Roman Catholic Church in Australia
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The Roman Catholic Church in Australia is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. There are an estimated 5.1 million baptized Roman Catholics in Australia, 28 per cent of the population, making it Australia's largest Christian denomination ("Protestants" and "Evangelicals" being an amalgam of denominations). In Australia's seven archdioceses and 32 dioceses there are an estimated 3,000 priests and 9,000 men and women in Catholic orders.
Until the 1986 census, Australia's most followed Christian faith was Anglican. Since then, Catholics have outnumbered Anglicans in Australia. Many believe an adding factor to this in a change in Australia's immigration policy, talking people from all different countries rather than having a preference for the United Kingdom. The percentage of Catholics is growing higher each year, although many Australians are not overly religious.
William Bernard Ullathorne (1806-1889) was instrumental in influencing Pope Gregory XVI to establish the hierarchy in Australia. Ullathorne was in Australia from 1833-1836 as vicar-general to Bishop William Morris (1794-1872), whose jurisdiction extended over the Australian missions.
Within Australia the hierarchy consists of:
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- Archdiocese of Adelaide
- *Diocese of Darwin
- *Diocese of Port Pirie
- Archdiocese of Brisbane
- *Diocese of Cairns
- *Diocese of Rockhampton
- *Diocese of Toowoomba
- *Diocese of Townsville
- Archdiocese of Melbourne
- *Diocese of Ballarat
- *Ukrainian Eparchy of Ss Peter and Paul (described as "attached" not "suffragan")
- *Diocese of Sale
- *Diocese of Sandhurst
- Archdiocese of Perth
- *Diocese of Broome
- *Diocese of Bunbury
- *Diocese of Geraldton
- Archdiocese of Sydney
- *Diocese of Armidale
- *Diocese of Bathurst
- *Diocese of Broken Bay
- *Diocese of Lismore
- *Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle
- *Diocese of Parramatta
- *Diocese of Wagga Wagga
- *Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes
- *Diocese of Wollongong
- Immediately subject to the holy see
- *Archdiocese of Hobart
- *Military Ordinate of Australia
- *Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
- *Maronite Diocese of St Maroun
- *Melkite Eparchy of St Michael, Archangel
See also
References
External links
- [The Roman Catholic Church in Australia's official website]
- [The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference official website]
- [Website of Patrick O'Farrell, historian of Catholic Australia]
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