Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish
Diocese of Antigonish Dioecesis Antigonicensis | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Canada |
Ecclesiastical province | Halifax |
Population - Catholics | 129,905 (56.4%) |
Information | |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | August 23, 1886 |
Cathedral | St. Ninian's Cathedral |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | Brian Dunn |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Archbishop of Halifax |
Bishops emeritus | Colin Campbell |
Website | |
www |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Antigonish (Latin: Dioecesis Antigonicensis) is a Latin Rite diocese in Nova Scotia, Canada.
History
It had been established on 22 September 1844, on territory split off from the Diocese of Halifax, under the name of Roman Catholic Diocese of Arichat, having its first cathedral (now Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption) in that natural port town, Arichat.
On 23 August 1886, it was renamed as Diocese of Antigonish, where it got its present episcopal see, St. Ninian's Cathedral.
2009–2010 apostolic administration
On August 7, 2009, Bishop Raymond Lahey announced that the Diocese of Antigonish had reached a $15 million settlement in a class action lawsuit filed by 125 victims of sexual abuse by Hugh Vincent MacDonald and other diocese priests dating from 1950 to 2009.[1] On September 26, 2009 Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Bishop Raymond Lahey, one day after a warrant was issued for his arrest by the Ottawa Police Service relating to child pornography charges (cf. sexual abuse scandal in Antigonish diocese).[2] The bishop pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and was jailed.[3]
Archbishop Anthony Mancini of the Archdiocese of Halifax was named the Apostolic Administrator effective September 26, 2009, and remained in that position until the installation of Brian Dunn on January 25, 2010.[4]
Extent
The Diocese of Antigonish covers 18,800 square kilometers, comprising the counties of Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, Victoria, Richmond and Cape Breton.
As of 2006, the diocese contained 123 parishes, 119 active diocesan priests, 8 religious priests, and 129,905 Catholics. It also has 290 women religious, 12 religious brothers and 1 permanent deacon. In 2012 in order to satisfy its legal obligations to pay out $15 million to the victims of sexual abuse, the diocese had to sell a large number of its lands and properties, liquidating the bank accounts of many of its churches, and borrowing $6.5 million from private lenders to make the payout.[5][1][6]
The Bishop of Antigonish serves ex officio as Chancellor of St. Francis Xavier University.
Diocesan suffragan bishops
The following is a list of the bishops, all Roman Rite, and their terms of service:
- suffragan bishops of Arichat
- William Fraser [Frazer] [7] (1844-1851), previously Titular Bishop of Tanis (1825.06.03 – 1842.02.15), Apostolic Vicar of Nova Scotia (Canada) (1825.06.03 – 1842.02.15), Bishop of Diocese of Halifax (Canada) (1842.02.15 – 1844.09.27)
- Colin Francis MacKinnon [8] (1851-1877), later Titular Archbishop of Amida (1877.08.30 – 1879.09.26)
- John Cameron [9] (1877.07.17 – 1886.08.23 see below), previously Titular Bishop of Titopolis (1870.03.11 – 1877.07.17) and Coadjutor Bishop of Arichat (Canada) (1870.03.11 – 1877.07.17)
- suffragan bishops of Antigonish
- John Cameron (see above (1886.08.23 – 1910.04.06)
- James Morrison (1912–1950), created Archbishop ad personam (1944.02.26 – 1950.04.13)
- John Roderick MacDonald (1950–1959), previously Bishop of Peterborough (Canada) (1943.06.05 – 1945.04.14), Titular Bishop of Ancusa (1945.04.14 – 1950.04.13), Coadjutor Bishop of Antigonish (Canada) (1945.04.14 – 1950.04.13)
- William Edward Power (1960–1986), also President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (1971 – 1973)
- Colin Campbell (1986–2002)
- Raymond Lahey (2003–2009), previously Bishop of Saint George's (Canada) (1986.07.05 – 2003.04.05); later Lay state (May 2012)
- Apostolic Administrator Anthony Mancini - (2009 - 2010), while Metropolitan Archbishop of Halifax(-Yarmouth) (Canada) (2007.10.18 – 2009.10.22)
- Brian Dunn – (2010–present),[4] previously Titular Bishop of Munatiana (2008.07.16 – 2009.11.21), Auxiliary Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie (Canada) (2008.07.16 – 2009.11.21)
References
- Diocese of Antigonish page at catholichierarchy.org retrieved July 17, 2006
- ^ a b "More church properties for sale to cover cost of sex-abuse deal". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Charge against Kansas City bishop the temper of the times, by John L Allen Jr, Oct. 15, 2011, National Catholic Reporter
- ^ a b "New N.S. bishop named to replace Lahey". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
- ^ "Diocese of Antigonish starts church review". The Chronicle Herald. 2014-04-14. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
- ^ "Antigonish diocese to sell hundreds of properties". CBC News. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
- ^ Flemming, David B. (1985). "Fraser, William". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. VIII (1851–1860) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ MacLean, R. A. (1972). "MacKinnon, Colin Francis". In Hayne, David (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. X (1871–1880) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- ^ MacLean, R. A. (1994). "Cameron, John". In Cook, Ramsay; Hamelin, Jean (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XIII (1901–1910) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
MacDonald, Alexander (1907). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Sources and external links
- Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Halifax
- Catholic Church in Nova Scotia
- Antigonish County, Nova Scotia
- Cape Breton County, Nova Scotia
- Guysborough County, Nova Scotia
- Inverness County, Nova Scotia
- Pictou County, Nova Scotia
- Richmond County, Nova Scotia
- Victoria County, Nova Scotia
- Religious organizations established in 1844
- 1844 establishments in Nova Scotia
- 1844 establishments in Canada