Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle Dioecesis Maitlandensis-Novocastrensis | |
|---|---|
 Sacred Heart Cathedral | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| Territory | Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales |
| Metropolitan | Archdiocese of Sydney |
| Coordinates | 32°55′24″S 151°45′15″E / 32.92333°S 151.75417°E |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 33,757 km2 (13,034 sq mi) |
| Population - Total - Catholics | (as of 2013) 666,292 159,150 (23.9%) |
| Parishes | 50 |
| Schools | 56 (2015) |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Latin Church |
| Established | 25 June 1847 as the Diocese of Maitland |
| Cathedral | Sacred Heart Cathedral, Hamilton |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Bishop | Michael Kennedy |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Anthony Fisher OP |
| Map | |
 | |
| Website | |
| mn.catholic.org.au | |
The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle is a suffragan Latin Church diocese of the Archdiocese of Sydney, established in 1847 initially as the Diocese of Maitland and changed to the current name in 1995. The diocese covers the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales in Australia. The bishop of the diocese is Michael Kennedy.
The diocese is considered to be one of the epicentres[1] of the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Australia, with scores of priests and religious brothers convicted of crimes against children. Two senior members of the diocese, Father Thomas Brennan[2] and Brother William Wade,[3] have also been convicted of concealing child sexual abuse.
- ^ Oriti, Thomas (30 August 2016). "Royal commission to explore child abuse 'epicentre' in Newcastle". Australia: ABC News.
- ^ "A senior priest covered up other priests' crimes – and he, too, abused children".
- ^ "History after Marist Brother pleads guilty to concealing serious child sex crimes". 28 February 2020.