About Us
Diocese of Cairns
The Diocese of Cairns is a broad and diverse region that spreads from Cardwell in the south, west across the Tablelands to the Northern Territory border, and north to Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands.
The bishops, priests and deacons serve the people of 23 parishes and parish clusters, including 27 schools and colleges within 3 deaneries.
Acknowledgment of Country
Our Diocese includes a large population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, many of whom are Catholic.
We would like to acknowledge these traditional custodians upon whose land our Catholic parishes, schools and agencies are built, and pay respect to the Elders, past, present and future for they hold the memories, traditions, culture and hopes of Australia’s Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people.
Our Vision
‘Encountering Christ, sharing our joy’.
We exist to spread the joy of the gospel, celebrate our faith and support our community across Far North Queensland.
Our Mission
Our mission is set out in our five pastoral priorities, which can be summarised as:
- Enabling full participation in the life and mission of the Church by articulating and sharing our faith.
- Fostering communities that offer welcome, respect and love to every person.
- Reaching out to young people in new and creative ways.
- Ensuring parishioners are aware of and formed in their commitment to mission and evangelisation
- Strengthening the service provision of Catholic Education Services, Centacare, and the Diocesan Finance and Administration agencies in meeting needs across the Diocese.
Diocesan Coat of Arms
The Arms are those of William Wellington Cairns (the namesake of our city), and onto which a white horizontal band. or "fess“, charged with a blue Maltese cross has been added. This acknowledges our association with the State of Queensland whose badge is the Maltese cross on a white field.
The Arms appear on the dexter side (the bearer’s right) of the shield of all the Bishops from 1949 to the present day. This follows the process of "impalement" where the personal Arms of the Incumbent are joined with the Arms of the Diocese signifying his role as a spiritual head of the Diocese.
Impalement means that the Arms are joined side by side rather than one above the other.
Patron of the Diocese
Mary, Mother of Good Counsel was chosen as Patroness of the Diocese of Cairns by the Augustinian Fathers who first came to our region in 1884.
The origin of “Good Counsel” is attributed to the last recorded words of Mary in the Gospels when she addressed the servants at the marriage feast of Cana and told them “Do whatever He tells you.”
The Augustinian devotion to Mary under this title is centred upon a shrine at Genazzano in Italy. Central to the devotion is a fresco which appeared mysteriously on the wall of an unfinished church in 1467. The painter of the fresco is unknown. The feast day of Mary Mother of Good Counsel is 26th April.
Services & Ministries
