Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John's–Basseterre
Diocese of Saint John's–Basseterre Dioecesis Sancti Ioannis–Imatelluranus | |
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Location | |
Country | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Ecclesiastical province | Province of Castries |
Statistics | |
Area | 1,050 km2 (410 sq mi) |
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2010) 169,787 14,878 (8.8%) |
Parishes | 10 |
Information | |
Denomination | Catholic |
Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Established | 16 January 1971 (50 years ago) |
Cathedral | Holy Family Cathedral |
Co-cathedral | Co-Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Bishop | |
Metropolitan Archbishop | Robert Rivas O.P. |
Bishops emeritus | Kenneth Richards
Donald James Reece Joseph O Bowers |
Map | |
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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint John's–Basseterre (Latin: Dioecesis Sancti Ioannis–Imatellurana) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, covering five English-speaking jurisdictions in the Caribbean. The bishopric is a suffragan of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Castries, and a member of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, but remains dependent on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
Cathedrals[]
It has two cathedrals, the Holy Family Cathedral in St John's, Antigua, and a co-cathedral, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Basseterre, St Kitts. Both churches are the seats of the bishop, who is currently[when?] the Most Rev. Robert Llanos, formerly Auxiliary Bishop of Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago).
The Holy Family Cathedral was completed and opened in 1987,[1][2] during the tenure of Bishop Donald James Reece (1981-2007), who dedicated it.[1][3] It was designed in the Modernist style with an octagon with a bell tower at the centre. On the tower there is a large cross, the largest external church cross in the country. There are also electronic synthesised bells which chime on the hour, before Mass and at the end of funerals.[citation needed]
The cathedral is of post Vatican II Latin Rite, but on the feasts of the Epiphany and of the Assumption, Sunday Mass is celebrated according to the Byzantine Rite.[citation needed]
Extent and statistics[]
The diocese encompasses the islands of five Anglophone countries in the Lesser Antilles :
- Antigua and Barbuda, which has the see Holy Family Cathedral in St John's, Antigua
- Saint Kitts and Nevis, which has a co-cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Basseterre, St Kitts
- Anguilla
- Montserrat
- the British Virgin Islands.
As per 2014, it pastorally served 16,743 Catholics (9.0% of 186,880 total) on 1,059 km² in 13 parishes and 20 missions with 12 priests (3 diocesan, 9 religious), 3 deacons and 21 lay religious (9 brothers, 12 sisters).
History[]
The diocese was erected on 16 January 1971 as Diocese of Saint John's, on territory split off from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Roseau (Dominica).
On 21 June 1981 it was renamed as Diocese of Saint John's–Basseterre.
Episcopal ordinaries[]
(all Roman Rite)
- Suffragan Bishop of Saint John's
- Joseph Oliver Bowers, S.V.D. (16 January 1971 — 21 June 1981)
- Suffragan Bishops of Saint John's–Basseterre
- Joseph Oliver Bowers, S.V.D. (21 June 1971 — 17 July 1981, retired)
- Donald James Reece (17 July 1981 — 12 October 2007, appointed as Coadjutor Archbishop of Kingston in Jamaica)
- sede vacante, Apostolic Administrator, Gabriel Malzaire (12 October 2007 — 19 November 2011)
- (19 November 2011 — 29 April 2016, appointed as Coadjutor Archbishop of Kingston in Jamaica)
- sede vacante, Apostolic Administrator, (20 June 2016 — 18 December 2018)
- (since 18 December 2018)
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "A Brief History of the Catholic Church in Antigua". Holy Family Cathedral Parish, Antigua. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Cathedral of the Holy Family". GCatholic. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "SKNVibes | Bishop Reece appointed as Archbishop".
Sources and external links[]
- GCatholic, with Google map and satellite photo
- Radio for the Diocese
- "Saint John's-Basseterre". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 27 February 2007.
Coordinates: 17°06′58″N 61°50′16″W / 17.11611°N 61.83778°W
- Roman Catholic dioceses in the Caribbean
- Catholic Church in Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Catholic Church in Anguilla
- Catholic Church in Antigua and Barbuda
- Catholic Church in the British Virgin Islands
- Catholic Church in Montserrat
- Organisations based in Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Christian organizations established in 1971
- Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
- Roman Catholic bishops of Saint John's–Basseterre
- Roman Catholic cathedrals in Antigua and Barbuda
- Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Castries
- Caribbean stubs
- Roman Catholic diocese stubs