The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

 is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Suva is a Metropolitan Archdiocese in Fiji. It is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Rarotonga and Tarawa and Nauru.-Ordinaries:*Jean-Baptiste Breheret, S. M. *Julien Vidal, S. M....

. It was erected as the Prefecture Apostolic of Cook e Mnihiki in 1922, elevated to the Vicariate Apostolic of Cook Islands in 1948 and elevated as the Diocese of Rarotonga in 1966.

Bishops

• Bernardin Castanié, C.I.M. (1923–1939)
• John David Hubaldus Lehman, C.I.M. (1939–1959)
• Hendrick Joseph Cornelius Maria de Cocq, SS.CC. (1964–1971)
• John Hubert Macey Rodgers
  John Rodgers (New Zealand bishop)
  John Hubert Macey Rodgers, SM was a Missionary bishop. He was Vicar Apostolic of Tonga and Niue Bishop of Tonga then Bishop of Rarotonga , Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland , Superior of the Mission, Funafuti, Tuvalu .Rodgers was born in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand on 9 October 1915...
  
  , S. M. (1973–1977)
• Denis George Browne (1977–1983)
• Robin Walsh Leamy
  Robin Leamy (bishop)
  Robin Walsh Leamy SM Robin Walsh Leamy SM Robin Walsh Leamy SM (born 27 July 1934, Wellington, New Zealand was ordained a priest of the Society of Mary (Marists) on 21 July 1958. He was Bishop of Rarotonga (1984–1996). He resigned from that See on 8 November 1996. On the same date he was...
  
  , S. M. (1984–1996)
• Stuart France O'Connell
  Stuart O'Connell
  Stuart France O'Connell SM was the fifth Catholic Bishop of Rarotonga .-Early life:O'Connell was born on 11 May 1935 in Lower Hutt. He completed his education at St. Patrick's College, Silverstream in 1953 and in 1954 entered Mount St Mary’s Seminary...
  
  , S. M. (1996–2011)
• Paul Donoghue
  Paul Donoghue
  Paul Donoghue SM is the sixth Catholic Bishop of Rarotonga . He was appointed bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on 11 April 2011.-Early life:...
  
  , 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...
  
   (2011– )

Education

Primary Schools

Saint Josephs School, Rarotonga

Saint Mary's School, Mauke Island

Secondary (High) School

Nukutere College

Nukutere College

Nukutere College is a Catholic secondary school located in Avarua, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. It is the country’s only Catholic secondary school and has an important educational role across the archipelago of islands...

, Rarotonga

Churches

Catholic Cathedral of Rarotonga (and the Cook Islands)

Saint Josephs Cathedral is the only Catholic Cathedral in the Cook Islands. The Cathedral is located in Avarua

Avarua

Avarua is a town and district in the north of Rarotonga Island, the national capital of the Cook Islands...

.

Two Catholic churches in Rarotonga also serve the local faithful. St Mary's in Arorangi Village

Arorangi

Arorangi is one of the five districts that make up the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It is located in the west of the island, to the northwest of the district of Titikaveka, and southwest of the district of Avarua....

 and Sacred Heart in Matavera village

Matavera

Matavera is the smallest of the five districts that make up the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It is located in the northeast of the island, to the east of the district of Avarua, and north of the district of Ngatangiia....

.

External links and references