WELLINGTON, ARCHDIOCESE OF
It is situated in the southern part of New Zealand and originally formed part of the Vicariate of Western Oceania, erected in 1835, which included all of New Zealand.
On 22 January 1840, the first group of immigrants arrived on the island and founded the city of Wellington. On 20 June 1848, the vicariate was divided into the two dioceses of Auckland (q.v.) and Port Nicholson, with two-thirds of the island group belonging to the Diocese of Port Nicholson. By a letter of Propaganda dated 18 December 1851, the name was changed to that of Wellington, and on 10 May 1887 it was raised to metropolitan status for all of New Zealand. From the Diocese of Wellington were detached the Diocese of Dunedin (q.v.) on 4 October 1869 and the Diocese of Christchurch (q.v.) on 10 May 1887.
It has an area of 84,950 sq. km. with a population of 600,000, of whom 73,725 are Catholics, including 6,866 Māori. There are 108 diocesan priests, 114 religious priests, 72 brothers, and 810 sisters. There are 60 parishes, 134 churches, 2 ecclesiastical colleges, 114 schools, 3 hospitals, and 3 orphanages.