Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds

In the 19th century, the region covered by the modern diocese fell under the jurisdiction of Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District, which in turn became the Apostolic Vicariate of the Yorkshire District, which was then elevated to the distinction of Diocese of Beverley in 1850. Around 1861, Bishop of Beverley Robert Cornthwaite, informed the Holy See that in his opinion, the Diocese of Beverley was too large, and in light of the expanding Catholic population, should be sub-divided into two regions. After 15 years of discussion and planning, it was agreed that on 20 December 1878, the Diocese of Beverley be dissolved and that the Diocese of Leeds be created to cater for the West Riding of Yorkshire and those parishes in the City of York to the south of the River Ouse, and the Diocese of Middlesbrough, covering the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire and those parishes in the City of York to the north of the River Ouse.^[3] However, in 1982 the two York parishes south of the River Ouse were ceded to the Diocese of Middlesbrough to unite the City of York under one bishop. In 1980, fifty parishes in the South Yorkshire region of the diocese were transferred from Leeds to the newly formed Diocese of Hallam. The parish of Howden was transferred from the Middlesbrough diocese to the Leeds diocese in 2004.

A diocesan mission was established in Peru in 1961 by Bishop Dywer, helping the Columban Fathers who were working with the people of the shanty towns of the capital city, Lima.^[4]

Patronal Feasts of the Diocese

More information Patron, Date ...

Patron	Date
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour	27 June
St Wilfrid	12 October

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Ordinaries

See Diocese of Beverley for bishops of that diocese.

Main article: Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds

• Robert Cornthwaite: Translated Bishop of Leeds, (1878–1890)
• William Gordon (1890–1911)
• Joseph Robert Cowgill (1911–1936)
• Henry John Poskitt (1936–1950)
• John Carmel Heenan (1951–1957)
• George Patrick Dwyer (1957–1965)
• Gordon Wheeler (1966–1985)
• David Konstant (1985–2004)
• Arthur Roche (2002–2012)
• Marcus Stock (2014–).^[5]

Coadjutor Bishops

• Joseph Robert Cowgill (1905–1911)
• William Gordon (1889–1890)
• Arthur Roche (2002–2004)

Auxiliary Bishop

• Gerald Moverley (1967–1980), appointed Bishop of Hallam

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

• Arthur Hinsley (priest here, 1893–1905), appointed titular bishop in 1926; later Cardinal
• Thomas Kevin O'Brien, appointed auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough in 1981
• Arthur Grange Riddell, appointed Bishop of Northampton in 1880
• Thomas Shine, appointed auxiliary bishop of Middlesbrough in 1921
• John Wilson, appointed auxiliary bishop of Westminster in 2015 - later Archbishop of Southwark
• Philip Moger, appointed auxiliary bishop of Southwark in 2022