Roman Catholic Diocese of Palmerston North

The Diocese of Palmerston North is Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in New Zealand. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Wellington. It was formed on 6 March 1980 when the archdiocese was divided. The diocese has an area of area 36,200 km² (14,000 sq mi) and had, in 2021, 67,645 Catholics, 50 priests (28 diocesan, 22 religious), 141 religious (male and female) out of a total population of 499,220 people.^[1] The cathedral of Palmerston North is the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

Diocese of Palmerston North Dioecesis Palmerstonaquiloniana
Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North
Location
Country	New Zealand
Territory	Manawatū-Whanganui region
Episcopal conference	New Zealand Catholic Bishops' Conference
Ecclesiastical province	Wellington
Metropolitan	Wellington
Coordinates	40°51′08″S 175°36′58″E
Statistics
Area	36,200 km2 (14,000 sq mi)[1]
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2021) 499,220[a] 67,645[a] ( 13.6%)
Parishes	22[a]
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	1980; 45 years ago (1980)
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Holy Spirit
Secular priests	28, plus 22 religious priests[a]
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	John Adams
Metropolitan Archbishop	Paul Martin
Website
www.pn.catholic.org.nz

Ordinaries of Palmerston North

List of ordinaries of Palmerston North

Tenure	Incumbent	Life
1980–2012	Peter James Cullinane	1936–present
2012–2019	Charles Edward Drennan	1960–present
2019–2023	John Dew[b]	1948–present
2023–present	John Adams	1963–present

Present bishops

• John Adams third Bishop of Palmerston North (2023 – incumbent)
• John Cardinal Dew, Apostolic Administrator (2019–2023).
• Charles Edward Drennan (born 1960), second Bishop of Palmerston North (2012–2019); Coadjutor Bishop of Palmerston North (2011–2012).
• Owen John Dolan (born 1928) Coadjutor Bishop Emeritus of Palmerston North (2004–present); Coadjutor Bishop of Palmerston North (1995–2004).
• Peter James Cullinane (born 1936), Bishop Emeritus of Palmerston North (2012–present); first Bishop of Palmerston North (1980–2012).

Secondary schools

Main article: List of Catholic schools in New Zealand § Palmerston North Diocese

• Cullinane College, Wanganui
• Francis Douglas Memorial College, New Plymouth
• Hato Paora College, Feilding
• Sacred Heart College, Napier
• Sacred Heart Girls' College, New Plymouth
• St John's College, Hastings
• St Joseph's Māori Girls' College, Taradale, Napier
• St Peter's College, Palmerston North

See also

• Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Palmerston North
• Francis Douglas (priest)
• Holy Name Seminary
• Holy Cross College (New Zealand)
• Roman Catholicism in New Zealand
• List of New Zealand Catholic bishops
• Southern Star Abbey
• Palmerston North
• New Plymouth
• Napier
• Hastings
• Whanganui

Notes

1. Annuario Pontificio (2022) via Catholic-Hierarchy.org^[1]
2. Apostolic Administrator