Roman Catholic Diocese of Wrexham

Updated on Nov 10, 2023

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Country Wales Parishes 41 Area 8,361 km² Bishop Peter Brignall Metropolitan archbishop George Stack		Deaneries 6 Denomination Roman Catholic Cathedral Wrexham Cathedral Emeritus bishop Edwin Regan Secular priests 38

Territory Aberconwy, Colwyn, Anglesey, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, Wrexham and Montgomery Population - Total - Catholics (as of 2010) 710,000 48,800 (6.9%) Ecclesiastical province Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cardiff

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 the Pope.

History

The diocese was erected on 12 February 1987 from the Diocese of Menevia. The current bishop is the Right Reverend Peter Brignall, the 3rd Bishop of Wrexham. On 27 June 2012 Pope Benedict XVI named Peter Brignall, who was at that time the Diocese of Wrexham's Vicar General, to succeed the retiring bishop, Edwin Regan. Bishop Peter's episcopal ordination took place on 12 September 2012 in Wrexham Cathedral.

Timeline

29 September 1850: Universalis Ecclesiae: The Roman Catholic Church in Wales is split between the Diocese of Shrewsbury in the north and the Diocese of Newport and Menevia in the south.

4 September 1860: Belmont Abbey, Herefordshire, the cathedral priory of the Diocese of Newport and Menevia is consecrated.

4 July 1895: The Diocese of Newport and Menevia splits. Glamorgan, Monmouth and Herefordshire become the Diocese of Newport. The rest of Wales, including North Wales from the Diocese of Shrewsbury, becomes the Vicariate of Wales.

12 May 1898: The Vicariate of Wales become the Diocese of Menevia with Wrexham Cathedral as its pro-cathedral.

7 February 1916: The Diocese of Newport becomes the Archdiocese of Cardiff and it is decided that St. David's church in Cardiff would become its cathedral.

12 March 1920: St David's Cathedral, Cardiff is officially made the metropolitan cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cardiff.

12 February 1987: The Diocese of Menevia is split. The north becomes the Diocese of Wrexham with its cathedral remaining in Wrexham. The south remains the Diocese of Menevia and sets up Swansea Cathedral.

Details

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.

Bishops

(Any dates appearing in italics indicate de facto continuation of office. The start date of tenure below is the date of appointment or succession. Where known, the date of installation and ordination as bishop are listed in the notes together with the post held prior to appointment.)