Roman Catholic Diocese of Broome

Diocese of Broome Dioecesis Broomensis
Location
Country	Australia
Territory	Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia
Ecclesiastical province	Province of Perth
Metropolitan	Archdiocese of Perth
Coordinates	17°57′31″S 122°14′16″E
Statistics
Area	773,000 km2 (298,000 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2006) 35,001 13,402 ( 38.3%)
Parishes	9
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Latin Rite
Established	10 May 1887 as Vicariate Apostolic of Kimberley 7 June 1966 as Diocese of Broome
Cathedral	Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, Broome
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Christopher Alan Saunders
Bishops emeritus	John Jobst, SAC
Website
Catholic Diocese of Broome

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Broome is a suffragan Latin Rite diocese of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth, covering the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia.

Cathedral

Its cathedral episcopal see is Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, in Broome, Western Australia.

History

On 10 May 1887, it was established initially as a Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberley in Western Australia, on territory split off from the then Diocese of Perth.

On 4 May 1910, it lost territory to establish the Mission sui juris of Drisdale River, which was later renamed Kalumburu.

On 13 November 1959, it was renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberleys.

It was elevated and renamed again as a diocese of Broome on 7 June 1966.

In 1980, it regained the territory of the suppressed Mission sui juris of Kalumburu.

Episcopal Ordinaries

The following individuals have been appointed Apostolic Vicar or elected as Roman Catholic Bishop of Broome or any of its precursor titles:

Order	Name	Title	Date enthroned	Reign ended	Term of office	Reason for term end
1	William Bernard Kelly †	Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia	1894	1909	15 years, 0 days	Resigned whilst earlier elevated as Bishop of Geraldton
2	Fulgentius Torres, OSB †	Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia	5 May 1910	6 October 1914	4 years, 154 days	Died in office
3	John Creagh, CSsR †	Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia	1914	1922	8 years, 0 days	Died in office
4	Ernesto Coppo, SDB †	Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia	1 December 1922	1928	5 years, 31 days	Resigned and appointed Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kimberley in Western Australia
5	Ottone Raible, SAC †	Apostolic Administrator of Kimberley in Western Australia	18 January 1928	18 June 1935	7 years, 151 days	Elevated as Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia
		Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia	18 June 1935	12 March 1958	22 years, 267 days	Resigned and appointed Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Kimberley in Western Australia
6	John Jobst, SAC	Vicar Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia	13 January 1959	7 June 1966	7 years, 145 days	Elevated as Bishop of Broome
		Bishop of Broome	7 June 1966	3 November 1995	29 years, 149 days	Retired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Broome
7	Christopher Saunders	Bishop of Broome	8 February 1996	present	28 years, 288 days	n/a

Parishes

The diocese has nineteen parishes with regular liturgical services held in the following locations, with churches dedicated to particular saints:

• Balgo-Kutjungka (St Theresa)
• Broome (Our Lady Queen of Peace)
• Dampier Peninsula with churches in Beagle Bay (Sacred Heart) and Lombadina (Christ the King)
• Derby (Our Lady of the Holy Rosary) and Fitzroy Crossing (St Francis)
• Halls Creek (St Mary)
• Kalumburu (Our Lady of the Assumption)
• Kununurra (St Vincent Pallotti)
• La Grange-Bidyadanda (St John the Baptist)
• Wyndham (Queen of Apostles)

See also

• Roman Catholicism in Australia

Sources and External links

• Catholic Diocese of Broome
• GigaCatholic