The Bishop of Menevia is the Ordinary

Ordinary

In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...

 of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Diocese of Menevia in the Province of Cardiff.

The Diocese of Menevia covers an area of 9716 km² (3,751.4 sq mi) roughly consisting of Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...

, Ceredigion

Ceredigion

Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...

, Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....

, Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....

, the City and County of Swansea

Swansea

Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

 and the ancient counties of Brecknockshire

Brecknockshire

Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...

 and Radnorshire

Radnorshire

Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...

.The see

Episcopal See

An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...

 is in Swansea

Swansea

Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

, where the seat

Cathedra

A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...

 is located at Saint Joseph's Cathedral.

The Vicariate Apostolic of Wales was elevated to diocese status on 12 May 1898. The present territory of the Diocese dates from the restructuring of the Province of Cardiff by Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

 on 12 February 1987. The current bishop

Bishop (Catholic Church)

In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....

 is the Right Reverend Thomas Burns

Thomas Burns (bishop)

Right Reverend Thomas Matthew Burns, SM, BA, BD is a British Roman Catholic Bishop. On 16 October 2008 he was appointed as Bishop of Menevia by Pope Benedict XVI, becoming Bishop on 1 December 2008 when he took possession of his new See, on which day he ceased to be Bishop of the...

, S.M.

Society of Mary (Marists)

The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...

 Previously Bishop of the Forces

Bishopric of the Forces

The Bishopric of the Forces is the Latin-rite Catholic military ordinariate which provides chaplains to the British Armed Forces across the United Kingdom and overseas. The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England, Wales and Scotland, and from some religious orders...

, he was appointed the eleventh Bishop of Menevia by Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

 on 16 October 2008 and took possession of his See during the celebration of Mass

Mass (liturgy)

"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...

 at the Cathedral on 1 December 2008.

The estimated Catholic population of the Diocese is 26,266 out of a total population of 788,550 (3.3%).

Vicars Apostolic of Wales

Vicars Apostolic of Wales
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1895	1898	Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn Francis Mostyn Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn was a Welsh prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Cardiff from 1921 until his death.-Biography:...	Appointed Vicar Apostolic of Wales and Titular Bishop of Ascalon on 4 July 1895 and consecrated on 14 September 1895. Appointed Bishop of Menevia on 14 May 1898 when the district was elevated to a diocese.

Bishop of Menevia

Bishops of Menevia
From	Until	Incumbent	Notes
1898	1921	Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn Francis Mostyn Francis Edward Joseph Mostyn was a Welsh prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Cardiff from 1921 until his death.-Biography:...	Formerly Vicar Apostolic of Wales (1895–1898). Appointed Bishop of Menevia on 14 May 1898. Translated to the archbishopric of Cardiff Archbishop of Cardiff The Archbishop of Cardiff is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff.The archdiocese covers an area of and spans the historic counties of Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and eastern Glamorganshire...  on 7 March 1921.
1921	1926	See vacant
1926	1935	Francis John Vaughan Francis John Vaughan Francis John Vaughan was an Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Menevia from 1926 to 1935.Born at Courtfield, near Welsh Bicknor, Herefordshire on 5 May 1877, he was ordained to the priesthood on 5 July 1903. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia by the Holy See on...	Appointed bishop on 21 June 1926, consecrated on 8 September 1926, installed on 14 September 1926. Died in office on 13 March 1935.
1935	1940	Michael Joseph McGrath Michael Joseph McGrath Michael Joseph McGrath was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served first as the Bishop of Menevia from 1935 to 1940, then the Archbishop of Cardiff from 1940 to 1961....	Appointed bishop on 10 August 1935 and consecrated on 24 September 1935. Translated to the archbishopric of Cardiff Archbishop of Cardiff The Archbishop of Cardiff is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff.The archdiocese covers an area of and spans the historic counties of Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and eastern Glamorganshire...  on 20 June 1940.
1941	1946	Daniel Joseph Hannon Daniel Joseph Hannon Daniel Joseph Hannon was an Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Menevia from 1941 to 1946.Born in Rotherham, Yorkshire on 12 June 1884, he was ordained to the priesthood on 22 September 1907. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia by the Holy See on 15 March 1941...	Appointed bishop on 15 March 1941 and consecrated on 1 May 1941. Died in office on 26 April 1946.
1947	1972	John Edward Petit John Edward Petit John Edward Petit was an Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Menevia from 1947 to 1972.Born in London on 22 June 1895, he was ordained to the priesthood on 9 May 1918. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Menevia by the Holy See on 8 February 1947...	Appointed bishop on 8 February 1947 and consecrated on 25 March 1947. Retired on 16 June 1972 and died on 2 June 1973.
1972	1981	Langton Douglas Fox Langton Douglas Fox Langton Douglas Fox was an Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Menevia from 1972 to 1981.Born in Golders Green, London on 21 February 1917, he was ordained to the priesthood on 30 May 1942. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Menevia and Titular Bishop of Maura on 18 October 1965...	Formerly an auxiliary bishop Auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...  of Menevia (1965–1972). Appointed Bishop of Menevia on 16 June 1972. Resigned on 5 February 1981 and died on 26 July 1997.
1981	1983	John Aloysius Ward John Aloysius Ward John Aloysius Ward was a Roman Catholic clergyman. He became Bishop of Menevia in 1981, and Archbishop of Cardiff in 1983...	Appointed Coadjutor Bishop Coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...  of Menevia on 25 July 1980 and consecrated on 1 October 1980. Succeeded Bishop of Menevia on 5 February 1981. Translated to the archbishopric of Cardiff Archbishop of Cardiff The Archbishop of Cardiff is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff.The archdiocese covers an area of and spans the historic counties of Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and eastern Glamorganshire...  on 25 March 1983.
1983	1987	James Hannigan James Hannigan (bishop) James Hannigan was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served firstly as the Bishop of Menevia , then the Bishop of Wrexham ....	Appointed bishop on 13 October 1983 and consecrated on 23 November 1983. Translated to the bishopric of Wrexham Bishop of Wrexham The Bishop of Wrexham is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham in the Province of Cardiff in Wales.The diocese covers an area of and consists of the Welsh historic counties of Anglesey, Caernarfonshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire The Bishop of...  on 12 February 1987.
1987	2001	Daniel Joseph Mullins Daniel Joseph Mullins Daniel Joseph Mullins was an Roman Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Menevia from 1987 to 2001.Born in Kilfinane, County Limerick, Ireland on 10 July 1929, he was ordained to the priesthood on 12 April 1953. He was appointed an auxiliary bishop of Cardiff and Titular Bishop of...	Formerly an auxiliary bishop Auxiliary bishop An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...  of Cardiff (1970–1987). Appointed Bishop of Menevia on 12 February 1987. Resigned on 12 June 2001.
2001	2008	John Peter Mark Jabalé John Mark Jabalé John Mark Jabalé, OSB is the Bishop Emeritus of Menevia. He was installed as bishop on 12 June 2001. Prior to appointment as Ordinary of the Diocese, he had been abbot in Belmont Abbey during 1993-2000, and then coadjutor bishop from 7 December 2000... , O.S.B. Order of Saint Benedict The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...	Appointed Coadjutor Bishop Coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...  of Menevia and consecrated on 7 December 2000. Succeeded Bishop of Menevia on 12 June 2001. Retired on 16 October 2008.
2008	present	Thomas Matthew Burns Thomas Burns (bishop) Right Reverend Thomas Matthew Burns, SM, BA, BD is a British Roman Catholic Bishop. On 16 October 2008 he was appointed as Bishop of Menevia by Pope Benedict XVI, becoming Bishop on 1 December 2008 when he took possession of his new See, on which day he ceased to be Bishop of the... , S.M. Society of Mary (Marists) The Society of Mary , is a Roman Catholic religious congregation or order, founded by Father Jean-Claude Colin and a group of other seminarians in France in 1816...	Previously Bishop of H.M. Forces Bishopric of the Forces The Bishopric of the Forces is the Latin-rite Catholic military ordinariate which provides chaplains to the British Armed Forces across the United Kingdom and overseas. The chaplains are drawn from the dioceses of England, Wales and Scotland, and from some religious orders... (2004–2008). Appointed Bishop of Menevia on 16 October 2008 and installed on 1 December 2008.