Diocese of Lancaster
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese
centred around Lancaster Cathedral
in the city of Lancaster
in Lancashire
, England
.
It is in the province of Liverpool. It extends along the west of England
from the Ribble River in the south of Preston to the Scottish
border, comprising the counties of Cumbria
and much of Lancashire
. The diocese was erected in 1924, taking areas and parishes from the Archdiocese of Liverpool
and the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. The current Bishop of Lancaster is the Right Reverend Bishop Michael Gregory Campbell
OSA
, who is resident at the Cathedral in Lancaster. The emeritus
bishop is The Right Rev Patrick O'Donoghue. The diocese has around 90 active priests, 50 permanent deacons, 12 secondary schools, over a hundred primary schools and a similar number of parishes.
Areas in the diocese include the city of Preston; a city with an uncharacteristically high Catholic population - the highest anywhere in England & Wales in fact, due in no small part to the fact that the Protestant Reformation
never took hold in Preston to the same extent as it did in other places. Also notable in the diocese are: the Lake district
, Sellafield
nuclear power station, and towns and cities including Carlisle
, Lancaster, Blackpool
, Whitehaven
, Workington
, Barrow-in-Furness
, the major shipbuilding town.
Central organisations of the diocese include the residential youth centre Castlerigg Manor
, the Diocesan Youth Service, the Education Centre, Catholic Caring Services and others including the monthly diocesan newspaper, The Voice. There are also many other committees, societies and other informal organisations in the diocese.
), who served from 1962 until 1985. The current incumbent is Bishop Michael Gregory Campbell
. Bishop Campbell was installed on 1 May 2009 following the retirement of Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue.
St. Peter's Cathedral
on Balmoral Road, Lancaster, is the diocesan cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Lancaster
. Completed in 1859 as a parish Church of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, and raised to the status of a cathedral upon the establishment of the diocese in 1924, St. Peter's is a functioning parish. In addition, its grounds host numerous diocesan offices, including the Bishops Office, Finance Office and the Diocesan Youth Service.
For further details about the Cathedral, please see the detailed article
on the subject.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
centred around Lancaster Cathedral
Lancaster Cathedral
Lancaster Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral Church of St Peter and Saint Peter's Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It towers above its superb location overlooking Lancaster and Lancaster Canal...
in the city of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
It is in the province of Liverpool. It extends along the west of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from the Ribble River in the south of Preston to the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
border, comprising the counties of Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
and much of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. The diocese was erected in 1924, taking areas and parishes from the Archdiocese of Liverpool
Archdiocese of Liverpool
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool is an archdiocese of the Latin Rite, of the Roman Catholic church in England. The episcopal see is the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, located in Liverpool. The Archdiocese covers the south west of the traditional county of Lancashire...
and the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. The current Bishop of Lancaster is the Right Reverend Bishop Michael Gregory Campbell
Michael Gregory Campbell
Michael Gregory Campbell, OSA is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Bishop of Lancaster.-Publications:Bishop Campbell is the author of a number of book, all published by St Pauls, London:...
OSA
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
, who is resident at the Cathedral in Lancaster. The emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
bishop is The Right Rev Patrick O'Donoghue. The diocese has around 90 active priests, 50 permanent deacons, 12 secondary schools, over a hundred primary schools and a similar number of parishes.
Areas in the diocese include the city of Preston; a city with an uncharacteristically high Catholic population - the highest anywhere in England & Wales in fact, due in no small part to the fact that the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
never took hold in Preston to the same extent as it did in other places. Also notable in the diocese are: the Lake district
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
, Sellafield
Sellafield
Sellafield is a nuclear reprocessing site, close to the village of Seascale on the coast of the Irish Sea in Cumbria, England. The site is served by Sellafield railway station. Sellafield is an off-shoot from the original nuclear reactor site at Windscale which is currently undergoing...
nuclear power station, and towns and cities including Carlisle
City of Carlisle
The City of Carlisle is a local government district of Cumbria, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Carlisle, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Brampton and Longtown, as well as outlying villages...
, Lancaster, Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Whitehaven
Whitehaven
Whitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
, Workington
Workington
Workington is a town, civil parish and port on the west coast of Cumbria, England, at the mouth of the River Derwent. Lying within the Borough of Allerdale, Workington is southwest of Carlisle, west of Cockermouth, and southwest of Maryport...
, Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, the major shipbuilding town.
Central organisations of the diocese include the residential youth centre Castlerigg Manor
Castlerigg Manor
Castlerigg Manor is a Catholic Residential Youth Centre - also often referred to as Catholic Youth Retreat Centres - in Keswick, Cumbria, in the north of England's Lake District National Park...
, the Diocesan Youth Service, the Education Centre, Catholic Caring Services and others including the monthly diocesan newspaper, The Voice. There are also many other committees, societies and other informal organisations in the diocese.
Area and Population
The diocesan area is 2900 km² (1,119.7 sq mi). As of 2004 the Catholic population of the diocese was 111,264 for a total of 1,050,000 inhabitants (10.6%).Bishops of Lancaster
Since the erection of the Diocese in 1924, there have been six bishops. The longest serving Bishop was the third (Brian Charles FoleyBrian Charles Foley
Brian Charles Foley was an English prelate who served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Lancaster from 1962 to 1985.Born in Ilford, Essex on 25 May 1910, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Brentwood on 25 July 1937. He was appointed the Bishop of the Diocese of Lancaster by the Holy See on...
), who served from 1962 until 1985. The current incumbent is Bishop Michael Gregory Campbell
Michael Gregory Campbell
Michael Gregory Campbell, OSA is an English prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Bishop of Lancaster.-Publications:Bishop Campbell is the author of a number of book, all published by St Pauls, London:...
. Bishop Campbell was installed on 1 May 2009 following the retirement of Bishop Patrick O'Donoghue.
St. Peter's Cathedral
Lancaster Cathedral
Lancaster Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral Church of St Peter and Saint Peter's Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It towers above its superb location overlooking Lancaster and Lancaster Canal...
on Balmoral Road, Lancaster, is the diocesan cathedral and the seat of the Bishop of Lancaster
Bishop of Lancaster
The Bishop of Lancaster is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster in the Province of Liverpool, England.The diocese covers an area of and consists of the County of Cumbria together with the Hundreds of Lonsdale, Amounderness and Fylde in the north west of Lancashire...
. Completed in 1859 as a parish Church of the Archdiocese of Liverpool, and raised to the status of a cathedral upon the establishment of the diocese in 1924, St. Peter's is a functioning parish. In addition, its grounds host numerous diocesan offices, including the Bishops Office, Finance Office and the Diocesan Youth Service.
For further details about the Cathedral, please see the detailed article
Lancaster Cathedral
Lancaster Cathedral, also known as The Cathedral Church of St Peter and Saint Peter's Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It towers above its superb location overlooking Lancaster and Lancaster Canal...
on the subject.
External links
- Official Site
- Castlerigg ManorCastlerigg ManorCastlerigg Manor is a Catholic Residential Youth Centre - also often referred to as Catholic Youth Retreat Centres - in Keswick, Cumbria, in the north of England's Lake District National Park...
http://www.castleriggmanor.co.uk - Diocesan youth retreat centre. - Diocesan Youth Service
- Lancaster RC Cathedral
- Diocesan Retreat Centre
- The Latin Mass Society in the RC Diocese of Lancaster
- Giga-Catholic Information