Archdiocese of Saint John’s, Newfoundland

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Bishop(s) Martin William Currie, Archbishop James Hector MacDonald, C.S.C., Archbishop Emeritus Alphonsus Liguori Penney, Archbishop Emeritus Suffragan Dioceses Corner Brook and Labrador Grand Falls

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese Elevated: 8 February 1904 Metropolitan See Rite: Latin (or Roman) Province: Newfoundland Country: Canada Square Kilometers: 16,641 (6,427 Square Miles) Conference Region: Atlantic (Atlantique) Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SJNd Official Web Site: http://www.stjohnsarchdiocese.nf.ca/ Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1363, Bonaventure Ave., St. John’s, Newfoundland A1C 5N5, Canada Telephone: (709)726-3660 Fax: 726-8021

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
  • Erected: 4 June 1847
  • 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

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• James Louis O'Donel, O.F.M. † (17 May 1784 Appointed - 31 Dec 1806 Resigned)
• Patrick Lambert, O.F.M. † (1 Jan 1807 Succeeded - 23 Sep 1816 Resigned)
• Thomas Scallan, O.F.M. † (23 Sep 1816 Succeeded - 29 May 1830 Died)
• Michael Anthony Fleming, O.F.M. † (29 May 1830 Succeeded - 14 Jul 1850 Died)
• John Thomas Mullock, O.F.M. † (14 Jul 1850 Succeeded - 29 Mar 1869 Died)
• Thomas James Power † (8 May 1870 Appointed - 4 Dec 1893 Died)
• Michael Francis Howley † (21 Dec 1894 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 - 5 Apr 1979 Retired)
• Alphonsus Liguori Penney (5 Apr 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 - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland
30 May 1784	Erected		Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland
5 January 1796	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland	Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland
Diocese of Newfoundland
4 June 1847	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland	Diocese of Newfoundland (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

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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
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

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

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Martin William Currie (Archbishop: 18 Oct 2007 - )
• James Hector MacDonald, C.S.C. (Archbishop: 2 Feb 1991 to 4 Dec 2000)
• Brendan Michael O’Brien (Archbishop: 4 Dec 2000 to 1 Jun 2007)
• Alphonsus Liguori Penney (Priest: 29 Jun 1949 to 23 Nov 1972; Archbishop: 5 Apr 1979 to 2 Feb 1991)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Thomas Francis Brennan † (Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Feb 1893 to 7 Oct 1905)
• Michael Anthony Fleming, O.F.M. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 10 Jul 1829; Vicar Apostolic: 29 May 1830; Bishop: 4 Jun 1847 to 14 Jul 1850)
• Thomas John Flynn † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 7 Apr 1945 to 7 Sep 1949)
• Michael Francis Howley † (Priest: 6 Jun 1868 to 5 Dec 1885; Bishop: 21 Dec 1894; Archbishop: 8 Feb 1904 to 15 Oct 1914)
• Patrick Lambert, O.F.M. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 30 Jul 1805; Vicar Apostolic: 1 Jan 1807 to 23 Sep 1816)
• John Thomas Mullock, O.F.M. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 14 Dec 1847; Bishop: 14 Jul 1850 to 29 Mar 1869)
• James Louis O'Donel, O.F.M. † (Prefect: 17 May 1784; Vicar Apostolic: 23 Dec 1795 to 31 Dec 1806)
• Thomas James Power † (Bishop: 8 May 1870 to 4 Dec 1893)
• Edward Patrick Roche † (Priest: 24 Jun 1897; Archbishop: 26 Feb 1915 to 23 Sep 1950)
• Thomas Scallan, O.F.M. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 20 Mar 1815; Vicar Apostolic: 23 Sep 1816 to 29 May 1830)
• Patrick James Skinner, C.I.M. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jan 1950; Archbishop: 23 Jan 1951 to 5 Apr 1979)