Townsville (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Timothy James Harris, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 12 February 1930
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Brisbane
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Australia
Square Kilometers: 434,000 (167,632 Square Miles)
Description: From Townsville on the Coast, to the Whitsunday and Burdekin regions in the South and North to Ingham and Halifax, south-west to Winton, and west to the border with the Northern Territory, encompassing Mount Isa and several small, isolated western towns and east to Palm Island
Official Web Site: https://www.tsv.catholic.org.au
Mailing Address: The Catholic Diocesan Centre, P.O. Box 6149 MSO, 270 Stanley Street, Townsville, QLD 4810, Australia
Telephone: (07)472.63.200

Past and Present Ordinaries

Terence Bernard McGuire † (12 Feb 1930 Appointed - 14 Jun 1938 Appointed, Bishop of Goulburn)
Hugh Edward Ryan † (13 Jul 1938 Appointed - 14 Sep 1967 Retired)
Leonard Anthony Faulkner † (14 Sep 1967 Appointed - 2 Sep 1983 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Adelaide)
Raymond Conway Benjamin † (14 Feb 1984 Appointed - 18 Apr 2000 Retired)
Michael Ernest Putney † (24 Jan 2001 Appointed - 28 Mar 2014 Died)
Timothy James Harris (8 Feb 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
12 February 1930	Erected	Diocese of Rockhampton (From Townsville on the Coast, to the Whitsunday and Burdekin regions in the South and North to Ingham and Halifax, south-west to Winton, and west to the border with the Northern Territory, with Mount Isa and several western towns and east to Palm Island)	Diocese of Townsville (erected)

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

1950 28,337 115,000 24.6% 45 9 54 524 15 165 24 ap1951

1966 44,000 190,000 23.2% 54 14 68 647 54 210 36 ap1967

1970 52,000 170,000 30.6% 48 11 59 881 59 210 34 ap1971

1980 60,437 181,000 33.4% 40 13 53 1,140 1 53 159 29 ap1981

1990 60,022 217,943 27.5% 33 7 40 1,500 2 28 129 29 ap1991

1999 60,477 234,854 25.8% 30 7 37 1,634 2 30 93 30 ap2000

2000 65,924 234,854 28.1% 28 6 34 1,938 2 29 92 30 ap2001

2001 66,610 237,387 28.1% 25 4 29 2,296 27 86 28 ap2002

2002 66,610 237,387 28.1% 23 4 27 2,467 1 20 76 27 ap2003

2003 74,084 252,289 29.4% 20 5 25 2,963 1 13 74 27 ap2004

2004 74,084 252,289 29.4% 22 4 26 2,849 1 12 76 27 ap2005

2010 75,600 263,000 28.7% 24 6 30 2,520 14 63 26 ap2011

2014 81,700 283,600 28.8% 18 6 24 3,404 15 50 26 ap2015

2017 85,300 296,000 28.8% 21 6 27 3,159 13 40 27 ap2018

2020 79,133 289,202 27.4% 15 9 24 3,297 15 43 27 ap2021

2022 79,618 300,444 26.5% 16 11 27 2,948 15 42 27 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	28,337	115,000	24.6%	45	9	54	524		15	165	24	ap1951
1966	44,000	190,000	23.2%	54	14	68	647		54	210	36	ap1967
1970	52,000	170,000	30.6%	48	11	59	881		59	210	34	ap1971
1980	60,437	181,000	33.4%	40	13	53	1,140	1	53	159	29	ap1981
1990	60,022	217,943	27.5%	33	7	40	1,500	2	28	129	29	ap1991
1999	60,477	234,854	25.8%	30	7	37	1,634	2	30	93	30	ap2000
2000	65,924	234,854	28.1%	28	6	34	1,938	2	29	92	30	ap2001
2001	66,610	237,387	28.1%	25	4	29	2,296		27	86	28	ap2002
2002	66,610	237,387	28.1%	23	4	27	2,467	1	20	76	27	ap2003
2003	74,084	252,289	29.4%	20	5	25	2,963	1	13	74	27	ap2004
2004	74,084	252,289	29.4%	22	4	26	2,849	1	12	76	27	ap2005
2010	75,600	263,000	28.7%	24	6	30	2,520		14	63	26	ap2011
2014	81,700	283,600	28.8%	18	6	24	3,404		15	50	26	ap2015
2017	85,300	296,000	28.8%	21	6	27	3,159		13	40	27	ap2018
2020	79,133	289,202	27.4%	15	9	24	3,297		15	43	27	ap2021
2022	79,618	300,444	26.5%	16	11	27	2,948		15	42	27	ap2023