Bishop’s Office
Lord God, you are our eternal shepherd and guide. In your mercy, grant to the Diocese of Plymouth a shepherd who will walk in your ways, and whose watchful care will bring us your blessing. We ask this in the name of Christ our Lord.
Sede Vecante
Diocesan Administrator
Canon Paul Cummins
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Bishop’s Office
Contact Details:
Telephone: 01752 224414
Address:
Bishops House
45 Cecil Street
Stonehouse
Plymouth
PL1 5HW
Bishop’s Private Secretary
Email:
Bishop’s Personal Assistant
Previous Bishops
By Letters Apostolic (Universalis ecclesiae) of Pope Bl. Pius IX, dated 29 September 1850, the Diocese of Plymouth was erected, with the episcopal see fixed at the Pro-Cathedral Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist, Stonehouse, Plymouth (1850-1858), consecrated on 20 December 1807, then at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth (1858- ), consecrated on 22 September 1880.
The Diocese of Plymouth was an original suffragan see within the Province of Westminster. At first, the Diocese of Plymouth comprised the counties of Cornwall, Devon and Dorset, with the Isles of Scilly.
By Letters Apostolic (Si qua est) of Pope St Pius X, dated 28 October 1911, the Province of Westminster was divided into three new provinces of Birmingham, Liverpool and Westminster, with the Diocese of Plymouth being made part of the Province of Birmingham. The episcopal see remained at the Cathedral Church of 55. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth (1858- ).
By Letters Apostolic (Romanorum pontificum) of Pope St Paul VI, dated 28 May 1965, the Province of Westminster was divided further into two new provinces of Southwark and Westminster, with the Diocese of Plymouth being made part of the newly erected Province of Southwark. The episcopal see remained at the Cathedral Church of 55. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth (1858- ).
The Diocese today comprises the counties of Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset (excluding the districts of Bournemouth and Christchurch), with the Isles of Scilly. In addition, the Diocese includes the parish of Kinson and Ensbury Park (in the district of Bournemouth).
Patron of the Diocese I St. Boniface, 5 June.
Feast of the Dedication of the Cathedral I 22 September
a. (* APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR:)
RT REV. JOSEPH WILLIAM FRANCIS HENDREN OFM Rec. I born 19 October 1791 at
Birmingham • professed (Order of Friars Minor – Recollect) 2 August 1806 at Abergavenny • ordained priest (Order of Friars Minor – Recollect) 28 September 1815 at Giffard House, Wolverhampton • ordained titular Bishop of Verinopolis and appointed Vicar Apostolic for the Western District 10 September 1848 by Rt Rev. Dom. William Bernard Ullathorne OSB at the Church of St Mary on the Quay, Bristol • translated 29 September 1850 to restored Diocese of Clifton • appointed 29 September 1850 Apostolic Administrator of Diocese of Plymouth until 27 June 1851 • translated 27 June 1851 to restored Diocese of Nottingham • appointed 25 February 1853 titular Bishop of Martyropolis and retired to Birmingham then later to Taunton • died 14 November 1866 at Poor Clares Convent, Taunton aged 75
• buried at the Poor Clares Convent Lodge, Taunton • reinterred 4 October 1997 at the Church of St George, Taunton.
• Poor Clares Convent, Billet Street, TAUNTON TA1 3NN
RT REV. DR GEORGE ERRINGTON
1st Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 18 September 1804 at Clints Hall, Marske, Richmond • ordained priest (Northern District) 22 December 1827 at the Venerable English College, Rome, Italy • ordained Bishop of restored Diocese of Plymouth 25 July 1851 by Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman at the Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist, Salford • translated 30 March 1855 to titular Archbishop of Trapezus and appointed coadjutor Archbishop of Westminster • appointed 16 September 1855 Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Clifton until 15 February 1857 • resigned 22 July 1860 as coadjutor Archbishop of Westminster • appointed 1 September 1865 parish priest of the Church of St Mary of the Isle, Douglas, Isle of Man • nominated 27 January 1868 Apostolic Delegate in Scotland but declined the appointment 12 August 1868 • appointed Council Father at First Vatican Council 8 December 1869 to 20 October 1870 • retired 1 September 1874 to Prior Park, Bath • died 19 January 1886 at Prior Park College, Bath aged 81 • buried at the College Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, Prior Park, Bath.
• Prior Park College, Ralph Allan Drive, BATH BA2 5AH
RT REV. DR WILLIAM JOSEPH VAUGHAN
2nd Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 14 February 1814 at London, Middlesex• ordained priest (Western District) 10 March 1838 at the College Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, Prior Park, Bath • ordained Bishop of Plymouth 16 September 1855 by Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman at the Pro-Cathedral Church of the Twelve Apostles, Clifton, Bristol • appointed Council Father at First Vatican Council 8 December 1869 to 20 October 1870 • died 25 October 1902 at St Augustine's Priory, Abbotskerswell, Newton Abbot aged 88 • buried at St Augustine's Priory, Abbotskerswell, Newton Abbot• reinterred 13 December 1998 at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth.
• St Augustine's Priory, Priory Road, Abbotskerswell, NEWTON ABBOT TQ12 5PP
RT REV. DR CHARLES MORICE GRAHAM
3rd Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 5 April 1834 at Mhow (Madhya Pradesh), India (formerly British East Indies)• ordained priest (Plymouth) 19 December 1857 at the Collegio Pio, Rome, Italy• ordained titular Bishop of Cisamus and appointed coadjutor Bishop of Plymouth 28 October 1891 by Rt Rev. William Clifford at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth • succeeded 25 October 1902 as Bishop of Plymouth • appointed 1 February 1911 titular Bishop of Tiberias and retired to Hayle • died 2 September 1912 at The Downes, Hayle aged 78 • buried at Plymouth Cemetery, Plymouth • reinterred 13 December 1998 at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth.
• The Downes, Foundry Hill, HAYLE TR27 4HW
RT REV. DR JOHN JOSEPH ALOYSIUS KEILY
4th Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 23 June 1854 at Limerick City (Limerick), Ireland • ordained priest (Plymouth) 18 May 1877 at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth
• ordained Bishop of Plymouth 13 June 1911 by Most Rev. Francis Bourne at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth • died 23 September 1928 at Bishop's House, Plymouth aged 74 • buried at St Augustine's Priory, Abbotskerswell, Newton Abbot• reinterred 13 December 1998 at the Cathedral Church of ss. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth.
• Bishop's House, 45 Cecil Street, PLYMOUTH PLl 5HW
RT REV. DR JOHN PATRICK BARRETT
5th Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 31 October 1878 at Liverpool• ordained priest (Liverpool) 9 June 1906 at St Joseph's College, Upholland, Skelmersdale • ordained titular Bishop of Assus and appointed auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham 22 February 1927 by Most Rev. Frederick Keating at the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St Chad, Birmingham • translated 7 June 1929 to Diocese of Plymouth • died 2 November 1946 at Stoodley Knowle Convent, Torquay aged 68 • buried at St Mary's Cemetery, Abbey Church of St Mary, Buckfastleigh.
• Stoodley Knowle Convent, Ansteys Cove Road, TORQUAY TQl 2JB
RT REV. DR FRANCIS EDWARD JOSEPH GRIMSHAW
6th Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 6 October 1901 at Bridgwater • ordained priest (Clifton) 27 February 1926 at the Venerable English College, Rome, Italy • ordained Bishop of Plymouth 25 July 1947 by Most Rev. Joseph Masterson at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth• translated 11 May 1954 to Archdiocese of Birmingham • appointed Council Father at Second Vatican Council 11 October 1962 to 21 November 1964 • died 22 March 1965 at St Paul's Convent, Selly Park, Birmingham aged 63 • buried at St Mary's College, Oscott, Sutton Coldfield.
• Archbishop's House, 6 Norfolk Road, Edgbaston, BIRMINGHAM 815 3QD
RT REV. CYRIL EDWARD RESTIEAUX
7th Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 25 February 1910 at Norwich• ordained priest (Nottingham) 1 November 1932 at the Venerable English College, Rome, Italy • ordained Bishop of Plymouth 14 June 1955 by Most Rev. Francis Grimshaw at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth • appointed Council Father at Second Vatican Council 11 October 1962 to 8 December 1965 • retired 19 November 1985 to Torquay • died 26 February 1996 at Stoodley Knowle Convent, Torquay aged 86 • buried at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth.
• Stoodley Knowle Convent, Ansteys Cove Road, TORQUAY TQl 2JB
RT REV. DR HUGH CHRISTOPHER BUDD PhL STL STD
8th Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 27 May 1937 at Romford • ordained priest (Brentwood) 8 July 1962 at the College Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, Palazzola, Rocca di Papa (Roma), Italy • ordained Bishop of Plymouth 15 January 1986 by Rt Rev. Cyril Restieaux at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth • retired 9 November 2013 to St Mary's, Isles of Scilly and also to Lyme Regis • died 1 April 2023 at Lyme Regis aged 85 • buried at St Mary's Cemetery, Abbey Church of St Mary, Buckfastleigh.
• Star of the Sea, Lower Strand, St Mary's, ISLES OF SCILLY TR21 OPS
• The Presbytery, Silver Street, LYME REGIS DT7 3HS
RT REV. MARK ANTHONY O'TOOLE BSc BO MPhil STL
9th Bishop of Plymouth
The Bishop was born 22 June 1963 at Lambeth, London• ordained priest (Westminster) 9 June 1990 at the Church of St Ignatius of Loyola, Stamford Hill, London • ordained Bishop of Plymouth 28 January 2014 by Rt Rev. H. Christopher Budd at the Cathedral Church of SS. Mary and Boniface, Plymouth • translated 27 April 2022 to Archdiocese of Cardiff and Diocese of Menevia in persona episcopi • translated 12 September 2024 to newly erected Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia.
• Archbishop's House, 43 Cathedral Road, CARDIFF CF11 9HD