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.Bishop Mark Davies. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 12 March 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.The Diocese of Shrewsbury – Pastoral, Spiritual & Practical Care to the Local Communities Region Name Regional DeanThe Shrewsbury Voice – Oct 2007 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
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. Shrewsbury Diocese Handbook 2008 School type Voluntary Aided Primary Voluntary Aided Secondary Sixth Form Colleges Independent SchoolsPrimary AcademiesSecondary Academies Number of schools 76 8 1 61011 Number of Students 18,768 7,236 2,179 1,2173,02710,771 All figures are as of August 2019
Patron saints of the diocese
1) Our Lady, Help of Christians – 24 May2) 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.
Region A – Shropshire & Wrekin Catholic Region It is sub-divided into five pastoral areas, which in turn contain 19 parishes.
Prior to October 2007, two deaneries - Shrewsbury & West Shropshire and Telford & East Shropshire - existed. In line with diocesan restructuring by Bishop Brian Noble, these were merged to form the Shropshire Pastoral Area.The Diocese of Shrewsbury - Pastoral, Spiritual & Practical Care to the Local Communities
The deanery comprises the whole of Shropshire. Catholic population (2008): 13,341Diocese of Shrewsbury Yearbook 2008
Regional Dean: 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 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
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
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
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:
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 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 19Cheadle, 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
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