Former Bishops of the Diocese: 1898 to 2001
 

• FRANCIS MOSTYN: born 6th August 1860, consecrated as Vicar Apostolic of Wales 14th September 1895 translated to Menevia 14 May 1898; translated to Cardiff as Archbishop and Metropolitan 7th March 1921 and was Apostolic administrator of Menevia till appointment of Bishop Vaughan; died 25th October 1939.

• FRANCIS VAUGHAN: born 5th May 1877; consecrated 8th September 1926; died 13th March 1935.

• MICHAEL McGRATH: born 25th March 1882; consecrated 24th September 1935,
  translated to Cardiff 20th June 1940; died 28th February 1961.

• DANIEL JOSEPH HANNON: born 12th June 1884; consecrated 1st May 1941; died
  26th April 1946.

• JOHN E. PETIT: born 22nd June 1895; consecrated 25th March 1947; resigned 19th July 1972; died 2nd June 1973.

• LANGTON D. FOX: born 21st February 1917; consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Menevia 16th December 1965; installed as Bishop 27th June 1972; resigned 5th February 1981.

• JOHN ALOYSIUS WARD, O.F.M.CAP.: born 24th January 1929, consecrated 1st October 1980, succeeded 5th February 1981; translated to Cardiff 11th July 1983.

• JAMES HANNIGAN: born Donegal 15th July 1928; ordained 27th June 1954; consecrated 23rd November 1983. On re structuring of the Welsh Province on 12th February 1987, translated to Diocese of Wrexham; died 6th March 1994.

• Rt Rev DANIEL JOSEPH MULLINS, B.A., Bishop of Menevia, born Kilfinane 10th July 1929, priest: 12 April 1953, Auxiliary Bishop of Cardiff: Ist April 1970.  Bishop of Menevia 12th February 1987. Retired 12th June 2001.

 
Bishop Mullins An appreciation by Mgr. David Bottrill

On the 19th of March 1987, to quote from the local press, "a fresh chapter in the history of the Catholic Church in Wales was written when Bishop Daniel Mullins was installed as Bishop of the reshaped Diocese of Menevia."

Pope John Paul sent a welcoming message in which he said: 'We wish to make suitable provision for the See of Menevia now restructured.  It would seem beneficial to designate you for it because of your piety, knowledge, prudence and administrative ability."  The Bishop himself spoke of it as a day of celebration and hope.

Since then for the past fourteen years, Bishop Mullins has served the Diocese with untiring and unstinting devotion.  Even during a serious illness from which he has made a remarkable recovery, the care of the Diocese was his constant concern.

With his fluency in the language it has been said that he has done much to weave the thread of Catholicism into the fabric of Welsh life.  Certainly, he has endeared himself to the Welsh speaking community and ecumenically he can jointly be named one of the founders of Cytun Churches Together in Wales.

When the Bishops went to Rome for their Ad Limina visit, Pope John Paul urged them to lead their flock to the very heart of the Gospel.  This inspired Bishop Mullins and when preparations were being made for the celebration of the Millennium, he decided to call a Diocesan Synod with the Pope's words as the underlying theme.

Those of us who witnessed how attentively he listened to every intervention during each session of the Gathering at Lampeter were convinced of his total commitment to our Diocese and its people.

We are glad that he will be staying with us in the Diocese and is anxious to continue the work of the Synod.  We wish him a very happy and fruitful retirement.