Diocese of Auckland, New Zealand 🇳🇿

Continent: Oceania

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Auckland / Aucopolitan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Wellington

Neighbouring Dioceses: Nouméa (↖), Suva (↑), Tonga (↗), Hamilton (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Websites:

Celebrations

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: September 1 (1963)

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1836.01.10: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Western Oceania (from the suppressed Apostolic Prefecture of South Seas Islands)
1842.08.23: Renamed as Apostolic Vicariate of New Zealand (English) / Nova Zelandia (Latin) (lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Central Oceania)
1844.07.16: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Vicariate of Melanesia
1844: Lost territory to establish Apostolic Prefecture of Micronesia
1848.06.20: Promoted as Diocese of Auckland / Aucopolitan(us) (Latin) (lost territory to establish Diocese of Wellington)
1887.05.10: Became suffragan of Wellington
1980.03.06: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Hamilton

Contact Info

Address: Pompallier Diocesan Centre, 30 New Street, Private Bag 47904, Ponsonby, Auckland 1034, New Zealand

Phone: +64 9 378-4380

Papal Visits

Pope John Paul II (1986.11)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2021.12.17 – ...):

Bishop Stephen Marmion Lowe (64)

President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference

Monsignors (21)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Auckland (Roman Rite)

Bishop Stephen Marmion Lowe (64)
(2021.12.17 – ...)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand)
President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference

The Lord is my Shepherd / Ko te Ariki Toku Hepara

Born:	1962.08.03 (Hokitika, New Zealand)
Ordained Priest:	1996.06.07
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.02.13

Priest of Christchurch (New Zealand) (1996.06.07 – 2014.11.22)

Bishop of Hamilton (New Zealand) (2014.11.22 – 2021.12.17)

General Secretary of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (2016? – 2023.05.10)

Vice-President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (2020.10.30 – 2023.05.10)

Apostolic Administrator of Hamilton (New Zealand) (2021.12.17 – 2023.10.25)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (2021.12.17 – ...)

President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (2023.05.10 – ...)

Bishop Patrick James Dunn (76)
(1994.12.19 – 2021.12.17)

Bishop emeritus of Auckland (New Zealand)

Mullaċ abú

Born:	1950.02.05 (Muswell Hill, London, England)
Ordained Priest:	1976.04.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.07.25

Priest of Auckland (New Zealand) (1976.04.24 – 1994.06.10)

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness (1992.09.28 – 1994.06.10)

Titular Bishop of Fesseë (1994.06.10 – 1994.12.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1994.06.10 – 1994.12.19)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1994.12.19 – 2021.12.17)

General Secretary of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (2012.09 – 2016.06.01)

President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (2016.06.01 – 2020.10.30)

Bishop Denis George Browne
(1983.06.06 – 1994.12.19)

Live the truth in love

Born:	1937.09.21 (Auckland, New Zealand)
Ordained Priest:	1962.06.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.06.29
Died:	2024.09.01 (Auckland, New Zealand † 86)

Priest of Auckland (New Zealand) (1962.06.30 – 1977.03.21)

Bishop of Rarotonga (Cook Islands) (1977.03.21 – 1983.06.06)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1983.06.06 – 1994.12.19)

Bishop of Hamilton (New Zealand) (1994.12.19 – 2014.11.22)

President of Federation of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Oceania (2002 – 2006)

President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (2003.11 – 2009.09)

Bishop John Mackey
(1974.04.25 – 1983.01.01)

Born:	1918.01.11 (Bray, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1941.11.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1974.06.30
Died:	2014.01.20 († 96)

Priest of Auckland (New Zealand) (1941.11.23 – 1974.04.25)

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness (1972.04.11 – 1974.04.25)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1974.04.25 – 1983.01.01)

Bishop Reginald John Delargey (later Cardinal)
(1970.09.01 – 1974.04.25)

In ipso vita

Born:	1914.12.10 (Timaru, New Zealand)
Ordained Priest:	1938.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.02.27
Created Cardinal:	1976.05.24
Died:	1979.01.29 (Auckland, New Zealand † 64)

Priest of Auckland (New Zealand) (1938.03.19 – 1957.11.25)

Titular Bishop of Hirina (1957.11.25 – 1970.09.01)

Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1957.11.25 – 1970.09.01)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1970.09.01 – 1974.04.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Wellington (New Zealand) (1974.04.25 – 1979.01.29)

President of New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference (1976 – 1979)

Cardinal-Priest of Immacolata al Tiburtino (1976.05.24 – 1979.01.29)

Archbishop James Michael Liston
(1929.12.09 – 1970.03.07)

Born:	1881.05.09 (Dunedin, New Zealand)
Ordained Priest:	1904.01.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1920.12.12
Died:	1976.07.08 († 95)

Priest of Dunedin (New Zealand) (1904.01.31 – 1920.04.22)

Titular Bishop of Olympus (1920.04.22 – 1929.12.09)

Coadjutor Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1920.04.22 – 1929.12.09)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1929.12.09 – 1970.03.07)

Archbishop ad personam (1953.11.16 – 1970.03.07)

Titular Archbishop of Domnach Sechnaill (1970.03.07 – 1976.07.08)

Bishop Henry William Cleary
(1910.06.09 – 1929.12.09)

Born:	1859.01.15 (Glenranny, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1885.01.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1910.08.21
Died:	1929.12.09 († 70)

Priest of Ferns (Ireland) (1885.01.11 – 1910.06.09)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1910.06.09 – 1929.12.09)

Bishop George Michael Lenihan, O.S.B.
(1896 – 1910.02.22)

Born:	1858.09.11 (London, England)
Ordained Priest:	1882.08.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1896.11.15
Died:	1910.02.22 (Whangarei, New Zealand † 51)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1896 – 1910.02.22)

Bishop John Edmund Luck, O.S.B.
(1882.07.14 – 1896.01.22)

Born:	1848.03.18 (Peckham, England)
Ordained Priest:	1865
Consecrated Bishop:	1882.08.13
Died:	1896.01.22 (Auckland, New Zealand † 47)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1882.07.14 – 1896.01.22)

Archbishop Waltar Herman Steins, S.J.
(1879 – 1881.09.01)

Born:	1810.07.01 (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Ordained Priest:	1842.09.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1861.06.29
Died:	1881.09.07 (Syndey, New South Wales, Australia † 71)

Titular Bishop of Nilopolis (1860.10.10 – 1867.01.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Bombay (India) (1860.10.10 – 1867.01.11)

Apostolic Administrator of Poona (India) (1860.10.10 – 1867.01.11)

Vicar Apostolic of Western Bengal (India) (1867.01.11 – 1877)

Titular Archbishop of Bostra (1867.01.11 – 1879.05.15)

Archbishop-Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1879 – 1881.09.01)

Bishop Thomas William Croke (later Archbishop)
(1870.06.23 – 1874.06.25)

Born:	1824.05.24 (Castlecor Demesne, Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1846.05.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1870.07.10
Died:	1902.07.22 († 78)

Priest of Cloyne (Ireland) (1846.05.29 – 1870.06.23)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1870.06.23 – 1874.06.25)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Cashel (Ireland) (1875.01.24 – 1902.07.22)

Bishop Jean-Baptiste-François Pompallier, S.M. (later Archbishop)
(1848.06.20 – 1869.04.19)

Born:	1801.12.11 (Lyons, France)
Ordained Priest:	1829.06.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1836.06.30
Died:	1871.12.21 (Puteaux, France † 70)

Titular Bishop of Maronia (1836.05.13 – 1848.06.20)

Vicar Apostolic of New Zealand (New Zealand) (1836.05.13 – 1848.06.20)

Bishop of Auckland (New Zealand) (1848.06.20 – 1869.04.19)

Titular Archbishop of Amasea (1869.04.19 – 1871.12.21)

Vicars Apostolic of New Zealand (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jean-Baptiste-François Pompallier, S.M. (later Archbishop)
(1836.05.13 – 1848.06.20)

(see above)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop James Michael Liston (later Archbishop) (1920.04.22 – 1929.12.09)
Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: Bishop Philippe-Joseph Viard, S.M. (1845.02.07 – 1848.06.20)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Michael Andrew Gielen (55) (2020.01.06 – 2022.05.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Patrick James Dunn (76) (1994.06.10 – 1994.12.19)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop John Hubert Macey Rodgers, S.M. (1977.03.21 – 1997.01.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Edward Russell Gaines (1976.10.28 – 1980.03.06)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Reginald John Delargey (later Cardinal) (1957.11.25 – 1970.09.01)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St Patrick and St Joseph, Auckland, Auckland, North Island
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)

Churches by City (82)

Nouméa (↖), Suva (↑), Tonga (↗), Hamilton (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 24,500 km²

Population: 227,415 Catholics (11.5% of 1,980,950 total)

Pastoral Centres: 68 parishes, 22 missions

Personnel: 138 priests (75 diocesan, 63 religious), 12 deacons, 289 religious (118 brothers, 171 sisters), 4 seminarians