The Diocese was established on 22 September 1844, under the name of the Diocese of Arichat, on territory split off from the Diocese of Halifax. Its proto-cathedral (now Église Notre Dame de l’Assomption) was located on Cape Breton Island, in the port town of Arichat.
In both Scottish and Canadian folklore, the first ordinary of the Diocese, Bishop William Fraser of Strathglass, is a folk hero. He is said to have been a man of enormous physical strength and to have been able to break steel horseshoes with his bare hands. On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, many legends have been collected of the Bishop's exploits.[1]
On 23 August 1886, the diocese was renamed the Diocese of Antigonish, and its episcopal see moved to St. Ninian's Cathedral, on the Nova Scotia mainland in the town of Antigonish.
The Diocese of Antigonish covers 18,800 square kilometers, comprising the counties of Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, Victoria, Richmond and Cape Breton.
As of 2006, the diocese contained 123 parishes, 119 active diocesan priests, 8 religious priests, and 129,905 Catholics. It also has 290 women religious, 12 religious brothers and 1 permanent deacon. In 2012 in order to satisfy its legal obligations to pay out $15 million to the victims of sexual abuse, the diocese had to sell a large number of its lands and properties, liquidating the bank accounts of many of its churches, and borrowing $6.5 million from private lenders to make the payout.[8][4][9]
John Cameron[12] (1877.07.17 – 1886.08.23 see below), previously Titular Bishop of Titopolis (1870.03.11 – 1877.07.17) and Coadjutor Bishop of Arichat (Canada) (1870.03.11 – 1877.07.17)
Bishops of Antigonish
John Cameron (see above) (1886.08.23 – 1910.04.06)
Brian Dunn (2010–2019),[7] previously Titular Bishop of Munatiana and Auxiliary Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie (Canada) (2008.07.16 – 2009.11.21); appointed, 13 Apr 2019, Coadjutor Archbishop of Halifax-Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Wayne Joseph Kirkpatrick (2019-), previously Titular Bishop of Aradi and Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto (2012.05.18 - 2019.12.18)
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
Thomas Sears, appointed Prefect of Western Newfoundland (St. George’s) in 1871
Neil McNeil, appointed Vicar Apostolic of Western Newfoundland (St. George’s) in 1895
Ronald MacDonald, appointed Bishop of Harbour Grace, Newfoundland in 1881
Following Bishop William Fraser's death in 1851, local Catholic poet Ailean a' Ridse MacDhòmhnaill, a major figure in both Scottish Gaelic literature and in that of Canadian Gaelic, composed the poem Cumha do' n Easguig Friseal ("Lament for Bishop Fraser"), which MacDhòmhnaill set to the air A' bliadhna leum dar milleadh.[13] According to Effie Rankin, Ailean a' Ridse adapted the traditional verse iconography of a Highland clan mourning for the death of their Chief to the Catholic Gaels of the Diocese mourning for the death of their Bishop.[14]
^Effie Rankin (2004), As a' Braighe/Beyond the Braes: The Gaelic Songs of Allan the Ridge MacDonald, Cape Breton University Press. Pages 110-115, 169-170.
^Effie Rankin (2004), As a' Braighe/Beyond the Braes: The Gaelic Songs of Allan the Ridge MacDonald, Cape Breton University Press. Pages 169-170.
MacDonald, Alexander (1907). "Diocese of Antigonish" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Sources and external links
Official website
GigaCatholic, with incumbent biography links
St. Francis Xavier University
Virtual Tour of the Architectural Heritage of Antigonish, Nova Scotia