# Roman Catholic Diocese of Geraldton

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Geraldton is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or diocese of the Catholic Church covering the Mid West, Western Australia. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Perth.
Its cathedral episcopal see is St Francis Xavier Cathedral, in Geraldton.

## History

Established on 30 January 1898 as Diocese of Geraldton / Geraldtonen(sis) (Latin), on territory split off from the then Diocese of Perth (now its Metropolitan).

## Statistics

As of 2014, it pastorally served 29,700 Catholics (23.1% of 128,800 total) on 131,831 km² in 16 parishes and 24 missions with 18 priests (12 diocesan, 6 religious), 35 lay religious (10 brothers, 25 sisters), 3 seminarians.

### Parishes

The diocese has fifteen parishes with regular liturgical services held in the following locations, with churches dedicated to particular saints:
* Geraldton (Cathedral of St Francis Xavier), Greenough (St Peter), and Rangeway (St John)
* Bluff Point (St Lawrence) and Wonthella (St Patrick)
* Carnarvon (St Mary Star of the Sea) and Exmouth (St John)
* Dongara (Our Lady Star of the Sea) and Leeman (Mary Queen of Peace)
* Karratha (St Paul), Dampier (St Peter), and Wickham (Our Lady of the Pilbara)
* Leonora (Sacred Heart), Laverton (Christ the Redeemer), and Leinster
* Morawa (Holy Cross)
* Mt Magnet (St Brigid), Meekatharra (Christ the King), and Cue (St Patrick)
* Mullewa (Our Lady of Mt Carmel) and Mingenew (St Joseph)
* Newman (St Joseph)
* Northampton (Our Lady in Ara Coeli), Kalbarri (Our Lady Help of Christians), and Nanson (Our Lady of Fatima)
* Port Hedland (St Cecilia)
* South Hedland (St John the Baptist)
* Three Springs (St Paul), Perenjori (St Joseph), Coorow (Our Lady Queen of Peace), and Carnamah (St Andrew)
* Tom Price (St Thomas) and Paraburdoo (St Theresa)

## Bishops
### Episcopal ordinaries

The following individuals have been elected as Bishops of Geraldton:
    Order Name Date enthroned Reign ended Term of office Reason for term end 1William Bernard Kelly †21 March 189826 December 192123 years, 280 daysDied in office 2Richard Ryan, Congregation of the Mission (C.M.)30 January 1923, previously Apostolic Vicar of Kimberley in Western Australia (1894–1909)10 March 19263 years, 39 daysAppointed Bishop of Sale (Australia) (10 March 1926 – 16 June 1957) 3James Patrick O'Collins †11 February 193023 December 194111 years, 315 daysAppointed Bishop of Ballarat (Australia) (23 December 1941 – 1 May 1975) 4Alfred Gummer †24 February 19425 April 196220 years, 40 daysDied in office 5Francis Xavier Thomas †18 June 196231 July 198119 years, 43 daysRetired as Bishop Emeritus of Geraldton 6William Foley †13 July 198126 October 19832 years, 105 daysElevated as Metropolitan Archbishop of Perth (26 October 1983 – 10 February 1991) 7Barry Hickey22 March 198423 July 19917 years, 123 daysElevated as Metropolitan Archbishop of Perth (23 July 1991 – 20 February 2020), also Vice-President of Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (5 May 2006 – 4 May 2012) 8Justin Joseph Bianchini25 March 199215 May 201732 years, 198 daysRetired as Bishop Emeritus of Geraldton 9Michael Morrissey15 May 2017incumbent7 years, 147 days

### Other priest of this diocese who became bishop

* Bryan Gallagher †, appointed Bishop of Port Pirie in 1952

## Catholic Education

| School | Location | Details |
| St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary School | Geraldton | Primary K–6 |
| St Lawrence's School | Bluff Point | Primary K–6 |
| St John's School | Rangeway | Primary K–7 |
| St Paul's School | Karratha | Primary K–7 |
| Our Lady of Mt Carmel | Mullewa | Primary K–7 |
| St Mary's School | Northampton | Primary K–7 |
| St Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic School | Carnarvon | Combined Primary and Secondary, K–10 |
| St Cecilia's Catholic Primary School | Port Hedland | Primary K–7 |
| Nagle Catholic College | Geraldton | Secondary Day school, 7–12 |
| St Luke's College | Karratha | Secondary Day school, 8–12 |
| Christian Brothers Agricultural School | Tardun | Secondary Day school, 8–10 |