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History
The Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation of St. John’s
(Incorporated May 12, 1897)
Erected
Prefecture Apostolic of Newfoundland, May 30, 1784, by Pope Clement XIV
Vicariate Apostolic of Newfoundland, January 5, 1796, by Pope Clement XIV
Diocese of Newfoundland, June 4, 1847, by Pope Pius IX
Archdiocese and Metropolitan See, February 7, 1904, by Pope Pius X
Former Bishops and Archbishops
1784 - 1806:
RIGHT REVEREND JAMES O’DONEL, O.S.F.
Prefect Apostolic of Newfoundland May 30, 1784
Appointed Vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland, January 5, 1796
Consecrated Bishop, September 21, 1796
Resigned December 31, 1806
Died April 1, 1811.
1807 - 1816:
RIGHT REVEREND PATRICK LAMBERT, O.S.F.
Coadjutor Bishop to Bishop O’Donel, August 2, 1805
Succeeded as Vicar Apostolic January 1, 1807
Died September 23, 1816.
1816 - 1830:
MOST REVEREND THOMAS SCALLON, O.S.F.
Coadjutor Bishop to Bishop Lambert, May 1, 1816
Succeeded as Vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland, Sept. 23, 1816
Died May 30, 1830.
1830 - 1850:
RIGHT REVEREND MICHAEL ANTHONY FLEMING, O.S.F.
Coadjutor to Bishop Scallon, October 28, 1829
Succeeded as Vicar Apostolic of Newfoundland, May 30, 1830
Bishop of Newfoundland, June 4, 1847
Died July 14, 1850.
1850 - 1869:
RIGHT REVEREND JOHN THOMAS MULLOCK, O.S.F.
Coadjutor to Bishop Fleming, December 27, 1847
Succeeded as Bishop of Newfoundland, July 14, 1850
Bishop of St. John’s, February 29, 1856
Died March 29, 1869.
1870 - 1893:
RIGHT REVEREND THOMAS JAMES POWER, D.D.
Bishop of St. John’s, June 12, 1870
Died December 4, 1893.
1893 - 1894:
RIGHT REVEREND THOMAS FRANCIS BRENNAN, D.D.
(Auxiliary Bishop)
Named Titular Bishop of Utila, February 1, 1893
Recalled to Rome when Archbishop Howley succeeded to the See
Retired to Monastery Grottaferrata
Died March 21, 1916. Buried at Frascatti, Italy.
1894 - 1914:
MOST REVEREND MICHAEL FRANCIS HOWLEY, D.D.
Appointed Vicar Apostolic of the West Coast of Newfoundland and
Bishop of Amastris, April 29, 1892
Consecrated June 24, 1892
Appointed Bishop of St. John’s, December 21, 1894
Died October 15, 1914
1915 - 1950:
MOST REVEREND EDWARD PATRICK ROCHE, D.D.
Consecrated June 29, 1915
Died September 23, 1950
1945 - 1949:
MOST REVEREND THOMAS JOHN FLYNN, D.D.
Coadjutor to the Archbishop of St. John’s with the right of succession
Consecrated June 24, 1945
Died September 1, 1949
1951- 1979:
MOST REVEREND PATRICK J. SKINNER, C.J.M., D.D.
Consecrated Titular Bishop of Zenobia, March 17, 1950
Named Auxiliary to the Archbishop of St. John’s
Nominated Archbishop of St. John’s, January 23, 1951
Took possession of the Archdiocese of St. John’s, March 22, 1951
Retired April 25, 1979
Died September 20, 1988
1979 - 1990:
MOST REVEREND ALPHONSUS L. PENNEY, D.D.
Consecrated Bishop of Grand Falls, Newfoundland, January 18,1973
Appointed Archbishop of St. John’s, April 5, 1979
Took possession of the Archdiocese of St. John’s, May 31, 1979
Resigned as Archbishop, February 2, 1991
1991 - 2001:
MOST REVEREND JAMES H. MACDONALD, C.S.C.
Consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton, Ontario, April 17, 1978
Bishop of Charlottetown, P.E.I., 1981- Feb 1, 1991
Appointed Archbishop of St. John’s, Feb 2, 1991
Took possession of the Archdiocese of St. John’s, Feb 2, 1991
Retired January 29, 2001
2001 - 2007:
MOST REVEREND BRENDAN M. O’BRIEN, S.T.D.
Ordained to Episcopate: June 29, 1987, Ottawa, Ontario
Auxiliary Bishop of Ottawa, Ontario, 1987-1993
Bishop of Pembroke: 1993-2000
Appointed Archbishop of St. John’s: December 2000
Took possession of the Archdiocese of St. John’s, Jan 29, 2001
Transferred to Kingston, Ontario, July 23, 2007
