Diocese of Grand Falls

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Bishop(s) Martin William Currie, 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: http://www.rcdiocesegrandfalls.ca/ Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 8 A Church St., P.O. Box 397, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL A2A 2J8, Canada Telephone: (709)489-4019 Fax: 489-6393

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

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• John Dalton † (29 Feb 1856 Appointed - 5 May 1869 Died)
• Enrico Carfagnini, O.F.M. † (13 May 1870 Appointed - 27 Feb 1880 Appointed, Bishop of Gallipoli)
• Ronald MacDonald † (24 May 1881 Appointed - 3 Sep 1906 Resigned)
• John March † (4 Sep 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 - 5 Apr 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 - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Harbour Grace
29 February 1856	Erected	Diocese of Newfoundland	Diocese of Harbour Grace (erected)
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)
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

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Statistics

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

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Martin William Currie (Bishop: 12 Dec 2000 - )
• Brian Joseph Dunn (Priest: 28 Aug 1980 to 16 Jul 2008)
• Joseph Faber MacDonald (Bishop: 11 Jan 1980 to 23 Oct 1998)
• Alphonsus Liguori Penney (Bishop: 23 Nov 1972 to 5 Apr 1979)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Enrico Carfagnini, O.F.M. † (Bishop: 13 May 1870 to 27 Feb 1880)
• John Dalton † (Bishop: 29 Feb 1856 to 5 May 1869)
• Ronald MacDonald † (Bishop: 24 May 1881 to 3 Sep 1906)
• John March † (Bishop: 4 Sep 1906 to 12 Jan 1940)
• John Michael O'Neill † (Priest: 24 Apr 1927; Bishop: 8 Jun 1940 to 23 Nov 1972)