Diocese of Dunkeld


The Diocese of Dunkeld was one of the 13 historical dioceses of Scotland preceding the abolition of Episcopacy in 1689.

History

It is thought that the diocese was constituted as far back as the middle of the ninth century. The first occupant was styled Bishop of Fortriu, the name by which the kingdom of the northern Picts was then known. This bishop was also styled Abbot of Dunkeld, perhaps holding jurisdiction, formerly enjoyed by Iona, over the other Columban monasteries in Scotland.
The new bishopric appears to have included a great part of what afterwards became the Diocese of Argyll, and retained its jurisdiction over various churches representing old Columban foundations. There were thirty-five bishops of Dunkeld from its foundation until the suppression of the Catholic hierarchy during the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.
The Catholic cathedral, situated in the Perthshire town of Dunkeld, was erected between 1220 and 1500. After the Reformation the cathedral fell partly into ruins, although the choir is used for Presbyterian worship.
Despite the Reformation and the hostility of the new Church of Scotland to bishops, episcopacy was not finally abolished until 1689, although there had been a temporary abolition from 1638 until the beginning of the 1660s. The diocese was restored by the Catholic Church, on 4 March 1878, by Pope Leo XIII. The new Roman [Catholic Diocese of Dunkeld] is one of the suffragan sees of the archiepiscopal province of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, and includes the counties of Perth, Angus, Clackmannan, Kinross, and the northern part of Fife. The diocesan cathedral, now dedicated to Saint Andrew rather than Columba, is located in Dundee, the residence of the great majority of the Catholics of the modern diocese. The cathedral chapter, erected in 1895, consists of a provost and eight canons.

Parishes

Deanery/ies of Angus (or Rattray)

  1. Abernyte
  2. Auchterhouse
  3. Fern
  4. Menmuir
  5. Tealing

Deanery of Atholl and Drumalban

  1. Alyth
  2. Ardeonaig
  3. Auchtergaven
  4. Bendochy
  5. Blair
  6. Cargill
  7. Clunie
  8. Perth and Kinross|Dull]
  9. Dunkeld Cathedral
  10. Fortingall
  11. Dunkeld, Holy Trinity
  12. Inchcadin
  13. Killin
  14. Kilmaveonaig
  15. Kinclaven
  16. Lethendy
  17. Little Dunkeld
  18. Logie Allochie
  19. Logiebride
  20. Logierait
  21. Lude
  22. Lundeiff
  23. Meigle
  24. Melginch
  25. Moneydie
  26. Moulin
  27. Rannoch
  28. Rattray
  29. Redgorton
  30. Ruthven
  31. Strathardle
  32. Struan
  33. Weem

Deanery of Fife and Fothriff

  1. Aberdour
  2. Auchtertool
  3. Crombie
  4. Dalgety
  5. Fithkil
  6. Rosyth
  7. Saline
  8. Strathmiglo

Deanery of Lothian

  1. Abercorn
  2. Aberlady
  3. Bunkle
  4. Cramond
  5. Preston

Deanery of Strathearn

  1. Aberdalgie
  2. Alva
  3. Crieff
  4. Dollar
  5. Forgrund
  6. Lecropt
  7. Madderty
  8. Muckersie
  9. Tibbermore