Wellington (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Paul Gerard Martin, S.M., Archbishop
John Atcherley Dew, Cardinal, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 10 May 1887
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelization
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: New Zealand
Square Kilometers: 35,810 (13,831 Square Miles)
Description: lower North and upper South Islands of Aotearoa
Official Web Site: https://www.wn.catholic.org.nz
Mailing Address: Catholic Centre, 22-30 Hill St., Wellington 6015; P.O. Box 1937, Thorndon, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone: (04)496-1737

Past and Present Ordinaries

Philippe-Joseph Viard, S.M. † (3 Jul 1860 Appointed - 2 Jun 1872 Died)
Francis Mary Redwood, S.M. † (10 Feb 1874 Appointed - 3 Jan 1935 Died)
Thomas O’Shea, S.M. † (3 Jan 1935 Succeeded - 9 May 1954 Died)
Peter Thomas McKeefry † (9 May 1954 Succeeded - 18 Nov 1973 Died)
Reginald John Delargey † (25 Apr 1974 Appointed - 29 Jan 1979 Died)
Thomas Stafford Williams † (30 Oct 1979 Appointed - 21 Mar 2005 Retired)
John Atcherley Dew (21 Mar 2005 Succeeded - 5 May 2023 Retired)
Paul Gerard Martin, S.M. (5 May 2023 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Wellington (Port Nicholson)
20 June 1848	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of New Zealand	Diocese of Auckland (erected) (Auckland province) Diocese of Wellington (Port Nicholson) (erected) (New Zealand except the Auckland province)
26 November 1869	Territory Lost	Diocese of Wellington (Port Nicholson)	Diocese of Dunedin (erected)
5 May 1887	Territory Lost	Diocese of Wellington (Port Nicholson)	Diocese of Christchurch (erected)
Archdiocese of Wellington
10 May 1887	Elevated	Diocese of Wellington (Port Nicholson)	Archdiocese of Wellington
6 March 1980	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Wellington (Clifton, Stratford, Inglewood, Taranaki, Egmont, Waitame West, Hawera, Eltham, Patea, Waitotara, Waimairino, Wanganui, Rangatikei, Kiwitea, Pohangina, Oroua, Manawatu, Kairanga, Eketahuna, Pohiatua, Woodville, Dannevirke, Waipukurau, Waipawa, ...)	Diocese of Palmerston North (erected)

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 Wellington

1949 78,000 550,000 14.2% 85 106 191 408 100 669 55 ap1951

1966 125,380 830,000 15.1% 181 179 360 348 283 931 87 ap1967

1970 143,500 846,555 17.0% 178 183 361 397 183 1,041 92 ap1971

1980 157,511 954,336 16.5% 154 178 332 474 361 735 91 ap1981

1990 87,081 567,000 15.4% 78 85 163 534 1 116 339 50 ap1991

1999 82,201 515,124 16.0% 71 57 128 642 82 235 48 ap2000

2000 82,201 515,124 16.0% 70 63 133 618 86 231 48 ap2001

2001 84,201 515,124 16.3% 71 70 141 597 98 223 48 ap2002

2002 84,204 515,124 16.3% 65 58 123 684 82 217 48 ap2003

2003 81,189 559,350 14.5% 63 59 122 665 83 201 48 ap2004

2004 81,189 522,504 15.5% 64 60 124 654 84 203 47 ap2005

2010 83,214 550,000 15.1% 60 59 119 699 82 180 47 ap2011

2014 78,198 622,347 12.6% 62 52 114 685 67 154 44 ap2015

2017 82,820 654,000 12.7% 60 54 114 726 1 68 132 24 ap2018

2020 81,700 670,926 12.2% 55 58 113 723 1 63 121 22 ap2021

2022 84,740 695,830 12.2% 47 56 103 822 1 62 103 23 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 Wellington
1949	78,000	550,000	14.2%	85	106	191	408		100	669	55	ap1951
1966	125,380	830,000	15.1%	181	179	360	348		283	931	87	ap1967
1970	143,500	846,555	17.0%	178	183	361	397		183	1,041	92	ap1971
1980	157,511	954,336	16.5%	154	178	332	474		361	735	91	ap1981
1990	87,081	567,000	15.4%	78	85	163	534	1	116	339	50	ap1991
1999	82,201	515,124	16.0%	71	57	128	642		82	235	48	ap2000
2000	82,201	515,124	16.0%	70	63	133	618		86	231	48	ap2001
2001	84,201	515,124	16.3%	71	70	141	597		98	223	48	ap2002
2002	84,204	515,124	16.3%	65	58	123	684		82	217	48	ap2003
2003	81,189	559,350	14.5%	63	59	122	665		83	201	48	ap2004
2004	81,189	522,504	15.5%	64	60	124	654		84	203	47	ap2005
2010	83,214	550,000	15.1%	60	59	119	699		82	180	47	ap2011
2014	78,198	622,347	12.6%	62	52	114	685		67	154	44	ap2015
2017	82,820	654,000	12.7%	60	54	114	726	1	68	132	24	ap2018
2020	81,700	670,926	12.2%	55	58	113	723	1	63	121	22	ap2021
2022	84,740	695,830	12.2%	47	56	103	822	1	62	103	23	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Reginald John Delargey † (Archbishop: 25 Apr 1974 to 29 Jan 1979)
Edward Russell Gaines † (Priest: 13 Jul 1950 to 28 Oct 1976)
John Patrick Kavanagh † (Priest: 6 Sep 1936 to 14 Jul 1949)
Robin Walsh Leamy, S.M. †
Gerard Francis Loft, S.M. †
Peter Thomas McKeefry † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 12 Jun 1947; Archbishop: 9 May 1954 to 18 Nov 1973)
Patrick Edward O’Connor † (Priest: 16 Jul 1957 to 26 Jun 1992)
Thomas O’Shea, S.M. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 9 May 1913; Archbishop: 3 Jan 1935 to 9 May 1954)
Francis Mary Redwood, S.M. † (Bishop: 10 Feb 1874; Archbishop: 13 May 1887 to 3 Jan 1935)
John Hubert Macey Rodgers, S.M. †
Owen Noel Snedden † (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 May 1962 to 17 Apr 1981)
Philippe-Joseph Viard, S.M. † (Apostolic Administrator: 20 Jun 1848; Bishop: 3 Jul 1860 to 2 Jun 1872)
Thomas Stafford Williams † (Priest: 20 Dec 1959; Archbishop: 30 Oct 1979 to 21 Mar 2005)

Archdiocese of Wellington

Archidioecesis Vellingtonensis

Bishop(s)

Suffragan Dioceses

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased