Roman Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst is a suffragan
Latin rite diocese of the Archdiocese of Melbourne
, erected in 1874, covering the central and north-east regions of Victoria
, Australia, including Bendigo.
and the Diocese of Sandhurst became one of its suffragan. Both are within the Ecclesiastical Province of Melbourne.
By 1911, the diocese had Augustinian Fathers, Marist Brothers
, Sisters of Mercy
, Sisters of St. Brigid
, Sisters of St. Joseph
, Presentation Sisters
, Faithful Companions of Jesus
and Good Shepherd Sisters
.
Construction of the Sacred Heart Cathedral began in 1885, under Bishop Crane. Its organ was installed in 1905, under Stephen Reville. The cathedral was completed in 1977, under Bernard Stewart. Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of the largest Neo-Gothic or Gothic Revival cathedrals in Australia and its construction was largely made possible by the estate of the Paderborn
-born German pioneer priest Henry Backhaus, the first Roman Catholic priest on the goldfields of Bendigo.
The following individuals have been elected as Roman Catholic Bishops of Sandhurst:
, south of the Murray River
and east of the Loddon River
, an area of 45,178 sq km (17,450 sq mls). The diocese is divided into 41 parish
es and has 74 priests, 109 religious sisters and 5 brothers. Its seat is at the Sacred Heart Cathedral
in Bendigo, which was until 1891 called Sandhurst.
The diocese is a suffragan of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Melbourne
, in the Ecclesiastical Province of Melbourne. The diocese had a Catholic population of about 86,000 in 2006.
There are 50 Catholic schools in the diocese – 40 primary, 9 secondary and one P–10 school – catering for 7,700 primary and 5,850 secondary students. Bendigo's oldest Catholic church is St Kilian's.
Suffragan Diocese
A suffragan diocese is a diocese in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop but also by a metropolitan bishop. The metropolitan is always an archbishop who governs his own archdiocese...
Latin rite diocese of the Archdiocese of Melbourne
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was elevated in 1874 as an archdiocese of the...
, erected in 1874, covering the central and north-east regions of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia, including Bendigo.
History
The Diocese of Sandhurst was established on 30 March 1874, from the Diocese of Melbourne. At the same time, the Diocese of Melbourne was made an Archdiocese of MelbourneArchdiocese of Melbourne
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was elevated in 1874 as an archdiocese of the...
and the Diocese of Sandhurst became one of its suffragan. Both are within the Ecclesiastical Province of Melbourne.
By 1911, the diocese had Augustinian Fathers, Marist Brothers
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
, Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
, Sisters of St. Brigid
Brigidine Sisters
The Brigidine Sisters are a global Roman Catholic congregation, founded by Bishop Daniel Delany in Ireland on February 1, 1807...
, Sisters of St. Joseph
Sisters of St. Joseph
The title Sisters of St. Joseph applies to several Roman Catholic religious congregations of women. The largest and oldest of these was founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France...
, Presentation Sisters
Presentation Sisters
The Presentation Sisters, also known as the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary are an order of Roman Catholic women founded in Cork, Ireland by Nano Nagle in 1775....
, Faithful Companions of Jesus
Faithful Companions of Jesus
The Faithful Companions of Jesus Sisters was founded in Amiens in France in 1820 by Marie Madeleine de Bonnault d'Hoüet. They are a Christian religious order of the Roman Catholic Church in direct service to the Pope.-Service:...
and Good Shepherd Sisters
Good Shepherd Sisters
The Good Shepherd Sisters is a Roman Catholic order of women religious. In addition to the standard vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, the Good Shepherd Sisters take the following fourth vow of zeal for souls [to save souls], particularly of women and girls."I bind myself to the labor for...
.
Construction of the Sacred Heart Cathedral began in 1885, under Bishop Crane. Its organ was installed in 1905, under Stephen Reville. The cathedral was completed in 1977, under Bernard Stewart. Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of the largest Neo-Gothic or Gothic Revival cathedrals in Australia and its construction was largely made possible by the estate of the Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
-born German pioneer priest Henry Backhaus, the first Roman Catholic priest on the goldfields of Bendigo.
Ordinaries
At present the Diocese has no incumbent Bishop. Mons. Francis Marriott continues as administrator of the Sacred Heart Cathedral and Chancellor of the Diocese.The following individuals have been elected as Roman Catholic Bishops of Sandhurst:
| Order | Name | Date enthroned | Reign ended | Term of office | Reason for term end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin Crane Martin Crane (Roman Catholic bishop) Bishop Martin Crane, D.D. was an Irish-born Australian cleric, appointed to be the first Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Sandhurst.-Early Life:... , OSA † |
4 August 1874 | 21 October 1901 | Died in office | |
| 2 | Stephen Reville, OSA † | 21 October 1901 | 18 September 1916 | Died in office | |
| 3 | John McCarthy † | 14 February 1917 | 18 August 1950 | Died in office | |
| 4 | Bernard Denis Stewart † | 18 August 1950 | 21 April 1979 | Retired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Sandhurst | |
| 5 | Noel Desmond Daly † | 21 April 1979 | 1 July 2000 | Resigned and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Sandhurst | |
| 6 | Joseph Grech † | 8 March 2001 | 28 December 2010 | Died in office | |
| 7 | presently vacant | n/a | n/a | ||
Other information
It comprises the area north of the Great Dividing RangeGreat Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
, south of the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
and east of the Loddon River
Loddon River
The Loddon River is a 392-km long tributary of the Murray River that flows through central and northern Victoria, Australia. The river rises near Trentham and flows by Glenlyon. It then flows generally northward through Guildford and Newstead, 40 km west of Bendigo through the Cairn Curran...
, an area of 45,178 sq km (17,450 sq mls). The diocese is divided into 41 parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es and has 74 priests, 109 religious sisters and 5 brothers. Its seat is at the Sacred Heart Cathedral
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo
Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bendigo is a Catholic cathedral located in the provincial city of Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. It is the seat of the Diocese of Sandhurst, Sandhurst being an earlier name for Bendigo...
in Bendigo, which was until 1891 called Sandhurst.
The diocese is a suffragan of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Melbourne
Archdiocese of Melbourne
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was elevated in 1874 as an archdiocese of the...
, in the Ecclesiastical Province of Melbourne. The diocese had a Catholic population of about 86,000 in 2006.
There are 50 Catholic schools in the diocese – 40 primary, 9 secondary and one P–10 school – catering for 7,700 primary and 5,850 secondary students. Bendigo's oldest Catholic church is St Kilian's.
See also
- Roman Catholicism in Australia
- Anglican Diocese of BendigoAnglican Diocese of BendigoThe Anglican Diocese of Bendigo comprises much of the central and most of the north-central and north-west regions of Victoria, Australia, roughly the area of Victoria north of the Great Dividing Range and west of the Goulburn River. The cathedral church of the diocese is St Paul's Cathedral in...