Archdiocese of Wellington
Vellingtonen(sis)
Metropolitan see · Latin Church · Wellington, New Zealand
Latin rite metropolitan archdiocese covering the southern North Island and northern South Island of New Zealand, seated in Wellington. Erected as a diocese in 1848 and elevated to metropolitan archdiocese on 10 May 1887, its suffragans are Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton and Palmerston North; its seat is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of Saint Mary His Mother.
The see
- Rank
- Metropolitan see
- Tradition
- Latin Church
- Erected
- 10 May 1887
- Latin
- Vellingtonen(sis)
- Patron
- Sacred Heart and Our Lady
- Annuario code
- 001000147
The see in figures
- Catholics
- 85,380
- Population
- 701,120
- Catholic share
- 12.2%
- Priests
- 100
- Catholics per priest
- 854
- Extent
- 35,822 km²
- Catholics per km²
- 2.4
of the people living within its bounds
Figures as recorded in the register, from the Annuario Pontificio and the see's own published statements. Shares and ratios are computed from the two figures shown beside them.
The bishop
- Archbishop
- Paul Martin, S.M.
A see whose chair stands empty is recorded as vacant rather than filled with a guess. On what a bishop is, see the bishop.
The cathedral
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of Saint Mary His Mother stands in Wellington, the church that holds the cathedra from which this see takes its name.
On what a cathedral is, see the cathedral; every see church on earth is gathered at the cathedrals.
The province of Wellington
This see is the metropolitan of its province.
The sees of this province:
- Diocese of AucklandAuckland
- Diocese of ChristchurchChristchurch
- Diocese of DunedinDunedin
- Diocese of Hamilton in New ZealandHamilton
- Diocese of Palmerston NorthPalmerston North
On how the Church is ordered into provinces, see the diocese.
History
New Zealand's Latin Catholic metropolitan archdiocese is the Archdiocese of Wellington, whose Catholics number about 85,380 (2023) across 23 parishes. Its territory stretches over central New Zealand, from Levin and Masterton in the north to Kaikoura and Westport in the south. Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, and Palmerston North are its suffragan sees.
What is kept by invitation
The record above is published because it is public: what this see is, when it was erected, who holds its chair, and where it stands among its neighbours.
The working record is not. The chancery's address, telephone and email, the clergy of the see, and the hours of Mass, confession and adoration in the parishes within it are kept for members, and a person reads every request.
Sources
The see's own website · Wikipedia
This record is compiled from the published statements of the see and the references of the Holy See, among them the Annuario Pontificio. On the method, see the keeping of the record. Whoever finds an error is asked, in charity, to write: [email protected].