Anglican Diocese of Perth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diocese of Perth
Coat of arms
Location
Country	Australia
Territory	Perth metropolitan area Goldfields-Esperance (Southern part) Wheatbelt
Ecclesiastical province	Western Australia
Metropolitan	Archbishop of Perth
Headquarters	Church House Level 5 3 Pier Street Perth WA 6000
Coordinates	31°57′21″S 115°51′41″E / 31.9558°S 115.8613°E / -31.9558; 115.8613
Information
Denomination	Anglicanism
Rite	Book of Common Prayer An Australian Prayer Book A Prayer Book for Australia
Established	11 January 1856 (1856-01-11)
Cathedral	St George's Cathedral, Perth
Language	English
Current leadership
Parent church	Anglican Church of Australia
Archbishop	Kay Goldsworthy (since February 2018)
Dean	Chris Chataway (since February 2020)

The Anglican Diocese of Perth is like a special church district. It is one of 23 such districts that make up the Anglican Church of Australia. Think of it as a region where the Anglican Church has its own leaders and rules.

The rules for the Diocese of Perth were first agreed upon in 1872. This happened at the very first big meeting, called a synod, held in Western Australia. Later, in 1914, a larger church region called the Province of Western Australia was created. Because of this, the main bishop of Perth also became the metropolitan bishop for this new province, which means they are also called an archbishop.

This diocese covers the southern part of Western Australia. It also includes the faraway Christmas and Cocos Islands. Other Anglican church districts in Western Australia are the Diocese of Bunbury and the Diocese of North West Australia.

The main church for the diocese is St George's Cathedral, Perth. It's a very important building for the Anglican community in Perth.

History of the Diocese

The Diocese of Perth is one of the many church districts that form the Anglican Church in Australia. Its main rules, or "constitution," were set up in 1872. This was a big step for the church in Western Australia.

In 1914, the church in Western Australia grew even more. A new, larger area called the Province of Western Australia was formed. This meant the bishop of Perth became the main bishop, or "archbishop," for this whole new province.

The diocese covers the southern part of Western Australia, including Christmas and Cocos Islands. In 1972, it also took in the area of the former Diocese of Kalgoorlie. This made the Diocese of Perth even larger.

Learning and Leadership

Wollaston College is a special place where people can study to become church leaders. The Archbishop of Perth has approved it as the main place for theological education in the diocese. It works with the University of Divinity to offer university-level courses.

The diocese has always had different ways of practicing its faith. On 10 February 2018, Kay Goldsworthy made history. She became the first female archbishop in the entire Anglican Communion when she was officially welcomed into her role in Perth.

Managing Church Property

The Perth diocese, like other church districts in Australia, has special groups that help manage its properties and money. These groups are called diocesan trustees. They handle important decisions about land and buildings.

The church and the government have always had a close relationship in Perth. Since the early days of the colony, the church has been given land and good conditions to grow. The Diocesan Trustees and Diocesan Council have been involved in many big building projects in Perth's history.

In 1866, there were two main church leaders called archdeacons. James Brown was the Archdeacon of Perth, and H. B. Thornhill was the Archdeacon of Geraldton.

List of Archbishops of Perth