Aberdeen (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Edward Nicholas (Hugh) Gilbert, O.S.B., Bishop
Peter Antony Moran, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 4 March 1878
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Scotland
Region: Great Britain
Square Kilometers: 30,000 (11,587 Square Miles)
Description: City of Aberdeen, Counties of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Caithness, Moray, the northern part of Inverness-shire, Kincardineshire, Nairn, Ross and Cromarty, Sutherland, with the Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands.
Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofaberdeen.org/
Mailing Address: St. Mary's House, 14 Chanonry, Aberdeen AB24 1RP, Scotland, Great Britain
Telephone: (01224)31-9154

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Highland District
- Erected: 23 July 1727
- Vicariate
- Country: Scotland
- Region: Great Britain
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern District
- Name Changed: 13 February 1827
- Vicariate
- Country: Scotland
- Region: Great Britain
- Description: Counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Caithness, Inverness (Northern part), Moray, Nairn, Ross and Cromarty, Sutherland, and the Orkney and Shetland Isles

Past and Present Ordinaries

Alexander John Grant † (16 Sep 1727 Appointed - 28 Dec 1727 Died)
Hugh MacDonald † (12 Feb 1731 Appointed - 12 Mar 1773 Died)
John MacDonald † (12 Mar 1773 Succeeded - 9 May 1779 Died)
Alexander MacDonald † (30 Sep 1779 Appointed - 9 Sep 1791 Died)
John Chisholm † (8 Nov 1791 Appointed - 8 Jul 1814 Died)
Aeneas Chisholm † (8 Jul 1814 Succeeded - 31 Jul 1818 Died)
Ranald MacDonald † (27 Aug 1819 Appointed - 13 Feb 1827 Appointed, Vicar Apostolic of Western District, Scotland)
James Kyle † (13 Feb 1827 Appointed - 23 Feb 1869 Died)
John MacDonald † (23 Feb 1869 Succeeded - 4 Feb 1889 Died)
Colin Cameron Grant † (16 Jul 1889 Appointed - 26 Sep 1889 Died)
Hugh MacDonald, C.SS.R. † (14 Aug 1890 Appointed - 29 May 1898 Died)
Aeneas Chisholm † (7 Jan 1899 Appointed - 13 Jan 1918 Died)
George Henry Bennett † (18 Jun 1918 Appointed - 25 Dec 1946 Died)
John Alexander Matheson † (2 Aug 1947 Appointed - 5 Jul 1950 Died)
Francis Raymond Walsh, M. Afr. † (20 Jun 1951 Appointed - 22 Jul 1963 Resigned)
Michael Foylan † (8 Dec 1964 Appointed - 28 May 1976 Died)
Mario Joseph Conti † (28 Feb 1977 Appointed - 15 Jan 2002 Appointed, Archbishop of Glasgow, Scotland)
Peter Antony Moran (13 Oct 2003 Appointed - 4 Jun 2011 Retired)
Edward Nicholas (Hugh) Gilbert, O.S.B. (4 Jun 2011 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Highland District
23 July 1727	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Scotland	Vicariate Apostolic of Highland District (erected) Vicariate Apostolic of Lowland District
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern District
13 February 1827	Name Changed	Vicariate Apostolic of Highland District	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern District
Diocese of Aberdeen
4 March 1878	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Northern District	Diocese of Aberdeen

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Diocese of Aberdeen

1950 13,500 620,000 2.2% 48 24 72 187 43 82 40 ap1951

1959 13,000 640,910 2.0% 43 33 76 171 270 96 43 ap1960

1970 11,405 609,273 1.9% 36 39 75 152 61 92 41 ap1971

1980 15,000 660,000 2.3% 46 34 80 187 58 66 39 ap1981

1988 15,000 607,000 2.5% 29 30 59 254 2 48 53 39 ap1991

1999 17,650 700,000 2.5% 25 21 46 383 7 40 30 39 ap2000

2000 16,252 700,000 2.3% 27 19 46 353 7 33 28 39 ap2001

2001 16,000 700,000 2.3% 27 17 44 363 10 38 27 41 ap2002

2002 15,760 700,000 2.3% 28 17 45 350 11 33 27 39 ap2003

2003 14,469 700,000 2.1% 29 17 46 314 13 33 27 41 ap2004

2004 11,173 700,000 1.6% 31 17 48 232 13 33 27 41 ap2005

2005 14,732 700,000 2.1% 31 17 48 306 13 33 27 41 ap2006

2006 20,000 700,000 2.9% 31 13 44 454 12 26 26 41 ap2007

2011 18,378 723,000 2.5% 31 12 43 427 11 23 19 43 ap2012

2012 18,500 728,000 2.5% 30 18 48 385 11 32 17 43 ap2013

2015 50,000 741,600 6.7% 34 18 52 961 11 43 17 42 ap2016

2018 50,400 806,600 6.2% 33 15 48 1,050 11 40 10 41 ap2019

2020 50,750 811,430 6.3% 32 11 43 1,180 9 36 17 43 ap2021

2022 51,000 818,000 6.2% 29 10 39 1,307 9 35 18 33 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Aberdeen
1950	13,500	620,000	2.2%	48	24	72	187		43	82	40	ap1951
1959	13,000	640,910	2.0%	43	33	76	171		270	96	43	ap1960
1970	11,405	609,273	1.9%	36	39	75	152		61	92	41	ap1971
1980	15,000	660,000	2.3%	46	34	80	187		58	66	39	ap1981
1988	15,000	607,000	2.5%	29	30	59	254	2	48	53	39	ap1991
1999	17,650	700,000	2.5%	25	21	46	383	7	40	30	39	ap2000
2000	16,252	700,000	2.3%	27	19	46	353	7	33	28	39	ap2001
2001	16,000	700,000	2.3%	27	17	44	363	10	38	27	41	ap2002
2002	15,760	700,000	2.3%	28	17	45	350	11	33	27	39	ap2003
2003	14,469	700,000	2.1%	29	17	46	314	13	33	27	41	ap2004
2004	11,173	700,000	1.6%	31	17	48	232	13	33	27	41	ap2005
2005	14,732	700,000	2.1%	31	17	48	306	13	33	27	41	ap2006
2006	20,000	700,000	2.9%	31	13	44	454	12	26	26	41	ap2007
2011	18,378	723,000	2.5%	31	12	43	427	11	23	19	43	ap2012
2012	18,500	728,000	2.5%	30	18	48	385	11	32	17	43	ap2013
2015	50,000	741,600	6.7%	34	18	52	961	11	43	17	42	ap2016
2018	50,400	806,600	6.2%	33	15	48	1,050	11	40	10	41	ap2019
2020	50,750	811,430	6.3%	32	11	43	1,180	9	36	17	43	ap2021
2022	51,000	818,000	6.2%	29	10	39	1,307	9	35	18	33	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

George Henry Bennett † (Bishop: 18 Jun 1918 to 25 Dec 1946)
Ewen (Hugh) Cameron †
Aeneas Chisholm † (Deacon: 1 May 1859; Priest: 15 May 1859; Bishop: 7 Jan 1899 to 13 Jan 1918)
Aeneas Chisholm † (Priest: 1783; Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 11 May 1804; Vicar Apostolic: 8 Jul 1814 to 31 Jul 1818)
John Chisholm † (Priest: 17 Apr 1775; Vicar Apostolic: 8 Nov 1791 to 8 Jul 1814)
Seignelay (Charles) Colbert (Cuthbert) de Castle Hill †
Mario Joseph Conti † (Priest: 26 Oct 1958; Bishop: 28 Feb 1977 to 15 Jan 2002)
Michael Foylan † (Bishop: 8 Dec 1964 to 28 May 1976)
Robert Fraser † (Priest: 13 Aug 1882 to 14 May 1913)
Alexander John Grant † (Vicar Apostolic: 16 Sep 1727 to 28 Dec 1727)
Colin Cameron Grant † (Priest: 22 Dec 1855; Bishop: 16 Jul 1889 to 26 Sep 1889)
Gordon Joseph Gray † (Apostolic Administrator: 12 Sep 1963 to 25 Mar 1965)
James Kyle † (Priest: 21 Mar 1812; Vicar Apostolic: 13 Feb 1827 to 23 Feb 1869)
Alexander MacDonald † (Deacon: 15 Jul 1764; Priest: 10 Aug 1764; Vicar Apostolic: 30 Sep 1779 to 9 Sep 1791)
Hugh MacDonald † (Vicar Apostolic: 12 Feb 1731 to 12 Mar 1773)
Hugh MacDonald, C.SS.R. † (Bishop: 14 Aug 1890 to 29 May 1898)
John MacDonald † (Deacon: 18 Mar 1752; Priest: 1 Apr 1752; Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 25 Feb 1761; Vicar Apostolic: 12 Mar 1773 to 9 May 1779)
John MacDonald † (Deacon: Oct 1841; Priest: 4 Nov 1841; Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 11 Dec 1868; Vicar Apostolic: 23 Feb 1869; Bishop: 15 Mar 1878 to 4 Feb 1889)
Ranald MacDonald † (Priest: 1782; Vicar Apostolic: 27 Aug 1819 to 13 Feb 1827)
John Alexander Matheson † (Priest: 7 Mar 1925; Bishop: 2 Aug 1947 to 5 Jul 1950)
George John Smith †
William Turner †
Francis Raymond Walsh, M. Afr. † (Priest: 7 Mar 1925 to 9 Sep 1931; Bishop: 20 Jun 1951 to 22 Jul 1963)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Highland District
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 242
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern District
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 242
Diocese of Aberdeen
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 69
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 9, Page 33

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help

✠

Diocese of Aberdeen

Dioecesis Aberdonensis