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Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

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This article is about the modern Roman Catholic diocese. For the ancient Diocese of Hexham, see Bishop of Hexham.

The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle (Latin: Dioecesis Hagulstadensis et Novocastrensis)[1] is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church, centred on St Mary's Cathedral in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. The diocese is one of the six suffragan sees in the ecclesiastical Province of Liverpool and covers the historic boundaries of County Durham and Northumberland.[2]

Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle

Dioecesis Hagulstadensis et Novocastrensis
Location
Country England
Territory Northumberland
 County Durham
 Tyne and Wear
Ecclesiastical provinceLiverpool
Deaneries18
Statistics
Area8,438 km2 (3,258 sq mi)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2019)
2,323,200
167,568 (7.2%)
Parishes149
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
Established29 September 1850
(as Hexham)
23 May 1861
(as Hexham and Newcastle)
CathedralSt Mary's Cathedral
Secular priests194
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopStephen Wright
Apostolic AdministratorMalcolm McMahon
Vicar GeneralPeter Leighton
Episcopal Vicars
  • Jeff Dodds
  • Simon Lerche
  • Andrew Faley
  • Adrian Tuckwell
  • Colm Hayden
Bishops emeritus
Map
The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle within the Province of Liverpool
The Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle within the Province of Liverpool
Website
rcdhn.org.uk

History

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See also: Catholic Church in England and Wales

The Diocese of Hexham was revived in 1850 by decree of Pope Pius IX, restoring the Catholic hierarchy to England and Wales. Although the ancient See of Hexham was founded in 678 it had later lapsed. Together with the See of Lindisfarne, founded by Saint Aidan, Hexham formed the main part of the Northumbrian kingdom's ecclesiastical structure. Among the early bishops elected to the see in 684 was Saint Cuthbert, the present-day patron of the modern diocese and, later, Acca of Hexham.[3]

The modern diocese was expanded to include the title of Newcastle in 1861. Originally under the metropolitan See of Westminster, the diocese became part of the new Province of Liverpool (often referred to as the Northern Province) in 1911.

On the restoration of the diocese in 1850, Pius IX appointed Bishop William Hogarth, Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District, to be the first bishop of the diocese. The Parish Church of Saint Mary, Newcastle upon Tyne, designed by Augustus Welby Pugin, was selected as the seat for the new bishop, gaining cathedral status.

In 1924, Pope Pius XI withdrew the old counties of Cumberland and Westmorland to incorporate them into a newly created Diocese of Lancaster. For this reason, the Lancaster diocese still considers St Cuthbert as one of its principal patrons. Other territory was taken from the Archdiocese of Liverpool to form the new see.

Present

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The modern Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle comprises the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham. In this respect, it comprises three cities: Newcastle upon Tyne, Durham and Sunderland. In 2005 Bishop Dunn reorganised the structure of the diocese and curia. He introduced five episcopal areas. These areas are arranged geographically and are known as Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside, Sunderland and East Durham, South Tyneside, Gateshead and North West Durham, and Cleveland and South Durham.

The diocesan curia and chancery are officially based at Bishop's House, 26 West Avenue, Gosforth, in the north of Newcastle. However, the tribunal and other commissions are actually based at the curial offices at St Vincent's in St Cuthbert's House, West Road.

The diocese was also home to the regional seminary for the north of England, Ushaw College, near Durham. The seminary had strong links with the University of Durham which validated the degree courses offered there. The seminary was governed by the bishops of the Northern Province under the chairmanship of the Archbishop of Liverpool. However, as the local ordinary, the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle always held the position of Vice-Chairman of Governors.

The diocesan patrons are Our Blessed Lady Immaculate (8 December) and Saint Cuthbert, Bishop and Confessor (20 March).

There are presently 214 diocesan priests (57 of whom are retired) and six permanent deacons serving 183 parishes. A number of religious orders are also present in the diocese, including the Passionists, the Jesuits, the Carmelites, the Poor Clares and the Sisters of Mercy.

21st century bishops

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In 2004, Kevin Dunn was appointed the 12th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle by Pope John Paul II, and was consecrated on 25 May 2004 at St Mary's Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne. He appointed the man who would ultimately be his successor, Canon Seamus Cunningham, as vicar general. He also appointed a new chancellor for the curia and a new episcopal vicar for religious.

Following the death of Bishop Dunn on 1 March 2008, the College of Consultors elected Canon Seamus Cunningham as the Diocesan Administrator. On 9 January 2009 it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed him to be the 13th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle. He received his episcopal ordination on Friday, 20 March 2009 – the feast day of St. Cuthbert – the diocesan patron.[4]

In February 2019, Robert Byrne was appointed as the 14th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle. Three years later, in December 2022, he announced his resignation from the position and returned to the congregation at the Oxford Oratory.[5]

The See of Hexham and Newcastle was sede vacante for a short period following Pope Francis' acceptance of the resignation of Robert Byrne in December of 2022.[6] On 14 June 2023, it was announced that Pope Francis had appointed Stephen Wright to be the 15th Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle on 14 June 2023. He was installed in St Mary’s Cathedral on 19 July 2023.[7]

Bishops

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Ordinaries

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Vicars Apostolic of Northern District

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See also Apostolic Vicariate of the Northern District (England).

Bishop of Hexham

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See also Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, which includes Bishop of Hexham.

Bishops of Hexham and Newcastle

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Coadjutor Vicars Apostolic

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Auxiliary Bishops

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Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

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See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ "Provisio Ecclesiarum" (PDF). Acta Apostolicae Sedis. CI (2): 152. 2 February 2009.
  2. ^ "About us". Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Hexham and Newcastle Roman Catholic Diocesan ArchivesBr". The National Archives. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Press Release for the Ordination of Canon Seamus Cunningham". Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  5. ^ "Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle announces resignation". The Catholic Church Bishops Conference of England and Wales. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  6. ^ "Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
  7. ^ "Rt Rev. Stephen Wright". The Catholic Church Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
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54°58′08″N 1°37′08″W / 54.969°N 1.619°W / 54.969; -1.619

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