998 Appointed, Bishop of Saint John, New Brunswick)
Martin William Currie (12 Dec 2000 Appointed - 1 Mar 2011 Resigned)
Robert Anthony Daniels (1 Mar 2011 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Harbour Grace
29 February 1856	Erected	Diocese of Newfoundland	Diocese of Harbour Grace (erected)
8 February 1904	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Harbour Grace (from Immediately Subject)
13 July 1945	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Baie d’Hudson {Hudson Bay} Vicariate Apostolic of Golfe St-Laurent Diocese of Harbour Grace	Vicariate Apostolic of Labrador (erected)
16 February 1953	Territory Added		Diocese of Harbour Grace (Boundaries adjusted) Diocese of Saint George’s (Boundaries adjusted) Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland (Boundaries adjusted)
Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls
22 February 1958	Name Changed	Diocese of Harbour Grace	Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls
Diocese of Grand Falls
30 October 1964	Name Changed	Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls	Diocese of Grand Falls

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 Harbour Grace

1950 25,000 145,000 17.2% 28 3 31 806 4 75 26 ap1951

Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls

Diocese of Grand Falls

1966 33,375 200,000 16.7% 32 4 36 927 4 125 27 ap1967

1970 34,000 189,000 18.0% 34 2 36 944 18 43 ap1971

1976 35,000 200,000 17.5% 36 36 972 14 70 28 ap1977

1980 35,300 201,600 17.5% 31 31 1,138 14 72 29 ap1981

1990 31,638 226,000 14.0% 27 27 1,171 3 59 28 ap1991

1999 30,749 92,464 33.3% 27 27 1,138 28 30 ap2000

2000 29,431 138,898 21.2% 27 27 1,090 31 30 ap2001

2001 29,269 123,979 23.6% 28 28 1,045 34 30 ap2002

2002 29,069 174,488 16.7% 28 1 29 1,002 1 35 30 ap2003

2003 29,030 171,742 16.9% 29 29 1,001 32 29 ap2004

2004 36,774 181,978 20.2% 29 29 1,268 27 30 ap2005

2006 37,200 184,200 20.2% 28 28 1,328 21 30 ap2007

2013 40,400 195,200 20.7% 27 27 1,496 1 18 30 ap2014

2016 41,700 201,700 20.7% 30 2 32 1,303 1 2 14 30 ap2017

2019 43,240 209,175 20.7% 24 6 30 1,441 6 7 31 ap2020

2021 44,460 215,000 20.7% 22 22 2,020 7 22 ap2022

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 Harbour Grace
1950	25,000	145,000	17.2%	28	3	31	806		4	75	26	ap1951
Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls
Diocese of Grand Falls
1966	33,375	200,000	16.7%	32	4	36	927		4	125	27	ap1967
1970	34,000	189,000	18.0%	34	2	36	944		18		43	ap1971
1976	35,000	200,000	17.5%	36		36	972		14	70	28	ap1977
1980	35,300	201,600	17.5%	31		31	1,138		14	72	29	ap1981
1990	31,638	226,000	14.0%	27		27	1,171		3	59	28	ap1991
1999	30,749	92,464	33.3%	27		27	1,138			28	30	ap2000
2000	29,431	138,898	21.2%	27		27	1,090			31	30	ap2001
2001	29,269	123,979	23.6%	28		28	1,045			34	30	ap2002
2002	29,069	174,488	16.7%	28	1	29	1,002		1	35	30	ap2003
2003	29,030	171,742	16.9%	29		29	1,001			32	29	ap2004
2004	36,774	181,978	20.2%	29		29	1,268			27	30	ap2005
2006	37,200	184,200	20.2%	28		28	1,328			21	30	ap2007
2013	40,400	195,200	20.7%	27		27	1,496	1		18	30	ap2014
2016	41,700	201,700	20.7%	30	2	32	1,303	1	2	14	30	ap2017
2019	43,240	209,175	20.7%	24	6	30	1,441		6	7	31	ap2020
2021	44,460	215,000	20.7%	22		22	2,020			7	22	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Enrico Carfagnini, O.F.M. Ref. † (Bishop: 13 May 1870 to 27 Feb 1880)
John Dalton, O.F.M. Ref. † (Bishop: 29 Feb 1856 to 5 May 1869)
Joseph Faber MacDonald † (Bishop: 11 Jan 1980 to 23 Oct 1998)
Ronald MacDonald † (Bishop: 24 May 1881 to 3 Sep 1906)
John March † (Bishop: 28 Aug 1906 to 12 Jan 1940)
John Michael O’Neill † (Priest: 24 Apr 1927; Bishop: 8 Jun 1940 to 23 Nov 1972)
Alphonsus Liguori Penney † (Bishop: 23 Nov 1972 to 28 Mar 1979)

Source(s)

Diocese of Harbour Grace
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 465
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 179
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 45, Page 510, and Page 511
Diocese of Harbour Grace-Grand Falls
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 50, Page 484
Diocese of Grand Falls
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 56, Page 1,031, and Page 1,032

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Diocese of Grand Falls

Dioecesis Grandicataractensis