History
From 1877
The Diocese of Cairns was a Vicariate for 64 years before it was constituted a diocese on the 8th July 1941. This happens when “there is a considerable increase in the number of faithful souls and to have developed works of religion in no small degree.”
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries where a diocese has not yet been formed.
It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more. The hope is that the region will generate enough Catholics for the Church to create a diocese.
A Short Chronicle
- Ministry focus: Evangelising to the Aboriginal community and ministering to the large mining population.
- 1872: The Catholic church in Georgetown is opened - the first to be built north of Bowen.
- 1873: Cooktown is established and the goldfields serviced by transient priests from Brisbane.
- 1875: The church in Cooktown is established.
- 1876: Cairns is established.
- 1877: This area is the Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland and the first Pro-Vicar (Lecaille) was appointed but never took up the appointment.
- 1884: The Irish Augustinian's are invited to staff the Vicariate with Fr John Hutchinson being the first Vicar-Apostolic of Cooktown.
- 1886: On 10th January, Cairns’ first catholic church, St Monica’s Church and Priory was opened on the corner of Abbott & Minnie Streets. The buildings were subsequently destroyed in the 1927 cyclone.
- 1887: Moved from Vicariate Apostolic of Queensland to Vicariate Apostolic of Cooktown with Fr John Hutchinson OSA at the helm. On a trip back to Ireland he encouraged the Sisters of Mercy to come out
- 1889: There were 12 priests and 5 churches in the Vicariate.
- 1898: Saw the arrival of Bishop James Murray OSA after the death of John Hutchinson (1897)
- C.1904: The downturn in the economy and population Bishop James Murray moved the headquarters from Cooktown to Cairns.
- 1914: When James Murray dies there were 8 churches, 13 priests and 10,000 Catholics. Fr John Heavey OSA is appointed and he becomes the first bishop of Cairns when the Vicariate of Cooktown was elevated by Rome to the Diocese of Cairns 1941
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