Chronology of Catholic Dioceses:Notes on the diocese of Armidale 1862 / 1871

On 28 November 1862, Pope Pius IX erected the new diocese of Armidale, and made it a suffragan of Sydney. This fact is proven from Vatican documents, but in Australia, sometimes other dates are given in books or lists. The reason is the long time it took before a bishop was on place.

On 28 January 1863, the Propaganda Fide gave the Archbishop of Sydney the faculty to appoint a diocesan administrator for Armidale. In May, the Archbishop appointed Samuel Augustin Sheehy, O.S.B. (vicar general of Sydney).

On 23 January 1865, a first bishop of Armidale was named, a James Bernard Hayes, O.E.S.A., but he declined the nomination.

It was not until 30 November 1869 that a bishop for Armidale (Timothy O'Mahony) was consecrated bishop in Cork, Ireland. He then travelled to Rome where he remained until July 1870. He arrived in Armidale on 25 March 1871. He was the first nominee to be consecrated.

- CT