Northampton (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

David James Oakley, Bishop
Peter John Haworth Doyle, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 29 September 1850
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Westminster
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: England
Region: Great Britain
Square Kilometers: 3,419 (1,320 Square Miles)
Description: Counties of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, with Luton, Milton Keynes, Slough.
Official Web Site: https://northamptondiocese.org
Mailing Address: Bishop's House, Marriott St., Northampton NN2 6AW, England, Great Britain
Telephone: (01604)715.635
Fax: 711.641

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern District
- Erected: 3 July 1840
- Country: England
- Region: Great Britain
- Description: Counties of Lincolnshire, Rutland, Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire

Past and Present Ordinaries

William Wareing † (5 Jun 1840 Appointed - 24 Jan 1858 Resigned)
Francis Kerril Amherst † (14 May 1858 Appointed - 16 Oct 1879 Resigned)
Arthur Grange Riddell † (27 Apr 1880 Appointed - 15 Sep 1907 Died)
Frederick William Keating † (1 Feb 1908 Appointed - 13 Jun 1921 Appointed, Archbishop of Liverpool, England)
Dudley Charles Cary-Elwes † (21 Nov 1921 Appointed - 1 May 1932 Died)
Laurence Walter Youens † (16 Jun 1933 Appointed - 14 Nov 1939 Died)
Thomas Leo Parker † (14 Dec 1940 Appointed - 17 Jan 1967 Retired)
Charles Alexander Grant † (14 Mar 1967 Appointed - 16 Feb 1982 Retired)
Francis Gerard Thomas † (27 Aug 1982 Appointed - 25 Dec 1988 Died)
Patrick Leo McCartie † (20 Feb 1990 Appointed - 29 Mar 2001 Retired)
Kevin John Patrick McDonald (29 Mar 2001 Appointed - 6 Nov 2003 Appointed, Archbishop of Southwark, England)
Peter John Haworth Doyle (24 May 2005 Appointed - 8 Jan 2020 Retired)
David James Oakley (8 Jan 2020 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern District
3 July 1840	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Midland District	Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern District (erected)
Diocese of Northampton
29 September 1850	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern District	Diocese of Northampton
25 July 1916	Territory Lost	Diocese of Northampton (Royston)	Archdiocese of Westminster
13 March 1976	Territory Lost	Diocese of Northampton (Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk)	Diocese of East Anglia (erected)

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 Northampton

1950 59,252 2,033,185 2.9% 116 68 184 322 147 563 79 ap1951

1969 175,422 3,000,000 5.8% 162 107 269 652 147 722 111 ap1971

1980 136,600 1,597,500 8.6% 96 62 158 864 8 64 322 65 ap1981

1990 159,185 1,829,000 8.7% 86 42 128 1,243 17 44 250 75 ap1991

1999 170,737 1,800,000 9.5% 91 35 126 1,355 17 37 202 74 ap2000

2000 171,737 1,800,000 9.5% 87 26 113 1,519 21 28 196 75 ap2001

2001 173,215 1,800,000 9.6% 85 26 111 1,560 23 30 192 75 ap2002

2002 174,740 1,800,000 9.7% 87 27 114 1,532 24 34 188 75 ap2003

2003 172,594 2,000,769 8.6% 90 25 115 1,500 27 32 190 69 ap2004

2004 173,539 2,000,769 8.7% 92 35 127 1,366 25 44 180 68 ap2005

2013 182,500 2,089,307 8.7% 78 30 108 1,689 39 31 139 70 ap2014

2016 176,626 2,133,542 8.3% 87 29 116 1,522 41 30 115 71 ap2017

2019 177,136 2,176,506 8.1% 79 26 105 1,687 43 27 101 72 ap2020

2021 179,232 2,202,264 8.1% 80 23 103 1,740 40 24 99 72 ap2022

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 Northampton
1950	59,252	2,033,185	2.9%	116	68	184	322		147	563	79	ap1951
1969	175,422	3,000,000	5.8%	162	107	269	652		147	722	111	ap1971
1980	136,600	1,597,500	8.6%	96	62	158	864	8	64	322	65	ap1981
1990	159,185	1,829,000	8.7%	86	42	128	1,243	17	44	250	75	ap1991
1999	170,737	1,800,000	9.5%	91	35	126	1,355	17	37	202	74	ap2000
2000	171,737	1,800,000	9.5%	87	26	113	1,519	21	28	196	75	ap2001
2001	173,215	1,800,000	9.6%	85	26	111	1,560	23	30	192	75	ap2002
2002	174,740	1,800,000	9.7%	87	27	114	1,532	24	34	188	75	ap2003
2003	172,594	2,000,769	8.6%	90	25	115	1,500	27	32	190	69	ap2004
2004	173,539	2,000,769	8.7%	92	35	127	1,366	25	44	180	68	ap2005
2013	182,500	2,089,307	8.7%	78	30	108	1,689	39	31	139	70	ap2014
2016	176,626	2,133,542	8.3%	87	29	116	1,522	41	30	115	71	ap2017
2019	177,136	2,176,506	8.1%	79	26	105	1,687	43	27	101	72	ap2020
2021	179,232	2,202,264	8.1%	80	23	103	1,740	40	24	99	72	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Francis Kerril Amherst † (Bishop: 14 May 1858 to 16 Oct 1879)
Dudley Charles Cary-Elwes † (Priest: 30 May 1896; Bishop: 21 Nov 1921 to 1 May 1932)
Alan Charles Clark † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 Mar 1969 to 26 Apr 1976)
Charles Alexander Grant † (Priest: 16 Jun 1935; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Feb 1961; Bishop: 14 Mar 1967 to 16 Feb 1982)
Frederick William Keating † (Bishop: 1 Feb 1908 to 13 Jun 1921)
Patrick Leo McCartie † (Bishop: 20 Feb 1990 to 29 Mar 2001)
Thomas Leo Parker † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1940 to 17 Jan 1967)
Cyril Edward Restieaux †
Arthur Grange Riddell † (Bishop: 27 Apr 1880 to 15 Sep 1907)
Joseph Edward Rudderham † (Priest: 31 Oct 1926 to 14 May 1949)
Francis Gerard Thomas † (Bishop: 27 Aug 1982 to 25 Dec 1988)
William Wareing † (Vicar Apostolic: 5 Jun 1840; Bishop: 29 Sep 1850 to 24 Jan 1858)
Laurence Walter Youens † (Priest: 1902; Bishop: 16 Jun 1933 to 14 Nov 1939)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Eastern District
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 202
Diocese of Northampton
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 203

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Diocese of Northampton

Dioecesis Northantoniensis