meant that sacraments could not be celebrated in that town. Fortini was recalled to Rome. A stable period followed under the pastoral care of the Augustinians. The number of parishioners grew from approximately 2,000 (in 1884) to about 4,000 (in the 1890s); and to approximately 10,000 Catholics (by 1914) spread across eight church districts with 13 priests. The growth of pastoral industries and mining in the interwar years led to the expansion of the Vicariate west across the Atherton Tablelands and the creation of an additional nine parishes; and eventual establishment as a suffragan diocese in 1941. Ordinaries The following individuals have been elected as Roman Catholic Bishop of Cairns, or any of its precursor titles: {| class="wikitable" !Order !Name !Title !Date enthroned !Reign ended !Term of office !Reason for term end |- |align="center"| || Adolphus Lecaille † ||Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland||align="center"| February 1877 ||align="center"|November 1877 ||align="right"| 10 months || Did not take possession |- |align="center"| || Tarquino Tanganelli † ||Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland ||align="center"| May 1878 ||align="center"| August 1878 ||align="right"| 4 months || |- |align="center"| || John Cani † ||Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland ||align="center"| 30 January 1877 ||align="center"| 3 January 1882 ||align="right"| || Elevated to Bishop of Rockhampton |- |align="center"| || Paul Fortini † ||Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland ||align="center"| 12 February 1882 ||align="center"| 15 January 1884 ||align="right"| || Recalled to Rome and appointed Vicar Apostolic Emeritus of Queensland |- |rowspan="2" align="center"| ||rowspan="2" |John Hutchinson, OSA † ||Pro-Vicar Apostolic of Queensland ||align="center"| 15 January 1884 ||align="center"| 13 May 1887 ||align="right"| || Elevated to Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown |- |Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown ||align="center"| 13 May 1887 ||align="center"| 28 October 1897 ||align="right"| || Died in office |- |align="center"| || James Murray, OSA † ||Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown ||align="center"| 28 March 1898 ||align="center"| 13 February 1914 ||align="right"| || Died in office |- |rowspan="2" align="center"| ||rowspan="2" |John Heavey, OSA † ||Vicar Apostolic of Cooktown ||align="center"| 3 May 1914 ||align="center"| 14 July 1941 ||align="right"| || Elevated to Bishop of Cairns |- |Bishop of Cairns ||align="center"| 14 July 1941 ||align="center"| 12 June 1948 ||align="right"| ||Died in office |- |align="center"| || Thomas Cahill † ||Bishop of Cairns ||align="center"| 11 November 1948 ||align="center"| 13 April 1967 ||align="right"| ||Elevated to Archbishop of Canberra (and Goulburn) |- |align="center"| || John Torpie † ||Bishop of Cairns ||align="center"| 14 September 1967 ||align="center"| 5 August 1985 ||align="right"| || Retired and appointed Bishop Emeritus of Cairns |- |align="center"| || John Bathersby † ||Bishop