Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port of Spain
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port of Spain is a metropolitan diocese
of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
in the Caribbean
. The Archdiocese encompasses the entirety of the former Spanish dependency of Trinidad, including the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
. The Archdiocese is the Metropolitan responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Bridgetown
, Georgetown
, Paramaribo
, Kingstown
and Willemstad
, and is a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference
.
The diocese of Port of Spain
was originally erected as a Vicariate Apostolic in 1818 and elevated to an Archdiocese in April 1830.
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. The Archdiocese encompasses the entirety of the former Spanish dependency of Trinidad, including the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. The Archdiocese is the Metropolitan responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Bridgetown
Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese encompasses the entirety of the former British dependency of Barbados...
, Georgetown
Roman Catholic Diocese of Georgetown
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Georgetown is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain. It was elevated to the Diocese of Georgetown on 29 February 1956...
, Paramaribo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Paramaribo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Paramaribo is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Port of Spain...
, Kingstown
Roman Catholic Diocese of Kingstown
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kingstown is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the Caribbean. The diocese comprises the entirety of the nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines...
and Willemstad
Roman Catholic Diocese of Willemstad
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Willemstad is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Curaçao in the Caribbean. The diocese encompasses the territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean: the countries Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and the islands Bonaire, St....
, and is a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference
Antilles Episcopal Conference
The Antilles Episcopal Conference is a Roman Catholic episcopal conference. Its members are bishops and archbishops from current and former British, Dutch, and French colonies and dependencies in the Caribbean , Central America, and northern South America. The conference's membership includes five...
.
The diocese of Port of Spain
Port of Spain
Port of Spain, also written as Port-of-Spain, is the capital of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the country's third-largest municipality, after San Fernando and Chaguanas. The city has a municipal population of 49,031 , a metropolitan population of 128,026 and a transient daily population...
was originally erected as a Vicariate Apostolic in 1818 and elevated to an Archdiocese in April 1830.
Ordinaries
- James BuckleyJames Buckley (bishop)James Buckley was a Roman Catholic bishop.Buckley was born February 24, 1770, son of John and Ann Buckley, of London. He was baptised by Rev. Gerard Robinson; admitted to English College, Lisbon Feb...
(1819–1828) - Daniel McDonnell (1828–1844)
- Richard Patrick Smith (1844–1852)
- Vincent Spaccapietra (1855–1859)
- Ferdinand English (1860–1862)
- Joachim-Hyacinthe Gonin, O.P. (1863–1889)
- Patrick Vincent Flood, O.P. (1889–1907)
- John Pius Dowling, O.P. (1909–1940)
- Patrick Finbar Ryan, O.P. (1940–1966)
- Gordon Anthony Pantin, C.S.Sp. (1967–2000)
- Edward Joseph GilbertEdward Joseph Gilbert-References:...
, C.SS.R. (2001– present)