Diocese of Shrewsbury

The Diocese of Shrewsbury () is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in the Province of Birmingham which encompasses the historic English counties of Shropshire and Cheshire.

The diocese includes rural areas of Shropshire as well as parts of urban Greater Manchester south of the River Mersey such as Birkenhead, Stockport and Altrincham. The current bishop, Mark Davies, succeeded on 1 October 2010.

Geographical location

The diocese comprises the counties of Shropshire and Cheshire and the parts of Greater Manchester and Merseyside which were formerly in Cheshire. Before 1895, it also included North Wales (then lost for the erection of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Menevia, now, since 1987, in that of Wrexham). In 2007, new pastoral areas and regions were created, replacing the former deaneries.

{| class="wikitable"

! Region

! Name

! Regional Dean

| A

| Shropshire and Wrekin

| Stephan Coonan

| B

| Central Cheshire

| John Daly

| C

| North Cheshire

| Russell Cooke

| D

| South Trafford & Wythenshawe

| E

| Stockport & Tameside

| F

| Wirral

Past and present bishops

Ordinaries

thumb|right|200px|[[Mark Davies (Bishop of Shrewsbury)|Mark Davies is the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury.]]

James Brown (appointed 27 June 1851 – died 14 October 1881)
Edmund James 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)

Coadjutor Bishops

John Carroll (1893–1895)
Mark Davies (2009–2010)
Ambrose James Moriarty (1931–1934)
John Aloysius Murphy (1948–1949)

Auxiliary Bishops

John (Jack) Brewer (1971–1983), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Lancaster
Edmund James Knight (1879–1882), appointed Bishop here

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Philip Anthony Egan, appointed Bishop of Portsmouth in 2012
Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Wales, Wales in 1895
Gerard William Tickle, appointed Bishop of Great Britain, Military in 1963

Catholic education in the diocese

There are 112 Catholic schools and colleges serving 43,198 pupils.

{| class="wikitable"

! School type

! Voluntary Aided Primary

! Voluntary Aided Secondary

! Sixth Form Colleges

! Independent Schools

!Primary Academies

!Secondary Academies

| Number of schools

| 76

| 8

| 1

| 6

|10

|11

| Number of Students

| 18,768

| 7,236

| 2,179

| 1,217

|3,027

|10,771

All figures are as of August 2019

Patron saints of the diocese

1) Our Lady, Help of Christians – 24 May 2) Saint Winefride – 3 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.

The deanery comprises the whole of Shropshire. Catholic population (2008): 13,341

Regional Dean: Stephen Coonan

{| class="wikitable"

! 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 Pity

| St Mary's

St Winefride's

| Holy Trinity Academy

| 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

| Holy Trinity Academy

| 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

| Holy Trinity Academy

| 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

| Holy Trinity Academy

| 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

| Holy Trinity Academy

| (+Cosford)

+ Stoke Heath

+ TernHill

Region B – Central Cheshire

Regional Dean: John Daly

{| class="wikitable"

! Region

! Pastoral Area

! Parishes/Mass Centres

! Primary Schools

! Secondary Schools

! Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies

| B

| LPA 6

| Alderley Edge, St Pius X

Handforth, St Benedict

(http://www.stbenedictshandforth.co.uk/)

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: Russell Cooke

{| class="wikitable"

! 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: John Rafferty

{| class="wikitable"

! 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

| 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

Region E – Stockport & Tameside

Regional Dean:

{| class="wikitable"

! 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 [http://www.ourladyandstchristophersromiley.org.uk/]

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, Christ Church

(http://www.christchurchhg.co.uk/)

| 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

Edgeley, 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: Nick Kern

{| class="wikitable"

! 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

|Sacred Heart

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

thumb|right|200px|[[Shrewsbury Cathedral was opened in 1856]]

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 women, 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 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, 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 archaeological interest, its pre-Reformation parish churches, the noble ruins of monasteries round the Wrekin, the Roman city of Viroconium (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 the cathedral, designed by Edward Pugin. Chester, too, with its 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.

References

Bibliography

External links

Website of the Diocese
Catholic Hierarchy – Diocese Information
Diocese Vocation Office
GCatholic.org
Website of LPA 17 (Holy Family LPA)
The Web of Our Lady and St Christopher's Romiley

Geographical location

Past and present bishops

Ordinaries

Coadjutor Bishops

Auxiliary Bishops

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Catholic education in the diocese

Patron saints of the diocese

Parish pastoral areas and regions

Region B – Central Cheshire

Region C – North Cheshire

Region D – South Trafford & Wythenshawe

Region E – Stockport & Tameside

Region F – Wirral

Modern history

See also

References

Bibliography

External links