Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham, is a diocese
of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
in Wales
. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, directly subject to the authority of His Holiness the Pope.
The diocese covers an area of 8,361 km² of the ancient counties of Anglesey
, Caernarfonshire
, Denbighshire
, Flintshire
, Merionethshire
and Montgomeryshire
(the local government areas of Conwy
, Anglesey
, Denbighshire
and Flintshire
, Gwynedd
, Wrexham
and the former Montgomeryshire
).
The see
is in the town of Wrexham
where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
.
The diocese was erected on February 12, 1987 from the Diocese of Menevia. The current bishop is the Right Reverend Edwin Regan
, the 2nd Bishop of Wrexham.
The deaneries include:
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
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 Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cardiff, directly subject to the authority of His Holiness the Pope.
The diocese covers an area of 8,361 km² of the ancient counties of Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
and Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
(the local government areas of Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
, Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
and Flintshire
Flintshire
Flintshire is a county in north-east Wales. It borders Denbighshire, Wrexham and the English county of Cheshire. It is named after the historic county of Flintshire, which had notably different borders...
, Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
and the former Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
).
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 the town of Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Wrexham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Sorrows also known as Wrexham Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the seat of the Bishop of Wrexham, and mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham.-History:...
.
The diocese was erected on February 12, 1987 from the Diocese of Menevia. The current bishop is the Right Reverend Edwin Regan
Edwin Regan
Edwin Regan is a Welsh prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the second and current Bishop of Wrexham.-Biography:...
, the 2nd Bishop of Wrexham.
List of the Bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Wrexham, Wales
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| February 12, 1987 to March 7, 1994 | 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 .... |
Bishop of Menevia; died in office |
| November 7, 1994 to present | Edwin Regan Edwin Regan Edwin Regan is a Welsh prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the second and current Bishop of Wrexham.-Biography:... |
Priest of Menevia; ordained December 13, 1994 |
Deaneries
There are a total of six deaneries in the Diocese of Wrexham, all of which cover several churches in that area, overseen by a dean.The deaneries include:
- Caernarfon DeaneryCaernarfon DeaneryThe Caernarfon Deanery is a Roman Catholic deanery in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham that covers sixteen churches in Caernarfon and the surrounding area in Gwynedd and Anglesey.The dean of Caernarfon is yet to be appointed.- Churches :...
- Colwyn Bay DeaneryColwyn Bay DeaneryThe Colwyn Bay Deanery is a Roman Catholic deanery in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham that covers seven churches in Conwy.The dean of Colwyn Bay is Rev Antony Jones V.F.- Churches :* St Joseph, Colwyn Bay, Conwy* St Michael and All Angels, Conwy...
- Dolgellau DeaneryDolgellau DeaneryThe Dolgellau Deanery is a Roman Catholic deanery in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham that covers eleven churches in Gwynedd.The dean of Dolgellau is Rev...
- Flint DeaneryFlint DeaneryThe Flint Deanery is a deanery in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham that covers nine churches in Flintshire, Wales.The dean of Flint is Rev Canon James Webb, V.F.- Churches :* Our Lady of the Rosary, Buckley* The Blessed Sacrament, Connah's Quay...
- Rhyl DeaneryRhyl DeaneryThe Rhyl Deanery is a Roman Catholic deanery in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham that covers nine churches in Conwy and Denbighshire.The dean of Rhyl is Rev...
- Wrexham DeaneryWrexham DeaneryThe Wrexham Deanery is a Roman Catholic deanery in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham that covers eleven churches in Wrexham and Powys.The dean of Wrexham is Rev Joseph Stewart V.F.- Churches :* Wrexham Cathedral, Wrexham* St Anne, Wrexham...