accelerating each year, meant that in most parishes there was a single priest – often elderly – expected to minister in more than one church. Availability and ability of priests were highly significant factors governing decisions for the future that could not be delayed. Between 2013 and 2017 the archdiocese carried out a parish amalgamation process, which led to the reduction in parishes from 47 to 22, and many of the new parishes had too many churches, presbyteries, and other buildings. Ordinaries Philippe Viard was vicar apostolic of the Diocese of Wellington from 1848 until 1860 when he became the Bishop of Wellington. Francis Redwood was bishop of that diocese until 1887 when he became archbishop of the Archdiocese of Wellington (created in that year) and Metropolitan of New Zealand. All incumbents since then carry those latter two titles. Current Bishops Cardinal John Dew, Archbishop of Wellington Archbishop Paul Martin, Coadjutor Archbishop of Wellington Other bishops Coadjutor archbishops Thomas O’Shea (1913-1935) Peter McKeefry (1947-1954) John Dew (2004-2005) Paul Martin (2021–present) Auxiliary bishops Owen Snedden (lived 1917-1981) (1962-1981) John Dew (1995-2004) Other priests of the diocese who became bishops John Kavanagh, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Dunedin in 1949 Edward Russell Gaines, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Auckland in 1976 Peter James Cullinane, appointed Bishop of Palmerston North in 1980 Patrick Edward O'Connor, appointed superior of Tokelau, Pacific (Oceania) in 1992; not consecrated bishop Owen Dolan (priest, 1954-1980), appointed coadjutor bishop of Palmerston North in 1995 Secondary schools Bishop Viard College, Porirua, Wellington Chanel College, Masterton Garin College, Nelson Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt, Wellington St Bernard's College, Lower Hutt, Wellington St Catherine's College, Kilbirnie, Wellington St Mary's College, Thorndon, Wellington St Patrick's College, Kilbirnie, Wellington St Patrick's College, Silverstream, Wellington Child sexual abuse cases Documented cases of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests and brothers in the Wellington area include: Marist Brother Claudius Pettit (birth name Malcolm Thomas Petit) was convicted of sexual abuse of a boy at a Wellington school in the 1990s. In 2018 the Society of Mary said that Francis Durning sexually abused children. Durning taught in Catholic institutions from the 1940s through to the late 1980s, such as St Patrick's College, Silverstream (where he was rector of the school from 1950-1955) and St Patrick's College, Kilbirnie, Wellington. Marist Father Alan Woodcock abused children at St Patrick's College in Upper Hutt and Futuna in Wellington. After he was laicized