The Latin Rite Roman Catholic Diocese of Christchurch is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. Its cathedral and see city are located in Christchurch, the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand. It was formed on 5 May 1887 from a portion of the territory of the Diocese of Wellington, which was elevated to archdiocese later that same month.
Bishops of Christchurch
Lyons was translated to become Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Australia in 1950. Martin was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington, New Zealand in 2021.
Current bishop
Michael Gielen
Bishops other than ordinaries
Coadjutor bishops
Denis William Hanrahan (1984–1985) Barry Jones (2006–2007)
Auxiliary bishops
John Cunneen (1992–1995), appointed Bishop here
Affiliated bishops
Charles Drennan, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Palmerston North in 2011; succeeded 2012; resigned 2019 Stephen Lowe, appointed Bishop of Hamilton in New Zealand in 2014
Cathedral and churches
Cathedrals
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament (demolished) Christchurch Catholic Cathedral (to be completed by 2025)
Pro-cathedral
St Mary's Pro-Cathedral
Churches
Chapel of the Snows at McMurdo Station on Ross Island, Antarctica. For 57 years, the diocese was responsible for sending priests to the non-denominational Christian. This practice was stopped in 2015. It is the second southernmost religious building in the world. Sacred Heart Basilica, Timaru. Despite its name, it is not designated a basilica by the Catholic Church. The Basilica is also one of the "most noteworthy examples of ecclesiastical architecture" in New Zealand with elements of "Roman and Byzantine architecture with touches of Art Nouveau decoration." Designed by Francis Petre. St Joseph's Church, Darfield built in 1936, following a fire which gutted the previous wooden structure in 1934 St Mary's Catholic Church, Hokitika. Following a structural assessment triggered by the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the church was closed to the public in June 2012.