Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Roman Catholic diocese which encompasses the pre-1974 counties of Shropshire and Cheshire in the North West and West Midlands of England.
The diocese includes rural areas of Shropshire as well as Manchester south of the River Mersey and other urban areas such as Birkenhead, Stockport and Ellesmere Port. 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. In 2007, new pastoral areas and regions were created, replacing the former deaneries.| Region | Name | Regional Dean |
| A | Shropshire & Wrekin | Canon Stephan Coonan |
| B | Central Cheshire | Fr John Daly |
| C | North Cheshire | Fr Russell Cooke |
| D | South Trafford & Wythenshawe | Canon John Rafferty |
| E | Stockport & Tameside | |
| F | Wirral | Fr Nick Kern |
Past and present bishops
Ordinaries
- James Brown
- Edmund Knight
- John Carroll
- Samuel Webster Allen
- Hugh Singleton
- Ambrose James Moriarty
- John Aloysius Murphy
- William Eric Grasar
- Joseph Gray
- Brian Michael Noble
- Mark Davies (current bishop, succeeded 1 October 2010
Coadjutor Bishops
- John Carroll
- Mark Davies
- Ambrose James Moriarty
- John Aloysius Murphy
Auxiliary Bishops
- John Brewer, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Lancaster
- Edmund James Knight, 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
| 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
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 has two co-leaders and each region is headed by a Regional Dean.
Region A – Shropshire & Wrekin Catholic Region
Regional Dean: Canon Stephen Coonan| Region | Pastoral Area | Parishes/Mass Centres | Primary Schools | Secondary Schools | Hospitals & Other Chaplaincies |
| A | LPA 1 | Shrewsbury Cathedral 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 Plowden, St Walburga | Moor Park | Holy Trinity Academy | |
| A | LPA 4 | Bridgnorth, St John Broseley Donnington, Our Lady Telford, The Good Shepherd Wellington, St Patrick | 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 | + Stoke Heath + TernHill |
Region B – Central Cheshire
Regional Dean: Fr 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 Knutsford, St Vincent 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 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: Fr 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: Fr 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 for Girls | 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 for Girls |
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 | 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 | 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: Fr 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
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 ladies, 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 Dr. 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, Canon 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, 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, 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.