Shrewsbury (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Mark Davies, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 29 September 1850
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Birmingham
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: England
Region: Great Britain
Square Kilometers: 6,136 (2,370 Square Miles)
Description: Counties of Cheshire (S of River Mersey), Shropshire, with Halton (S of River Mersey), Stockport, Telford, and the Wrekin, Wirral.
Official Web Site: https://www.dioceseofshrewsbury.org
Mailing Address: Curial Offices, 2 Park Road South, Prenton, Wirral CH43 4UX, England, Great Britain
Telephone: (0151)652-9855
Fax: (08701)659-288

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Brown † (27 Jun 1851 Appointed - 14 Oct 1881 Died)
Edmund James Knight † (25 Apr 1882 Appointed - 11 May 1895 Resigned)
John Carroll † (11 May 1895 Succeeded - 14 Jan 1897 Died)
Samuel Webster Allen † (10 Apr 1897 Appointed - 13 May 1908 Died)
Hugh Singleton † (1 Aug 1908 Appointed - 17 Dec 1934 Died)
Ambrose James Moriarty † (17 Dec 1934 Succeeded - 3 Jun 1949 Died)
John Aloysius Murphy † (3 Jun 1949 Succeeded - 22 Aug 1961 Appointed, Archbishop of Cardiff, Wales)
William Eric Grasar † (26 Apr 1962 Appointed - 20 Mar 1980 Resigned)
Joseph Malacky Gray † (19 Aug 1980 Appointed - 23 Jun 1995 Retired)
Brian Michael Noble † (23 Jun 1995 Appointed - 1 Oct 2010 Retired)
Mark Davies (1 Oct 2010 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
29 September 1850	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Central District Vicariate Apostolic of Lancashire District Vicariate Apostolic of Wales District	Diocese of Shrewsbury (erected)
4 March 1895	Territory Lost	Diocese of Newport and Menevia Diocese of Shrewsbury	Vicariate Apostolic of Wales (erected)
28 October 1911	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Shrewsbury (from Westminster to Birmingham)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 102,250 1,331,706 7.7% 140 69 209 489 190 100 76 ap1951

1969 193,231 1,800,000 10.7% 164 81 245 788 106 395 105 ap1971

1980 202,300 2,000,000 10.1% 182 64 246 822 102 292 116 ap1981

1990 199,000 1,840,000 10.8% 166 42 208 956 2 62 263 121 ap1991

1999 190,614 1,832,900 10.4% 145 30 175 1,089 6 51 213 117 ap2000

2000 196,338 1,832,900 10.7% 155 33 188 1,044 17 54 206 117 ap2001

2001 196,338 1,832,900 10.7% 145 35 180 1,090 22 54 201 116 ap2002

2002 193,400 1,832,900 10.6% 147 33 180 1,074 26 49 204 116 ap2003

2003 194,710 1,836,000 10.6% 144 34 178 1,093 30 48 183 110 ap2004

2004 234,617 1,838,000 12.8% 141 33 174 1,348 31 54 183 110 ap2005

2010 198,000 1,850,000 10.7% 129 25 154 1,285 48 38 142 109 ap2011

2014 203,800 1,903,000 10.7% 117 26 143 1,425 51 38 119 93 ap2015

2017 189,827 1,923,400 9.9% 112 32 144 1,318 53 42 88 92 ap2018

2020 178,870 1,844,400 9.7% 111 35 146 1,225 54 41 88 91 ap2021

2022 187,000 1,931,000 9.7% 111 37 148 1,263 52 43 87 89 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	102,250	1,331,706	7.7%	140	69	209	489		190	100	76	ap1951
1969	193,231	1,800,000	10.7%	164	81	245	788		106	395	105	ap1971
1980	202,300	2,000,000	10.1%	182	64	246	822		102	292	116	ap1981
1990	199,000	1,840,000	10.8%	166	42	208	956	2	62	263	121	ap1991
1999	190,614	1,832,900	10.4%	145	30	175	1,089	6	51	213	117	ap2000
2000	196,338	1,832,900	10.7%	155	33	188	1,044	17	54	206	117	ap2001
2001	196,338	1,832,900	10.7%	145	35	180	1,090	22	54	201	116	ap2002
2002	193,400	1,832,900	10.6%	147	33	180	1,074	26	49	204	116	ap2003
2003	194,710	1,836,000	10.6%	144	34	178	1,093	30	48	183	110	ap2004
2004	234,617	1,838,000	12.8%	141	33	174	1,348	31	54	183	110	ap2005
2010	198,000	1,850,000	10.7%	129	25	154	1,285	48	38	142	109	ap2011
2014	203,800	1,903,000	10.7%	117	26	143	1,425	51	38	119	93	ap2015
2017	189,827	1,923,400	9.9%	112	32	144	1,318	53	42	88	92	ap2018
2020	178,870	1,844,400	9.7%	111	35	146	1,225	54	41	88	91	ap2021
2022	187,000	1,931,000	9.7%	111	37	148	1,263	52	43	87	89	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Mark Davies (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Dec 2009; Bishop: 1 Oct 2010)
Philip Anthony Egan (Priest: 4 Aug 1984 to 11 Jul 2012)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Samuel Webster Allen † (Priest: 4 Dec 1870; Bishop: 10 Apr 1897 to 13 May 1908)
John (Jack) Brewer † (Priest: 8 Jul 1956; Auxiliary Bishop: 31 May 1971 to 17 Nov 1983)
James Brown † (Bishop: 27 Jun 1851 to 14 Oct 1881)
Thomas Joseph Brown, O.S.B. † (Apostolic Administrator: 29 Sep 1850 to 27 Jun 1851)
John Carroll † (Priest: 22 Dec 1861; Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Aug 1893; Bishop: 11 May 1895 to 14 Jan 1897)
William Eric Grasar † (Bishop: 26 Apr 1962 to 20 Mar 1980)
Joseph Malacky Gray † (Bishop: 19 Aug 1980 to 23 Jun 1995)
Edmund James Knight † (Auxiliary Bishop: 6 May 1879; Bishop: 25 Apr 1882 to 11 May 1895)
Ambrose James Moriarty † (Priest: 10 Mar 1894; Coadjutor Bishop: 18 Dec 1931; Bishop: 17 Dec 1934 to 3 Jun 1949)
Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn † (Priest: 14 Sep 1884 to 4 Jul 1895)
John Aloysius Murphy † (Priest: 21 Mar 1931; Coadjutor Bishop: 7 Feb 1948; Bishop: 3 Jun 1949 to 22 Aug 1961)
Brian Michael Noble † (Bishop: 23 Jun 1995 to 1 Oct 2010)
Hugh Singleton † (Priest: 25 Jul 1880; Bishop: 1 Aug 1908 to 17 Dec 1934)
Gerard William Tickle † (Priest: 28 Oct 1934 to 12 Oct 1963)

Source(s)

Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 204
Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 3, Page 553, to Page 555

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Diocese of Shrewsbury

Dioecesis Salopiensis