Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury

Diocese of Shrewsbury Dioecesis Salopiensis
Coat of arms of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
Location
Country	England
Territory	Counties of Cheshire, Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, with parts of Derbyshire, Halton, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Warrington
Ecclesiastical province	Province of Birmingham
Metropolitan	Birmingham
Coordinates	52°42′29″N 2°45′14″W / 52.708°N 2.754°W / 52.708; -2.754Coordinates: 52°42′29″N 2°45′14″W / 52.708°N 2.754°W / 52.708; -2.754
Statistics
Area	6,136 km2 (2,369 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2004) 1,838,000 234,617 (12.8%)
Parishes	110
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	29 September 1850
Cathedral	Shrewsbury Cathedral
Secular priests	141
Current leadership
Pope	Benedict XVI
Bishop	Mark Davies
Metropolitan Archbishop	Bernard Longley
Vicars General	John McManus
Episcopal Vicars	Michael Gannon John O’Reilly Peter Montgomery David Roberts
Emeritus Bishops	Brian Michael Noble
Map
Diocese of Shrewsbury within the Province of Birmingham
Website
dioceseofshrewsbury.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The diocese encompasses parts of the North West of England and parts of the West Midlands. The diocese comprises the pre-1974 counties of Shropshire and Cheshire, varying from the rural areas of Shropshire to parts of Manchester south of the River Mersey and other large urban areas including Birkenhead, Stockport and Ellesmere Port. It is unusual amongst dioceses in England & Wales in that the population does not have one central concentration, but is fragmented across the area. Its current bishop is Mark Davies who succeeded on 1 October 2010.^[1] It is divided into 6 regions, which in turn contain 26 pastoral areas and within these, the 110 parishes.

Geographical location

The diocese comprises the areas of Shropshire, Cheshire, as well as parts of Greater Manchester and Merseyside that were formerly part of Cheshire. Before 1895, it also included North Wales. Since October 2007, new pastoral areas and regions have been created, replacing the former deaneries.^[2]

Region	Name	Regional Dean[3]
A	Shropshire & Wrekin	Canon Stephan Coonan
B	Central Cheshire	Fr John Daly
C	North Cheshire	Fr Russell Cooke
D	South Trafford & Wythenshawe	Canon John Rafferty
E	Stockport & Tameside	Canon Vincent Whelan
F	Wirral	Fr Nick Kern

Past and present bishops

Main article: Bishop of Shrewsbury

• James Brown (appointed 27 June 1851 – died 14 October 1881)
• Edmund Knight (appointed 25 April 1882 – resigned 28 May 1895)
• John Carroll (succeeded 11 May 1895 – died 14 January 1897)
• Samuel Webster Allen (appointed 19 April 1897 – died 13 May 1908)
• Hugh Singleton (appointed 1 August 1908 – died 17 December 1934)
• Ambrose James Moriarty (succeeded 17 December 1934 – died 3 June 1949)
• John Aloysius Murphy (succeeded 3 June 1949 – translated to the Archdiocese of Cardiff on 22 August 1961)
• William Eric Grasar (appointed 26 April 1962 – resigned 20 March 1980)
• Joseph Gray (appointed 19 August 1980 – retired 23 June 1995)
• Brian Michael Noble (appointed 23 June 1995 – retired 1 October 2010)
• Mark Davies (current bishop, succeeded 1 October 2010)

Catholic education in the diocese

There are 116 Catholic schools and colleges serving 40,585 pupils. ^[4]

School Type	Voluntary Aided Primary	Voluntary Aided Secondary	Sixth Form Colleges	Independent Schools
Number of schools	90	19	1	6
Number of Students	19,034	18,222	1,710	1,619

• All figures are as of January 2007

Patron saints of the diocese

1) Our Lady, Help of Christians - 24th May
2) Saint Winefride - 3rd November

Parish pastoral areas and regions

On 1 October 2007, local deaneries were abolished and parishes grouped together to form 'Pastoral Areas', not as a replacement of parishes but to strengthen local Catholic communities, ensuring the sharing of services and groups and to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Each LPT (local pastoral team [see below]) has two co-leaders (one priest; one layperson) and each region is headed by a Regional Dean.^[2]

Region A - Shropshire & Wrekin Catholic Region

Regional Dean: Canon Stephen Coonan

Region	Pastoral Area	Parishes/Mass Centres	Primary Schools	Secondary Schools	Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies
A	LPA 1	Shrewsbury Cathedral (http://www.shrewsburycathedral.org/) Monkmoor, St Winefride Harlescott, Our Lady of Pit	St Mary's St Winefride's	BRJ	Royal Shrewsbury Shropshire Nuffield S & Mid W Hospice + Prison + Forces
A	LPA 2	Ellesmere, St Michael Farndon Malpas, St Joseph Oswestry, Our Lady Shawbury, St Andrew & St Peter Tattenhall, St Plegmund Wem, Our Lady Whitchurch, St George	Our Lady & St Oswald	BRJ	Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt H + Forces
A	LPA 3	Church Stretton, St Milburga Cleobury Mortimer, St Elizabeth Ludlow, St Peter (http://freespace.virgin.net/stpeters.ludlow/) Plowden, St Walburga	Moor Park	BRJ
A	LPA 4	Bridgnorth, St John Broseley Donnington, Our Lady Telford, The Good Shepherd (Madeley, Stirchley & Dawley) Wellington, St Patrick (http://www.stpatrickstelford.com/)	St John's St Luke's St Mary's, Madeley St Patrick's	BRJ	Princess Royal
A	LPA 5	Albrighton, St Joseph Market Drayton, Ss Thomas & Newport, Ss Peter & Paul Shifnal, St Mary	Ss Peter & Paul's St Mary's, Madeley St Winefride's	BRJ	(+Cosford) + Stoke Heath + TernHill

Region B - Central Cheshire

Regional Dean: Fr John Daly

Region	Pastoral Area	Parishes/Mass Centres	Primary Schools	Secondary Schools	Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies
B	LPA 6	Alderley Edge, St Pius X Handforth, St Benedict Knutsford, St Vincent (http://www.stvincentsknutsford.org/) Wilmslow, St Teresa	St Benedict's St Vincent's	All Hallows CH St Nicholas CH	Styal Prison
B	LPA 7	Bollington, St Gregory Congleton, St Mary Disley Macclesfield, St Alban Macclesfield, St Edward Poynton, St Paul Whaley Bridge, Sacred Heart	St Alban's St Edward's St Gregory's St Mary's St Mary's	All Hallows CH	Macclesfield District Gen East Cheshire Hospice
B	LPA 8	Barnton, Our Lady of Fatima Holmes Chapel, St Margaret Middlewich, St Mary Northwich, St Wilfrid Weaverham, St Bede Winsford, St Joseph	St Bede's St Joseph's St Mary's St Wilfrid's	St Nicholas CH	St Luke's Hospice
B	LPA 9	Alsager, St Gabriel Crewe, St Mary (http://www.stmaryscrewe.org.uk/) Nantwich, St Anne Sandbach, St Winefride	St Anne's St Gabriel's St Mary's	St Thomas More CH	Leighton Hosp + M'chester Metropolitan Univ Crewe & Alsager site

Region C - North Cheshire

Regional Dean: Fr Russell Cooke

Region	Pastoral Area	Parishes/Mass Centres	Primary Schools	Secondary Schools	Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies
C	LPA 10	Ellesmere Port, Our Lady Ellesmere Port, St Bernard Ellesmere Port, St Saviour Hooton, St Mary	Our Lady star of the Sea St Bernard's St Mary of the Angels St Saviour's Infants St Saviour's Juniors	Ellesmere Port Catholic High	Ellesmere Port Hospice Good Shepherd Hospice
C	LPA 11	Blacon, St Theresa Chester, St Francis Chester, St Werburgh Lache, St Clare Mouldsworth Plas Newton, St Columba Tarporley, St Thomas Becket Waverton	St Clare's St Theresa's St Werburgh & St Col's St Wilfrid's	Chester Catholic High School St Nicholas Catholic High	Countess of Chester Grosvenor Nuffield + Forces
C	LPA 12	Castlefields, St Augustine Frodsham, St Luke Halton Brook, Holy Spirit Murdishaw, St Martin Palace Fields, Our Lady Runcorn, St Edward	Holy Spirit Our Lady's St Augustine's St Clement's St Edward's St Luke's St Martin's	Chester Catholic High School St Chad's Catholic High	Halton General Hospital Halton Haven Hospice
C	LPA 13	Appleton, St Monica Latchford, Our Lady & St Augustine Lymm, St Winefride	Our Lady's St Augustine's St Monica's	Cardinal Newman Catholic High	North Cheshire Hospital + Thorn Cross YOI

Region D - South Trafford & Wythenshawe

Regional Dean: Fr John Rafferty

Region	Pastoral Area	Parishes/Mass Centres	Primary Schools	Secondary Schools	Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies
D	LPA 14	Baguley, Sacred Heart & St Peter Benchill, St John & St Thomas Northenden, St Hilda & St Aidan Peel Hall, St Elizabeth Woodhouse Park, St Anthony	Sacred Heart St Aidan's St Anthony's St Elizabeth's St John's St Peter's	St Paul's CH	Wythenshawe General
D	LPA 15	Altrincham, St Vincent Hale Barns, Holy Angels Timperley, St John West Timperley, St Hugh	St Hugh's St Vincent's Infants St Vincent's Juniors Loreto Prep St Ambrose Prep	Blessed Thomas Holford St Ambrose College Loreto Grammar School for Girls	St Ann's Hospice
D	LPA 16	Ashton-on-Mersey, All Saints Partington, Our Lady Sale, St Joseph Sale, St Margaret Ward Sale Moor, Holy Family	All Saints Holy Family Our Lady of Lourdes St Joseph's St Margaret Ward's	Blessed Thomas Holford St Ambrose College Loreto Grammar School for Girls

Region E - Stockport & Tameside

Regional Dean: Canon Vincent Whelan

Region	Pastoral Area	Parishes/Mass Centres	Primary Schools	Secondary Schools	Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies
E	LPA 17	Brinnington, St Bernadette Marple, Holy Spirit Offerton, St Philip Romiley, Our Lady & St Christopher [1] Stockport, St Joseph	St Joseph's St Bernadette's Cheadle Infants & Junior St Philip's St Christopher's (St Mary's, Marple Bridge)	Harrytown CH Aquinas College	Stepping Hill Hospital Cherry Tree Hospital
E	LPA 18	Dukinfield, St Mary Hattersley, St James Hyde, St Paul Stalybridge, St Peter Stalybridge, St Raphael	St James' St Mary's St Paul's St Peter's St Raphael's	All Saints CC
E	LPA 19	Cheadle, St Chad Cheadle Hulme, St Ann Heald Green, Christchurch,	Cheadle Infants Cheadle Juniors	St James CH Aquinas College	Cheadle Royal Hospital Stepping Hill Hospital Alexandra Hospital St Ann's Hospice
E	LPA 20	Adswood, St Ambrose Bramhall, St Vincent Hazel Grove, St Peter Shaw Heath, Our Lady	Cheadle Infant Cheadle Primary Our Lady's St Ambrose St Peter's St Simon's	Harrytown CH St James CH Aquinas College	Stepping Hill Hospital

Region F - Wirral

Regional Dean: Fr Nick Kern

Region	Pastoral Area	Parishes/Mass Centres	Primary Schools	Secondary Schools	Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies
F	LPA 21	Leasowe, Our Lady of Lourdes Liscard, St Alban New Brighton, Ss Peter & Paul Seacombe, Our Lady & St Joseph Wallasey Village, English Martyrs	Our Lady of Lourdes St Alban's St Joseph's Ss Peter & Paul's	St Mary's St Anselm's Upton Hall
F	LPA 22	Moreton, Sacred Heart Greasby, Our Lady of Pity West Kirby, St Agnes Hoylake, Ss Catherine & Martina	Our Lady of Lourdes St Alban's St Joseph's Ss Peter & Paul's	St Mary's St Anselm's Upton Hall
F	LPA 23	Heswall, Our Lady & St John Neston, St Winefride Pensby, Holy Family	Our Lady of Lourdes St Alban's St Joseph's Ss Peter & Paul's	St Mary's Chester Catholic High School St Anselm's Upton Hall	Murrayfield Hospital
F	LPA 24	Bebington, St Luke Bromborough, Christ the King New Ferry, St John Rock Ferry, St Anne	St Anne's Christ the King St John's Infants St John's Juniors	St John Plessington St Anselm's Upton Hall	Clatterbridge Hospital St John's Hospice
F	LPA 25	Birkenhead, St Joseph Noctorum, St Peter Oxton, Holy Name Upton, St Joseph Woodchurch, St Michael & All Angels	St Joseph's, B'head St Joseph's, Upton St Michael's St Peter's Redcourt	St John Plessington St Mary's St Anselm's Upton Hall	Arrowe Park Hospital
F	LPA 26	Birkenhead, Holy Cross & St Paul Birkenhead, Our Lady Birkenhead, St Werburgh & St Laurence	Holy Cross Our Lady's St Laurence's St Paul's St Werburgh's	Plessington St Mary's St Anselm's Upton Hall

Modern history

The first bishop of the diocese was James Brown, president of Sedgeley Park School, who was consecrated 27 July 1851. Out of a total population of 1,082,617, Catholics numbered about 20,000. There were thirty churches and chapels attended by resident priests, and six stations; one convent, that of the Faithful Companions of Jesus, in Birkenhead, to which was attached a boarding school for young ladies, and also a small day-school for poor children. There were Jesuits at Holywell, who also had a college at St. Bruno's, Flintshire, and a Benedictine at Acton Burnell. When Dr. Brown celebrated the jubilee of his consecration, the secular priests had increased to sixty-six, and the regulars to thirty-two. Instead of one religious house of men and one of women, there were now four of men, and nine of women; and many elementary schools had been provided for the needs of Catholic children.

In 1852 the bitter feeling caused by the re-establishment of the hierarchy found vent in serious riots at Stockport. On 29 June a large mob attacked the Church of St Philip and St James; they broke the windows and attempted to force in the doors, but before they could effect an entrance, Canon Randolph Frith, the rector, succeeded in removing the Blessed Sacrament, and secreting it with the chalices, etc., in a small cupboard in the side chapel. He was compelled to flee immediately to the belltower, and, whilst the rabble were destroying whatever they could lay their hands upon, he made his escape along the roof, and descended by the spouting at the back of the presbytery. Much of the church furniture, with vestments, etc., was piled up in the street and burned. At St Michael's, the Host was desecrated, and the pyx and ciborium carried away.

Although the Catholic population of the diocese was 58,013 (as of the early 20th century), Shropshire contributed under 3,000, partly on account of agricultural depression and the consequent flocking to industrial centres. There were ninety clergy, sixteen convents, representatives of four orders of men, eight secondary schools for girls, an orphanage and industrial school for boys, a home for aged poor, a home for penitents, and an orphanage erected in memory of Bishop Knight. At Oakwood Hall, Romiley, a house of retreats for working-men opened and had done important work; and at New Brighton, the nuns of Our Lady of the Cenacle opened a house of retreats for working-women and ladies.

Shropshire is singularly rich in archeological interest, its pre-Reformation parish churches, the noble ruins of monasteries round the Wrekin, the Roman city of Uriconium (Wroxeter), the lordly castle of Ludlow, giving the county a place apart in the heart of the antiquary. In Shrewsbury itself, where once Grey, Black, and Austin Friars and the Black Monks of St. Benedict had foundations, there is now a beautiful little cathedral, built by Edward Pugin. Chester, too, with its quaint streets, black and white houses, and venerable cathedral and city walls, claims the visitor's attention. When the body of Daniel O'Connell was brought back from Genoa, it rested in the old chapel in Queen's Street on its way to Ireland. ^[5]

Related

• Diocese of Shrewsbury Lourdes Hospitalité
• Diocese Of Shrewsbury Lourdes Pilgrimage

References

1. ^ Bishop Mark Davies. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 12 March 2010.
2. ^ ^{a b} The Diocese of Shrewsbury - Pastoral, Spiritual & Practical Care to the Local Communities
3. ^ The Shrewsbury Voice - Oct 2007
4. ^ Shrewsbury Diocese Handbook 2008
5. ^ CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Shrewsbury

External links

• Website of the Diocese
• Catholic Hierarchy - Diocese Information
• Diocese Vocation Office
• Giga-Catholic Information
• Website of LPA 17 (Holy Family LPA)
• The Web of Our Lady and St Christopher's Romiley

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. Robert Appleton Company.