Melbourne (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Peter Andrew Comensoli, Archbishop
Martin Ashe, Auxiliary Bishop
Terence Robert Curtin, Auxiliary Bishop
Anthony John Ireland, Auxiliary Bishop
Rene A. Ramirez, R.C.J., Auxiliary Bishop-Elect
Thinh Xuan Nguyen, Auxiliary Bishop-Elect
Denis James Hart, Archbishop Emeritus
Peter John Elliott, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 31 March 1874
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Australia
Square Kilometers: 27,194 (10,503 Square Miles)
Official Web Site: https://melbournecatholic.org
Mailing Address: St. Patrick's Centre, 486 Albert Street, East Melbourne, Vic. 3002; P.O. Box 146, East Melbourne, Vic. 8002, Australia
Telephone: (03)9956.5677

Historical Details

Diocese of Melbourne
- Latin Name: Melburnensis
- Erected: 25 June 1847
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Sydney
- Country: Australia

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Alipius Goold, O.E.S.A. † (9 Jul 1847 Appointed - 11 Jun 1886 Died)
Thomas Joseph Carr † (16 Nov 1886 Appointed - 6 May 1917 Died)
Daniel Mannix † (6 May 1917 Succeeded - 6 Nov 1963 Died)
Justin Daniel Simonds † (6 Nov 1963 Succeeded - 13 Apr 1967 Retired)
James Robert Knox † (13 Apr 1967 Appointed - 1 Jul 1974 Resigned)
Thomas Francis Little † (1 Jul 1974 Appointed - 16 Jul 1996 Resigned)
George Pell † (16 Jul 1996 Appointed - 26 Mar 2001 Appointed, Archbishop of Sydney)
Denis James Hart (22 Jun 2001 Appointed - 29 Jun 2018 Retired)
Peter Andrew Comensoli (29 Jun 2018 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Melbourne
25 June 1847	Erected	Archdiocese of Sydney	Diocese of Maitland (erected) Diocese of Melbourne (erected)
30 March 1874	Territory Lost	Diocese of Melbourne	Diocese of Ballarat (erected) Diocese of Sandhurst (erected)
Archdiocese of Melbourne
31 March 1874	Elevated	Diocese of Melbourne	Archdiocese of Melbourne
10 May 1887	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Melbourne	Diocese of Sale (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 Melbourne

1950 303,571 1,130,000 26.9% 225 207 432 702 647 1,815 125 ap1951

1966 530,497 2,354,650 22.5% 387 360 747 710 851 9,312 184 ap1967

1968 633,652 2,295,841 27.6% 400 353 753 841 795 2,265 193 ap1971

1980 793,000 2,823,000 28.1% 418 333 751 1,055 804 2,378 220 ap1981

1990 876,608 3,087,200 28.4% 382 335 717 1,222 1 745 1,634 235 ap1991

1999 995,797 3,365,173 29.6% 341 294 635 1,568 550 1,323 232 ap2000

2000 995,797 3,365,173 29.6% 336 311 647 1,539 1 594 1,461 232 ap2001

2001 995,797 3,365,173 29.6% 331 280 611 1,629 1 570 1,418 232 ap2002

2002 1,012,797 3,489,000 29.0% 333 278 611 1,657 553 1,545 232 ap2003

2003 1,029,182 3,518,627 29.2% 324 258 582 1,768 571 1,545 232 ap2004

2004 1,029,182 3,518,627 29.2% 321 262 583 1,765 429 1,561 230 ap2005

2010 1,085,000 3,844,000 28.2% 300 261 561 1,934 1 505 1,232 219 ap2011

2013 1,111,981 4,095,921 27.1% 299 238 537 2,070 8 577 1,641 216 ap2014

2016 1,167,696 4,440,000 26.3% 303 188 491 2,378 17 404 1,641 216 ap2017

2019 1,228,375 4,669,650 26.3% 284 176 460 2,670 20 366 694 208 ap2020

2021 1,264,150 4,810,000 26.3% 274 218 492 2,569 19 340 583 208 ap2022

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 Melbourne
1950	303,571	1,130,000	26.9%	225	207	432	702		647	1,815	125	ap1951
1966	530,497	2,354,650	22.5%	387	360	747	710		851	9,312	184	ap1967
1968	633,652	2,295,841	27.6%	400	353	753	841		795	2,265	193	ap1971
1980	793,000	2,823,000	28.1%	418	333	751	1,055		804	2,378	220	ap1981
1990	876,608	3,087,200	28.4%	382	335	717	1,222	1	745	1,634	235	ap1991
1999	995,797	3,365,173	29.6%	341	294	635	1,568		550	1,323	232	ap2000
2000	995,797	3,365,173	29.6%	336	311	647	1,539	1	594	1,461	232	ap2001
2001	995,797	3,365,173	29.6%	331	280	611	1,629	1	570	1,418	232	ap2002
2002	1,012,797	3,489,000	29.0%	333	278	611	1,657		553	1,545	232	ap2003
2003	1,029,182	3,518,627	29.2%	324	258	582	1,768		571	1,545	232	ap2004
2004	1,029,182	3,518,627	29.2%	321	262	583	1,765		429	1,561	230	ap2005
2010	1,085,000	3,844,000	28.2%	300	261	561	1,934	1	505	1,232	219	ap2011
2013	1,111,981	4,095,921	27.1%	299	238	537	2,070	8	577	1,641	216	ap2014
2016	1,167,696	4,440,000	26.3%	303	188	491	2,378	17	404	1,641	216	ap2017
2019	1,228,375	4,669,650	26.3%	284	176	460	2,670	20	366	694	208	ap2020
2021	1,264,150	4,810,000	26.3%	274	218	492	2,569	19	340	583	208	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Martin Ashe (Priest: 11 Jun 1978; Auxiliary Bishop: 14 May 2021)
Gregory Charles Bennet (Priest: 22 Aug 1992 to 27 Jun 2020)
Joseph John Caddy (Priest: 25 Aug 1990 to 6 Jun 2024)
Mark Benedict Coleridge (Priest: 18 May 1974; Auxiliary Bishop: 3 May 2002 to 19 Jun 2006)
Peter Andrew Comensoli (Archbishop: 29 Jun 2018 - )
Peter Joseph Connors (Priest: 23 Jul 1961; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Mar 1987 to 30 May 1997)
Timothy John Costelloe, S.D.B. (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Apr 2007 to 20 Feb 2012)
Terence Robert Curtin (Priest: 28 Aug 1971; Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Nov 2014)
Mark Stuart Edwards, O.M.I. (Auxiliary Bishop: 7 Nov 2014 to 26 May 2020)
Peter John Elliott (Priest: 19 Feb 1973; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Apr 2007 to 3 Nov 2018)
Denis James Hart (Priest: 22 Jul 1967; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Nov 1997; Archbishop: 22 Jun 2001 to 29 Jun 2018)
Anthony John Ireland (Deacon: 3 Aug 1986; Priest: 19 Sep 1987; Auxiliary Bishop: 14 May 2021)
Vincent Long Văn Nguyễn, O.F.M. Conv. (Auxiliary Bishop: 20 May 2011 to 5 May 2016)
Shane Anthony Mackinlay
Christopher Charles Prowse (Priest: 16 Aug 1980; Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Apr 2003 to 18 Jun 2009)
Rene A. Ramirez, R.C.J. (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Nov 2024)
Christopher Alan Saunders
Leslie Rogers Tomlinson (Priest: 18 Aug 1972; Auxiliary Bishop: 5 May 2009 to 3 Feb 2012)
Thinh Xuan Nguyen (Deacon: 8 Oct 2005; Priest: 16 Sep 2006; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Nov 2024)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

John Barry † (Priest: 18 Jun 1899 to 1 Mar 1924)
Matthew Beovich † (Priest: 22 Dec 1922 to 11 Dec 1939)
Francis Peter de Campo †
Thomas Joseph Carr † (Archbishop: 16 Nov 1886 to 6 May 1917)
Leo Morris Clarke † (Priest: 24 Jul 1949 to 10 Apr 1976)
James Francis Corbett † (Priest: 1863 to 13 May 1887)
John Neil Cullinane † (Auxiliary Bishop: 29 Nov 1967 to 18 Aug 1974)
Joseph Eric D’Arcy † (Priest: 24 Jul 1949 to 25 Feb 1981)
Hilton Forrest Deakin † (Priest: 27 Jul 1958; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Dec 1992 to 13 Nov 2007)
Arthur Francis Fox † (Priest: 13 Jul 1930; Auxiliary Bishop: 11 Oct 1956 to 29 Nov 1967)
James Alipius Goold, O.E.S.A. † (Bishop: 9 Jul 1847; Archbishop: 31 Mar 1874 to 11 Jun 1886)
Joseph Angelo Grech † (Priest: 30 Nov 1974; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 Nov 1998 to 8 Mar 2001)
Romuald Denis Hayes, S.S.C. † (Priest: 10 Aug 1917 to 12 Jan 1932)
John Anthony Kelly † (Priest: 28 Jul 1940; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Nov 1972 to 19 Aug 1986)
James Robert Knox † (Archbishop: 13 Apr 1967 to 1 Jul 1974)
Thomas Francis Little † (Priest: 3 Oct 1950; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Nov 1972; Archbishop: 1 Jul 1974 to 16 Jul 1996)
John Joseph Lonergan † (Priest: 30 Nov 1911 to 8 Jan 1938)
Patrick Francis Lyons † (Priest: 6 Jan 1927 to 16 Mar 1944)
Daniel Mannix † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 1 Jul 1912; Archbishop: 6 May 1917 to 6 Nov 1963)
Luc Julian Matthys † (Priest: 1976 to 17 Mar 1999)
James Moore † (Priest: 27 Jun 1858 to 22 Jan 1884)
Lawrence Patrick Moran † (Priest: 26 Jul 1936; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Nov 1964 to 15 Mar 1970)
John Aloysius Morgan † (Priest: 15 Jul 1934 to 6 Mar 1969)
Ronald Austin Mulkearns † (Priest: 22 Jul 1956 to 5 Sep 1968)
John Henry Norton †
James Patrick O’Collins † (Priest: 23 Dec 1922 to 11 Feb 1930)
Joseph Peter O’Connell † (Priest: 28 Jul 1957; Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jan 1976 to 11 Dec 2006)
George Pell † (Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Mar 1987; Archbishop: 16 Jul 1996 to 26 Mar 2001)
Eric Gerard Perkins † (Priest: 28 Jul 1940; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Nov 1972 to 20 Aug 1991)
Patrick Phelan † (Priest: 26 May 1888 to 12 Nov 1912)
Joseph Shiel † (Priest: 19 Jun 1898 to 19 Aug 1912)
Justin Daniel Simonds † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 6 Sep 1942; Archbishop: 6 Nov 1963 to 13 Apr 1967)
Bernard Denis Stewart † (Priest: 8 Dec 1929 to 12 Dec 1946)
Bernard Joseph Wallace †

Archdiocese of Melbourne

Archidioecesis Melburnensis