Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. The pre-Reformation Diocese of Galloway, held to have been founded by St Ninian in the fifth century, had broken allegiance with Rome in 1560, and disappeared in 1689. The territory of the modern diocese incorporates, the local authority areas of Dumfries and Galloway, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and parts of North Ayrshire,. The bishop's cathedra is at St Margaret's Cathedral, Ayr.
The diocese was re-established by the Roman Catholic Church on 4 March 1878, with its cathedral in Dumfries and its territory covering the sparse and rural counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Wigtownshire and parts of Ayrshire. Following the reorganisation of the Archdiocese of Glasgow in 1947, parishes to the north of Galloway were transferred to it from Glasgow, creating a significant population centre for the first time around the town of Ayr. In response to this development Bishop McGee moved his residence from Dumfries to Ayr and, following a catastrophic fire at St Andrew's Cathedral in May 1962, it was decided that the Good Shepherd Church, Ayr should also become the diocesan cathedral. The third and present cathedral, following the closure of Good Shepherd Cathedral in May 2007, is St Margaret's Cathedral in Ayr.
The eighth and present bishop of the diocese is the Right Reverend William Nolan.Bishops
Past and present ordinaries
The following is a list of the modern Bishops of Galloway:
The following is a list of current and former churches within the Diocese of Galloway:
- Ayr, St Margaret's Cathedral
- Ayr, St Paul's, Belmont
- Ayr, Good Shepherd Cathedral, Whitletts
- Annan, Saint Columba
- Ardrossan, Saint Peter-in-Chains
- Auchinleck, Our Lady & St Patrick
- Beith, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
- Castle Douglas, Saint John the Evangelist
- Catrine, Saint Joseph
- Cumnock, Saint John the Evangelist
- Dalbeattie, Saint Peter
- Dalry, Saint Palladius
- Darvel, Our Lady of the Valley
- Drongan, Saint Clare
- Dumfries, Saint Andrew
- Dumfries, Saint Teresa
- Galston, Saint Sophia
- Gatehouse of Fleet, Church of the Resurrection
- Girvan, The Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- Hurlford, Saint Paul
- Irvine, Saint John Ogilvie
- Irvine, Saint Margaret of Scotland
- Irvine, Saint Mary
- Kilbirnie, Saint Brigid
- Kilmarnock, Saint Joseph
- Kilmarnock, Saint Matthew
- Kilmarnock, Saint Michael
- Kilmarnock, Our Lady of Mount Carmel
- Kilwinning, Saint Winin
- Kirkconnel, Saint Conal
- Kirkcudbright, Saint Andrew and Saint Cuthbert
- Langholm, Saint Francis of Assisi
- Largs, Saint Mary, Star of the Sea
- Lockerbie, Holy Trinity
- Maybole, Our Lady and St Cuthbert
- Millport, Isle of Cumbrae, Our Lady of Perpetual Succour
- Moffat, Saint Luke
- Mossblown, Saint Ann
- Muirkirk, Saint Thomas, Apostle
- New Abbey, Saint Mary
- Newton Stewart, Our Lady and Saint Ninian
- Prestwick, Saint Quivox
- Saltcoats, Saint Brendan
- Saltcoats, Our Lady, Star of the Sea
- Stevenston, Saint John
- Stewarton, Our Lady and Saint John
- Stranraer, Saint Joseph
- Troon, Our Lady of the Assumption and Saint Meddan
- Waterside, Saint Francis Xavier
- West Kilbride, Saint Bride
- Whithorn, Saint Martin and Saint Ninian
- Wigtown, The Sacred Heart
