Diocese of Ballarat

Past and Present Ordinaries

• Michael O’Connor † (24 Apr 1874 Appointed - 14 Feb 1883 Died)
• James Moore † (22 Jan 1884 Appointed - 26 Jun 1904 Died)
• Joseph Higgins † (3 Mar 1905 Appointed - 16 Sep 1915 Died)
• Daniel Foley † (28 Apr 1916 Appointed - 31 Oct 1941 Died)
• James Patrick O’Collins † (23 Dec 1941 Appointed - 1 May 1971 Retired)
• Ronald Austin Mulkearns † (1 May 1971 Succeeded - 30 May 1997 Resigned)
• Peter Joseph Connors (30 May 1997 Appointed - 1 Aug 2012 Retired)
• Paul Bernard Bird, C.SS.R. (1 Aug 2012 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1959	64,110	305,000	21.0%	96	32	128	500		110	445	46	ap1960
1966	74,016	300,000	24.7%	95	41	136	544		142	484	50	ap1967
1968	75,399	354,400	21.3%	92	37	129	584		96	488	51	ap1971
1980	81,900	353,000	23.2%	85	29	114	718		76	344	54	ap1981
1990	88,300	354,000	24.9%	85	17	102	865		49	203	54	ap1991
1999	96,877	379,851	25.5%	67	13	80	1,210		33	200	52	ap2000
2000	96,877	379,851	25.5%	66	14	80	1,210		33	199	52	ap2001
2001	96,877	379,851	25.5%	57	15	72	1,345		34	193	52	ap2002
2002	96,877	379,851	25.5%	55	10	65	1,490		26	179	52	ap2003
2003	96,877	379,851	25.5%	55	10	65	1,490		25	177	52	ap2004
2004	96,877	379,851	25.5%	54	10	64	1,513		27	167	52	ap2005
2006	97,900	384,000	25.5%	54	11	65	1,506		29	148	52	ap2007
2012	104,600	418,000	25.0%	57	6	63	1,660		20	103	51	ap2013
2015	103,600	414,000	25.0%	47	8	55	1,883		12	87	51	ap2016
2018	108,000	431,780	25.0%	45	10	55	1,963		14	71	50	ap2019
2020	105,620	422,535	25.0%	46	12	58	1,821		16	65	41	ap2021
2022	97,130	429,190	22.6%	52	11	63	1,541	2	14	53	37	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Paul Bernard Bird, C.SS.R. (Bishop: 1 Aug 2012 - )
• Peter Joseph Connors (Bishop: 30 May 1997 to 1 Aug 2012)
• Brian Vincent Finnigan (Priest: 23 May 1970 to 31 Jan 2002)
• Shane Anthony Mackinlay (Deacon: 7 Sep 1990; Priest: 6 Sep 1991 to 23 Jul 2019)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Francis John Doyle, M.S.C. †
• Daniel Foley † (Bishop: 28 Apr 1916 to 31 Oct 1941)
• Joseph Higgins † (Bishop: 3 Mar 1905 to 16 Sep 1915)
• James Moore † (Bishop: 22 Jan 1884 to 26 Jun 1904)
• Ronald Austin Mulkearns † (Coadjutor Bishop: 5 Sep 1968; Bishop: 1 May 1971 to 30 May 1997)
• James Patrick O’Collins † (Bishop: 23 Dec 1941 to 1 May 1971)
• Michael O’Connor † (Bishop: 24 Apr 1874 to 14 Feb 1883)
• George Pell † (Deacon: 15 Aug 1966; Priest: 16 Dec 1966 to 30 Mar 1987)
• Joseph Basil Roper † (Priest: 30 Nov 1911 to 13 Jul 1938)