Saint John’s, Newfoundland (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Peter Joseph Hundt, Archbishop
Martin William Currie, Archbishop Emeritus
James Hector MacDonald, C.S.C., Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 8 February 1904
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Province: Newfoundland
Country: Canada
Square Kilometers: 16,000 (6,180 Square Miles)
Conference Region: Atlantic (Atlantique)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SJNd
Official Web Site: http://www.rcsj.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 200 Military Road, St. John’s, NL A1C 2E8, Canada
Telephone: (709)726-9197
Fax: 726-3688

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland
- Erected: 30 May 1784
- Province: Newfoundland
- Country: Canada
Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland
- Elevated: 5 January 1796
- Vicariate
- Province: Newfoundland
- Country: Canada
Diocese of Newfoundland
- Elevated: 4 June 1847
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Québec
- Province: Newfoundland
- Country: Canada
Diocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
- Latin Name: Sancti Ioannis Terrae Novae
- Name Changed: 29 February 1856
- Province: Newfoundland
- Country: Canada

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Louis O’Donel, O.F.M. Obs. † (17 May 1784 Appointed - 5 Jan 1796 Appointed, Titular Bishop of Thyatira)
Patrick Lambert, O.F.M. Ref. † (1 Jan 1807 Succeeded - 23 Sep 1816 Resigned)
Thomas Scallan, O.F.M. Ref. † (23 Sep 1816 Succeeded - 7 Jun 1830 Died)
Michael Anthony Fleming, O.F.M. Ref. † (7 Jun 1830 Succeeded - 14 Jul 1850 Died)
John Thomas Mullock, O.F.M. Ref. † (14 Jul 1850 Succeeded - 29 Mar 1869 Died)
Thomas Joseph Power † (13 May 1870 Appointed - 4 Dec 1893 Died)
Michael Francis Howley † (5 Jan 1895 Appointed - 15 Oct 1914 Died)
Edward Patrick Roche † (26 Feb 1915 Appointed - 23 Sep 1950 Died)
Patrick James Skinner, C.I.M. † (23 Jan 1951 Appointed - 28 Mar 1979 Retired)
Alphonsus Liguori Penney † (28 Mar 1979 Appointed - 2 Feb 1991 Resigned)
James Hector MacDonald, C.S.C. (2 Feb 1991 Appointed - 4 Dec 2000 Retired)
Brendan Michael O’Brien (4 Dec 2000 Appointed - 1 Jun 2007 Appointed, Archbishop of Kingston, Ontario)
Martin William Currie (18 Oct 2007 Appointed - 12 Dec 2018 Retired)
Peter Joseph Hundt (12 Dec 2018 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland
30 May 1784	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of London District (formally) Diocese of Québec (de facto)	Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland
5 January 1796	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland	Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland
1 February 1820	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Québec (Anticosti Island and the Labrador coast)	Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland
Diocese of Newfoundland
4 June 1847	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland	Diocese of Newfoundland
3 December 1855	Territory Lost	Diocese of Newfoundland Vicariate Apostolic of Sweden	Prefecture Apostolic of Arctic Pole (erected)
29 February 1856	Territory Lost	Diocese of Newfoundland	Diocese of Harbour Grace (erected)
Diocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
29 February 1856	Name Changed	Diocese of Newfoundland	Diocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
9 May 1870	Territory Lost	Diocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland	Prefecture Apostolic of Western Newfoundland (St. George’s) (erected)
Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
8 February 1904	Elevated	Diocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland	Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
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)

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

Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland

1950 60,000 102,000 58.8% 55 55 1,090 58 259 37 ap1951

1966 80,405 147,343 54.6% 66 13 79 1,017 81 450 41 ap1967

1968 83,347 146,204 57.0% 62 13 75 1,111 75 423 39 ap1971

1976 90,197 171,744 52.5% 45 19 64 1,409 80 352 39 ap1977

1980 117,862 205,079 57.5% 57 18 75 1,571 84 330 40 ap1981

1990 123,434 209,198 59.0% 49 17 66 1,870 51 301 44 ap1991

1999 115,857 208,056 55.7% 41 15 56 2,068 29 254 42 ap2000

2000 116,653 210,736 55.4% 43 16 59 1,977 29 246 44 ap2001

2001 118,205 212,745 55.6% 42 15 57 2,073 21 250 44 ap2002

2002 117,520 216,570 54.3% 40 12 52 2,260 23 218 40 ap2003

2003 118,995 218,587 54.4% 38 13 51 2,333 23 213 40 ap2004

2004 111,000 213,000 52.1% 39 33 72 1,541 42 220 40 ap2005

2010 111,000 224,000 49.6% 42 12 54 2,055 2 20 169 36 ap2011

2014 116,100 234,300 49.6% 40 7 47 2,470 2 19 167 34 ap2015

2017 120,135 242,420 49.6% 37 11 48 2,502 2 19 139 34 ap2018

2020 106,000 225,180 47.1% 33 11 44 2,409 2 14 135 34 ap2021

2022 103,840 230,610 45.0% 29 9 38 2,732 13 128 34 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland
1950	60,000	102,000	58.8%	55		55	1,090		58	259	37	ap1951
1966	80,405	147,343	54.6%	66	13	79	1,017		81	450	41	ap1967
1968	83,347	146,204	57.0%	62	13	75	1,111		75	423	39	ap1971
1976	90,197	171,744	52.5%	45	19	64	1,409		80	352	39	ap1977
1980	117,862	205,079	57.5%	57	18	75	1,571		84	330	40	ap1981
1990	123,434	209,198	59.0%	49	17	66	1,870		51	301	44	ap1991
1999	115,857	208,056	55.7%	41	15	56	2,068		29	254	42	ap2000
2000	116,653	210,736	55.4%	43	16	59	1,977		29	246	44	ap2001
2001	118,205	212,745	55.6%	42	15	57	2,073		21	250	44	ap2002
2002	117,520	216,570	54.3%	40	12	52	2,260		23	218	40	ap2003
2003	118,995	218,587	54.4%	38	13	51	2,333		23	213	40	ap2004
2004	111,000	213,000	52.1%	39	33	72	1,541		42	220	40	ap2005
2010	111,000	224,000	49.6%	42	12	54	2,055	2	20	169	36	ap2011
2014	116,100	234,300	49.6%	40	7	47	2,470	2	19	167	34	ap2015
2017	120,135	242,420	49.6%	37	11	48	2,502	2	19	139	34	ap2018
2020	106,000	225,180	47.1%	33	11	44	2,409	2	14	135	34	ap2021
2022	103,840	230,610	45.0%	29	9	38	2,732		13	128	34	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Thomas Francis Brennan † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Feb 1893 to 7 Oct 1905)
William Aquin Carew † (Priest: 15 Jun 1947 to 27 Nov 1969)
Michael Anthony Fleming, O.F.M. Ref. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 10 Jul 1829; Vicar Apostolic: 7 Jun 1830; Bishop: 4 Jun 1847 to 14 Jul 1850)
Thomas John Flynn † (Priest: 22 Jun 1919; Coadjutor Archbishop: 7 Apr 1945 to 7 Sep 1949)
Michael Francis Howley † (Priest: 6 Jun 1868 to 4 Dec 1885; Bishop: 5 Jan 1895; Archbishop: 8 Feb 1904 to 15 Oct 1914)
Raymond John Lahey † (Priest: 13 Jun 1963 to 5 Jul 1986)
Patrick Lambert, O.F.M. Ref. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 30 Jul 1805; Vicar Apostolic: 1 Jan 1807 to 23 Sep 1816)
Alfred Bertram Leverman †
William Cecil McGrath (MacGrath), S.F.M. †
John Thomas Mullock, O.F.M. Ref. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 14 Dec 1847; Bishop: 14 Jul 1850 to 29 Mar 1869)
James Louis O’Donel, O.F.M. Obs. † (Prefect: 17 May 1784; Vicar Apostolic: 22 Jan 1796 to 1 Jan 1807)
Alphonsus Liguori Penney † (Priest: 29 Jun 1949 to 23 Nov 1972; Archbishop: 28 Mar 1979 to 2 Feb 1991)
Michael Fintan Power † (Priest: 10 Mar 1906 to 12 May 1911)
Thomas Joseph Power † (Bishop: 13 May 1870 to 4 Dec 1893)
Henry Thomas Renouf † (Priest: 30 Mar 1895 to 27 Sep 1920)
Edward Patrick Roche † (Priest: 24 Jun 1897; Archbishop: 26 Feb 1915 to 23 Sep 1950)
Thomas Scallan, O.F.M. Ref. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 20 Mar 1815; Vicar Apostolic: 23 Sep 1816 to 7 Jun 1830)
Patrick James Skinner, C.I.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jan 1950; Archbishop: 23 Jan 1951 to 28 Mar 1979)

Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland

Archidioecesis Sancti Ioannis Terrae Novae

Bishop(s)

Suffragan Dioceses

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)