List of Catholic dioceses in the United States
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The Catholic dioceses and archdioceses of the United States which include both the dioceses of the Latin Church, which employ the Roman Rite and other Latin liturgical rites, and various other dioceses, primarily the eparchies of the Eastern Catholic Churches, which employ various Eastern Christian rites and traditions, and which are in full communion with the Pope in Rome. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA is not a metropolitan diocese. The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, with territory that extends over the United States and Canada, was established on January 1, 2012, for former Anglicans who join the Catholic Church.[1]
The Catholic Church in the United States has a total of 196 particular churches in the 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands: 33 territorial archdioceses, 143 territorial dioceses, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (serving members of the US Armed Forces and Diplomatic Corps, and those in facilities of the Veterans Administration and their dependents), and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter (serving Catholics who were formerly Anglicans) within the Latin Church; and two archeparchies and 16 eparchies in the Eastern Catholic Churches.
There are several other dioceses whose territories cover the United States' unincorporated territories. Puerto Rico has one ecclesiastical province comprising an archdiocese and five dioceses, which together form the Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference, which is separate from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.[2] The dioceses that encompass American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam are part of the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific.
Terminology
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The pastor of any particular church other than an ordinariate must be episcopally ordained, but his title conforms to that of his jurisdiction: the pastor of an archdiocese is an archbishop, the pastor of a diocese is a bishop, the pastor of an archeparchy is an archeparch, the pastor of an eparchy is an eparch, and the pastor of an exarchate is an exarch. The pastor of an ordinariate is an "ordinary" (which is a term also used generically for the pastor of any particular church) and may be either a bishop if celibate or a priest if married, but he holds the same power of governance of his ordinariate that an episcopal ordinary has in his diocese in either case; Pope Benedict XVI deliberately instituted this provision to permit married, former Anglican bishops who come into full communion with the Catholic Church along with many of their congregants to accede to office while respecting sensitivities in ecumenical relations with the Eastern Orthodox Churches, which also maintain a celibate episcopacy. The pastor of each particular church is, ex officio, a full member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Auxiliary and retired bishops are also members of the Conference but have no vote.
In the United States, each archbishop — except the archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services — is also the metropolitan bishop of an ecclesiastical province. Likewise, each archeparch is also the metropolitan of an ecclesiastical province that encompasses all of the eparchies of the same sui iuris particular church in the United States. Most provincial and diocesan boundaries conform to state, county, borough (in Alaska), or parish (in Louisiana) political boundaries.[3] The sui iuris Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the US has an ecclesiastical province consisting of an archeparchy and three eparchies, and the sui iuris Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church has an ecclesiastical province consisting of an archeparchy and three eparchies; the boundaries of these jurisdictions also generally conform to those of states. Most of the remaining eparchies are national in territory, but two particular churches, namely the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, are international, encompassing all of the United States and Canada; their pastors also are ex officio members of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).
In the Roman Rite, (arch)dioceses customarily take the name of the city of the (arch)bishop's cathedra, denominated the "see". A few dioceses bear the names of two cities, variously reflecting a shift in the major center of population, e.g., the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; future plan to divide a diocese, e.g., the former Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas; union of two former dioceses, e.g., the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph; political expedience, e.g., the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; or a perceived need for some episcopal functions to be accessible to residents of another part of the diocesan territory, e.g., the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Some of the sui iuris particular churches also follow this custom, while others denominated their jurisdictions after saints or other religious titles.
In the Catholic Church, there are many bishops who do not govern dioceses:
- A "coadjutor" is appointed to assist the bishop of a diocese or eparchy with its daily governance and has the right of automatic succession upon the death or resignation of the bishop. A coadjutor always holds the title "Coadjutor of [name of see]". The coadjutor of an archdiocese or archeparchy also has the status of an archbishop or archeparch.
- A retired diocesan bishop holds the title of "Bishop Emeritus of [name of see]" or, in the case of an archdiocese, "Archbishop Emeritus of [name of see]".
- Auxiliary bishops, bishops who govern jurisdictions that are not canonically erected as dioceses, bishops and archbishops of the Roman Curia, and bishops and archbishops of the diplomatic corps of the Holy See have titles of former dioceses and archdioceses.
- The Pope also may confer the personal title of "archbishop" on a diocesan bishop who does not govern an archdiocese; such a prelate is classified as an archbishop ad personam: although not the diocesan bishop of an archdiocese, he is titled with the name of a former archdiocese in addition to possessing the title of his own diocese. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Bishop of Rochester and Titular Archbishop of Neoportus was one of the more famous examples of this custom.
When a diocese is suppressed or when the diocesan see is transferred to another location, the title of the former see becomes available for assignment to a titular bishop or, in the case of an archdiocese, a titular archbishop or an archbishop ad personam. The Vatican resurrected the names of many former sees of the United States in the 1990s, as indicated by the table of former dioceses toward the end of this article.
Territorial provinces and dioceses
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United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Puerto Rican Episcopal Conference
| Map | Diocese | Coat of Arms |
|---|---|---|
Ecclesiastical Province of San Juan(This diocese covers the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.) | ||
 |
Archdiocese of San Juan |  |
| Diocese of Arecibo |  | |
| Diocese of Caguas |  | |
| Diocese of Fajardo–Humacao |  | |
| Diocese of Mayagüez |  | |
| Diocese of Ponce |  | |
Episcopal Conference of the Pacific
| Map | Diocese | Coat of Arms |
|---|---|---|
Ecclesiastical Province of Agaña | ||
 |
Archdiocese of Agaña (This diocese covers the U.S. territory of Guam.) |
 |
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Diocese of Chalan Kanoa (This diocese covers the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands.) |
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Ecclesiastical Province of Samoa–Apia | ||
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Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago (This diocese covers the U.S. territory of American Samoa.) |
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Military archdiocese
Members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their dependents, employees of the US Veterans Health Administration and its patients, and Americans in civil service overseas, including the Nation's diplomatic corps and their dependents, both Catholics of the Latin Church and Eastern Churches, are served by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. An archbishop leads it who is presently assisted by four auxiliary bishops. Its status as an "archdiocese" is merely honorary. In 1986, Pope John Paul II amended the juridical organization of military chaplaincies from "military vicariates" to "military ordinariates",[4] the head of which was likened to a diocesan bishop. The Ordinary of the Archdiocese of the Military Services is usually granted the personal title of "Archbishop", although this is not a requisite of the office.
Eastern Catholic eparchies
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The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the United States is organized into a metropolia (province) comprising a metropolitan archeparchy and three suffragan eparchies.
| Map | Diocese | Coat of Arms |
|---|---|---|
Province of Philadelphia (Ukrainian) | ||
 |
Archeparchy of Philadelphia | |
| Eparchy of Chicago | ||
| Eparchy of Parma | ||
| Eparchy of Stamford | ||
The Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church in the United States is organized into the sui iuris Province of Pittsburgh, consisting of a metropolitan archeparchy and three suffragan eparchies. The eparchies also serve the faithful of other Byzantine Catholic Churches without established hierarchies in the United States, namely those of the Albanian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Greek, Hungarian, Italo-Albanian, Macedonian, Russian, and Slovakian Byzantine Catholic Churches. Since 2022, this province includes also the Slovakian Catholic Exarchate of Saints Cyril and Methodius of Toronto in Canada, which was formerly part of the Slovakian Greek Catholic Church.[5]
| Map | Diocese | Coat of Arms |
|---|---|---|
Province of Pittsburgh (Ruthenian) | ||
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Archeparchy of Pittsburgh | |
| Eparchy of Parma |  | |
| Eparchy of Passaic | ||
| Eparchy of Phoenix | ||
| Exarchate of Toronto (Canada) | ||
Eastern Catholic eparchies in the United States immediately subject to the Holy See
The following particular Eastern Catholic Churches are not suffragan to metropolitan sees, but are instead exempt and therefore immediately subject to the Holy See, while they still remain part of their respective patriarchal, major archiepiscopal, or other rite- and tradition-specific particular churches.
Eastern Catholic eparchies comprising the United States and Canada, and immediately subject to the Holy See
Several Eastern Catholic Churches have jurisdictions that include members and congregations in both the United States and Canada.
Personal ordinariate (Anglican Use)
Under the provisions of Anglicanorum Coetibus of 2009, an effort was underway to establish a personal ordinariate, or diocese, in the United States. The ordinariate was formed for former Anglicans, including members from the Episcopal Church, Continuing Anglican churches, and already Catholic Anglican Use parishes. The first such ordinariate established was the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in the United Kingdom. The personal ordinariate encompassing the whole United States, the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter, was instituted on January 1, 2012, in accordance with Anglicanorum Coetibus.[1] It was later expanded to include Canada, and so its ordinary is admitted to the two countries' bishops' conferences.
| Ecclesiastical Province Map | Diocese | Diocese Coat of Arms |
|---|---|---|
 | Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter |  |
Former US dioceses
| Diocese | Cathedral | History | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Allegheny | St. Peter Church | •1876.01.11: Established as the Diocese of Allegheny with territory from the Diocese of Pittsburgh •1889.07.01: Suppressed, with its territory returned to the Diocese of Pittsburgh •1971: Title of Bishop of Allegheny Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[6] |
| Diocese of Alton | Church of Sts. Peter and Paul | •1853.07.29: Established as the Diocese of Quincy, with territory from the Diocese of Chicago •1857.01.09: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Alton •1887.01.07: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Belleville •1923.10.26: See Transferred and Title Changed to the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois •1995: Title of Bishop of Alton Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[7] |
| Diocese of Bardstown | Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral | •1808.04.08: Established as the Diocese of Bardstown with territory from the Diocese of Baltimore •1821.06.19: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Cincinnati •1834.05.06: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Vincennes •1837.07.28: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Nashville •1841.02.13: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Louisville •1937: Elevated to Archdiocese •1995: Title of Bishop of Bardstown Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[8] |
| Diocese of Both Californias | •1840.04.27: Established as the Diocese of Both Californias with territory from the Diocese of Sonora •1849.11.20: Title Changed to Diocese of Monterey •1859: Title Changed to Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles •1892: Title Changed to Diocese of Los Angeles-San Diego •1922: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Monterrey-Fresno •1936: Elevated to Archdiocese; lost territory to establish the Diocese of San Diego •1976: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Orange 1978: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of San Bernardino •1996: Title of Bishop of Both Californias Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[9][10] | |
| Diocese of Concordia | Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church | •1887.08.02: Established as the Diocese of Concordia with territory from the Diocese of Leavenworth •1944.12.23: See transferred and title changed to Diocese of Salina •1995: Title of Bishop of Concordia Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[11] |
| Diocese of Grass Valley | St. Patrick Church | •1860.09.27: Established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Marysville with territory from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Francisco •1868.03.22: Promoted as Diocese of Grass Valley •1886.05.28: Title Changed to Diocese of Sacramento •1995: Restored as Titular Episcopal See of Grass Valley |
[12] |
| Diocese of Jamestown | St. James Church | •1889.11.10: Established as the Diocese of Jamestown with territory from the Apostolic Vicariate of Dakota •1897.04.06: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Fargo •1995: Title of Bishop of Jamestown Restored as Titular Episcopal | [13] |
| Diocese of Juneau | Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary | •1951.06.23: Established as Diocese of Juneau from Apostolic Vicariate of Alaska •1966.01.22: Lost territory to establish Metropolitan Archdiocese of Anchorage •2020.05.19: Suppressed to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Anchorage–Juneau |
[14] |
| Diocese of Kearney | St. James Church | •1912.03.08: Established as the Diocese of Kearney with territory from the Diocese of Omaha •1917.04.11: See transferred and title changed to Diocese of Grand Island •1995: Title of Bishop of Kearney Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[15] |
| Diocese of Lead | St. Patrick Church | •1902.08.04: Established as the Diocese of Lead with territory from the Diocese of Sioux Falls •1930.08.01: See transferred and title changed to Diocese of Rapid City •1995: Title of Bishop of Lead Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[16] |
| Diocese of Leavenworth | Church of the Immaculate Conception | •1850.07.19: Established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains with territory from the Archdiocese of St Louis •1857.01.06: Lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska •1857: Title changed to Apostolic Vicariate of Kansas •1877.05.22: Promoted as Diocese of Leavenworth •1887.08.02: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Wichita and Diocese of Concordia •1891.05.29: Title Changed to Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas •1897.03.05: Title Changed to Diocese of Leavenworth •1947.05.10: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas •1952: Elevated to Archdiocese •1995: Title of Bishop of Leavenworth Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[17] |
| Diocese of Natchez | St. Mary Basilica | •1826.07.18: Established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Mississippi with territory from the Diocese of Louisiana •1837.07.28: Promoted as Diocese of Natchez •1956.12.18: Title Changed to Diocese of Natchez–Jackson •1977.03.01: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Natchez; lost territory to establish the Diocese of Biloxi and Diocese of Jackson •1977.03.01: Title of Bishop of Natchez Designated as Titular Episcopal See |
[18] |
| Diocese of Natchitoches | Basilica of the Immaculate Conception | •1853.07.29: Established as the Diocese of Natchitoches with territory from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of New Orleans •1910.08.06: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Alexandria •1977: Title Changed to Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport •1986: Title Changed to Diocese of Alexandria; lost territory to establish the Diocese of Shreveport •1995: Title of Bishop of Natchitoches Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[19] |
| Diocese of Nesqually | Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater | •1850.05.31: Established as the Diocese of Nesqually with territory from the Diocese of Walla Walla •1853.07.29: Gained territory from the suppressed Diocese of Walla Walla •1907.09.11: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Seattle •1951: Elevated as Archdiocese of Seattle •1995: Title of Bishop of Nesqually Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[20] |
| Diocese of Oregon City | St. John the Apostle Church | •1843.12.01: Established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Oregon with territory from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore and Archdiocese of Quebec •1846.07.24: Promoted as Diocese of Oregon City; lost territory to establish the Diocese of Vancouver Island and Diocese of Walla Walla •1850.07.29: Elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oregon City •1868.03.03: Lost territory to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Idaho and Montana •1894: Gained territory from the Diocese of Vancouver Island •1903.06.19: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Baker City •1928.09.26: See Transferred and Title Changed to Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon •1996: Title of Archbishop of Oregon City Restored as Titular Metropolitan See |
[21] |
| Diocese of Quincy | •1853.07.29: Established as the Diocese of Quincy with territory from the Diocese of Chicago •1857.01.09: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Alton •1887.01.07: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Belleville •1923.10.26: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Springfield in Illinois •1995: Title of Bishop of Alton Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[22] | |
| Diocese of Saint Joseph | •1868.03.03: Established as Diocese of Saint Joseph with territory from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis •1956.07.02: Suppressed, merged with the Diocese of Kansas City(Mo.) to form the Diocese of Kansas City–Saint Joseph, and lost territory to establish Diocese of Jefferson City and Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau |
||
| Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie | Holy Name of Mary Pro-Cathedral | •1853.07.29: Established as the Apostolic Vicariate of Upper Michigan with territory from the Diocese of Detroit •1857.01.09: Elevated as Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie •1865.10.23: Title Changed to Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie–Marquette •1937.01.03: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Marquette •1995: Title of Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie Restored as Titular Episcopal See •1996: Title of Titular See Changed to Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie in Michigan |
[23] |
| Diocese of Vincennes | Basilica of St. Francis Xavier | •1834.05.06: Established as the Diocese of Vincennes with territory from the Diocese of Bardstown •1857.01.08: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Fort Wayne •1898.03.28: See Transferred and Title Changed to Diocese of Indianapolis •1944: Elevated to Metropolitan Archdiocese of Indianapolis; lost territory to establish the Diocese of Evansville •1995: Title of Bishop of Vincennes Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[24] |
| Diocese of Walla Walla | •1846.07.24: Established as the Diocese of Walla Walla with territory from the Apostolic Vicariate of Oregon •1850.05.31: Lost territory to establish the Diocese of Nesqually •1853.07.29: Suppressed, with territory annexed to the Diocese of Nesqually •1971: Title of Bishop of Walla Walla Restored as Titular Episcopal See |
[25] |
See also
- Provincial boundaries in the United States
- List of Roman Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view)
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical)
- List of the Roman Catholic cathedrals of the United States
- List of basilicas § Basilicas in North and Central America and the Caribbean
- Nunciature to the United States
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses in North America § Episcopal Conference of the United States of America
- List of Catholic archdioceses (by continent and nation)
- List of Catholic titular sees
References
External links
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