Diocese of Broome
Latin Catholic territory in Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Diocese of Broome is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church in Australia. The diocese covers the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia. It is a suffragan in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth. Its cathedral episcopal see is Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, in Broome, Western Australia.
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AustraliaDiocese of Broome Dioecesis Broomensis | |
|---|---|
Our Lady Queen of Peace Cathedral, Broome | |
| 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
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| Parishes |  9 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman 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 | Leo XIV |
| Bishop | Tim Norton |
| Apostolic Administrator | Michael Morrissey |
| Bishops emeritus | Christopher Alan Saunders Paul William Boyers |
| Website | |
| Catholic Diocese of Broome | |
History
On 10 May 1887, it was established initially as an 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 Drysdale River, which was later renamed Kalumburu. On 13 November 1959, it was renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of Kimberleys. It was elevated as a diocese on 7 June 1966. In 1981, it regained the territory of the suppressed Mission sui juris of Kalumburu.[1]
Episcopal ordinaries
The following individuals were ordinaries of Broome.[2]
Vicars Apostolic of Kimberley in Western Australia
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 Otto 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
Bishops of Broome
Order Name Title Date enthroned Reign ended Term of office Reason for term end 1 John Jobst, SAC † Bishop of Broome 7 June 1966 3 November 1995 29 years, 149 days Retired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Broome 2 Christopher Saunders Bishop of Broome 8 February 1996 11 March 2020 24 years, 32 days Stood aside, pending investigation, later resigned 2021 and appointed Bishop Emeritus 3 Tim Norton SVD Bishop of Broome 4 December 2025 Incumbent 1 year, 312 days
Parishes
As of 2011[update], the diocese had nineteen parishes:[3]
- 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)
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