Cairns (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Joseph John Caddy, Bishop
James Foley, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 8 July 1941
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Brisbane
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Australia
Square Kilometers: 380,748 (147,063 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: http://www.cairns.catholic.org.au/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, P.O. Box 625, 183 Abbott St., Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia
Telephone: (07)40.465.620

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland
- Latin Name: Queensladiensis
- Erected: 1877
- Vicariate
- Country: Australia
Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown
- Name Changed: 10 May 1887
- Vicariate
- Country: Australia

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Cani † ( 1877 Appointed - 3 Jan 1882 Appointed, Bishop of Rockhampton)
Paolo Fortini † (12 Feb 1882 Appointed - 1884 Resigned)
John Hutchinson, O.E.S.A. † (15 Jan 1884 Appointed - 28 Oct 1897 Died)
James Dominic Murray, O.E.S.A. † (29 Mar 1898 Appointed - 21 Feb 1914 Died)
John Alphonsus Heavey, O.S.A. † (3 May 1914 Appointed - 12 Jun 1948 Died)
Thomas Vincent Cahill † (11 Nov 1948 Appointed - 13 Apr 1967 Appointed, Archbishop of Canberra (and Goulburn))
John Ahern Torpie † (14 Sep 1967 Appointed - 5 Aug 1985 Retired)
John Alexius Bathersby † (17 Jan 1986 Appointed - 3 Dec 1991 Appointed, Archbishop of Brisbane)
James Foley (16 Jul 1992 Appointed - 21 Aug 2022 Resigned)
Joseph John Caddy (6 Jun 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland
1877	Erected	Diocese of Brisbane	Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown
10 May 1887	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland	Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown
Diocese of Cairns
8 July 1941	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown	Diocese of Cairns
15 February 1967	Territory Added	Diocese of Darwin (Torres Strait)	Diocese of Cairns
11 July 1985	Territory Lost	Diocese of Cairns (Islands of Kawa, Mata Kawa, and Kussa)	Diocese of Daru

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 Cairns

1950 15,000 51,000 29.4% 1 24 25 600 17 101 14 ap1951

1959 27,500 85,000 32.4% 19 11 30 916 25 137 19 ap1960

1966 30,500 92,000 33.2% 27 10 37 824 32 144 23 ap1967

1970 32,000 101,875 31.4% 26 7 33 969 27 138 24 ap1971

1980 36,000 129,319 27.8% 27 6 33 1,090 23 120 24 ap1981

1990 52,000 170,000 30.6% 27 7 34 1,529 15 91 25 ap1991

1999 59,535 228,400 26.1% 30 3 33 1,804 11 51 22 ap2000

2000 59,529 228,335 26.1% 28 3 31 1,920 11 50 24 ap2001

2001 59,529 228,335 26.1% 27 3 30 1,984 12 48 24 ap2002

2002 59,529 228,335 26.1% 26 3 29 2,052 12 46 24 ap2003

2003 59,529 228,335 26.1% 24 2 26 2,289 11 46 24 ap2004

2004 59,912 235,396 25.5% 28 1 29 2,065 10 42 24 ap2005

2006 59,912 235,396 25.5% 27 1 28 2,139 6 38 24 ap2007

2013 62,260 259,346 24.0% 20 6 26 2,394 3 17 32 23 ap2014

2016 65,391 272,124 24.0% 29 11 40 1,634 5 17 29 23 ap2017

2019 68,510 285,135 24.0% 14 10 24 2,854 7 17 21 23 ap2020

2021 70,535 293,700 24.0% 14 7 21 3,358 7 13 19 23 ap2022

2023 71,700 298,540 24.0% 17 6 23 3,117 6 12 17 23 ap2024

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 Cairns
1950	15,000	51,000	29.4%	1	24	25	600		17	101	14	ap1951
1959	27,500	85,000	32.4%	19	11	30	916		25	137	19	ap1960
1966	30,500	92,000	33.2%	27	10	37	824		32	144	23	ap1967
1970	32,000	101,875	31.4%	26	7	33	969		27	138	24	ap1971
1980	36,000	129,319	27.8%	27	6	33	1,090		23	120	24	ap1981
1990	52,000	170,000	30.6%	27	7	34	1,529		15	91	25	ap1991
1999	59,535	228,400	26.1%	30	3	33	1,804		11	51	22	ap2000
2000	59,529	228,335	26.1%	28	3	31	1,920		11	50	24	ap2001
2001	59,529	228,335	26.1%	27	3	30	1,984		12	48	24	ap2002
2002	59,529	228,335	26.1%	26	3	29	2,052		12	46	24	ap2003
2003	59,529	228,335	26.1%	24	2	26	2,289		11	46	24	ap2004
2004	59,912	235,396	25.5%	28	1	29	2,065		10	42	24	ap2005
2006	59,912	235,396	25.5%	27	1	28	2,139		6	38	24	ap2007
2013	62,260	259,346	24.0%	20	6	26	2,394	3	17	32	23	ap2014
2016	65,391	272,124	24.0%	29	11	40	1,634	5	17	29	23	ap2017
2019	68,510	285,135	24.0%	14	10	24	2,854	7	17	21	23	ap2020
2021	70,535	293,700	24.0%	14	7	21	3,358	7	13	19	23	ap2022
2023	71,700	298,540	24.0%	17	6	23	3,117	6	12	17	23	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

John Alexius Bathersby † (Bishop: 17 Jan 1986 to 3 Dec 1991)
Thomas Vincent Cahill † (Bishop: 11 Nov 1948 to 13 Apr 1967)
John Cani † (Pro-Vicar Apostolic: 1877 to 3 Jan 1882)
Paolo Fortini † (Pro-Vicar Apostolic: 12 Feb 1882 to 1884)
John Alphonsus Heavey, O.S.A. † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 May 1914; Bishop: 8 Jul 1941 to 12 Jun 1948)
John Hutchinson, O.E.S.A. † (Pro-Vicar Apostolic: 15 Jan 1884; Vicar Apostolic: 4 Jun 1884 to 28 Oct 1897)
James Dominic Murray, O.E.S.A. † (Vicar Apostolic: 29 Mar 1898 to 21 Feb 1914)
John Ahern Torpie † (Bishop: 14 Sep 1967 to 5 Aug 1985)

Source(s)

Diocese of Cairns
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 33, Page 412, to Page 414
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 59, Page 230, and Page 231

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Diocese of Cairns

Dioecesis Cairnensis