Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, officially in Latin Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, is an ecclesiastical division
of the Roman Catholic Church
administered from New Orleans
, Louisiana
. It is the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States
at the age of 218, having been elevated to the rank of diocese on 25 April 1793 by Pope Pius VI
during Spanish colonial rule
. Our Lady of Prompt Succor
and St. Louis, King of France are the patron saints of the Archdiocese and Cathedral of Saint Louis
is its mother church
as St. Patrick's Church
serves as the Pro-Cathedral
of the Archdiocese.
Led by an archbishop
, the Archdiocese of New Orleans is the center of a larger ecclesiastical province
. The Metropolitan Province of New Orleans include the suffragan
Diocese
s of Alexandria
, Baton Rouge
, Houma-Thibodaux
, Lafayette
, Lake Charles
, and Shreveport
.
Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond
is the current metropolitan archbishop of the New Orleans Archdiocese. On Friday, June 12, 2009, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Aymond, of the Diocese of Austin
, to be the next Archbishop. Archbishop Aymond was installed on August 20, 2009 at Saint Louis Cathedral.
, Orleans, Plaquemines
, St. Bernard
, St. Charles
, St. John the Baptist
, St. Tammany
, and Washington
. There are 137 church parishes in the archdiocese, ministered by 387 priests (including those belonging to religious orders), 187 permanent deacons, 84 brothers, and 432 sisters. There are 372,037 Catholics on the census of the Archdiocese, 36% of the total population of the area. The current head of the archdiocese is Archbishop
Gregory Michael Aymond
. He is assisted by one auxiliary bishop, Shelton Joseph Fabre. There are two Archbishops Emeriti: Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes
and Archbishop Francis Bible Schulte. There is also one Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus: Bishop Dominic Carmon, S.V.D.
has had a presence in New Orleans since the founding of the city by the French
in 1718. New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana
west of the Mississippi were surrendered
to the Spanish
in 1763. From then until 1783 the two Floridas were under British control, but as part of the Peace of Paris (1783)
the two Florida colonies
were regained from Great Britain. Thus, the pioneer parishes of New Orleans and Louisiana were incorporated
into the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas when it was erected on April 25, 1793. The diocese originally encompassed the entire Louisiana Purchase
, from the Gulf of Mexico
to British North America
, as well as the Florida peninsula and the Gulf Coast
.
The date of its establishment makes it the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States: the Diocese of Baltimore
was established on November 6, 1789. At the time of its establishment, the territory of the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas was part of the Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana
(Havana
) in what is now Cuba
.
The diocese was divided into smaller dioceses several times, and many modern dioceses in the central United States were originally part of the Diocese of Louisiana. As capital of the Louisiana, the city was sold to the United States
in 1803. The diocese was renamed the Diocese of New Orleans in 1826, and encompassed what is now Louisiana and Mississippi. New Orleans was elevated to an archdiocese in 1850. As the population of Louisiana grew, the Archdiocese of New Orleans was further subdivided into several additional dioceses.
In its long history, the Archdiocese and the city of New Orleans have survived several major disasters, including several city-wide fires
, a British invasion
, the American Civil War
, multiple yellow fever epidemics
, anti-immigration and anti-Catholicism, the New Orleans Hurricane of 1915
, Segregation
, Hurricane Betsy
, and an occasional financial crisis, not to mention Hurricane Katrina
. Each time, the Archdiocese rebuilt damaged churches and rendered assistance to the victims of every disaster. More recently, the church has faced an increased demand for churches in the suburbs
and a decline in attendance to inner-city parishes
. The church has also weathered changes within the Roman Catholic Church
, such as the Second Vatican Council
, and changing spiritual values
throughout the rest of the United States
.
The archdiocese sustained severe damage from Hurricane Katrina
and Hurricane Rita
. Numerous churches and schools were flooded and battered by hurricane force winds. In the more heavily flooded neighborhoods, such as St. Bernard Parish
, many parish structures were wiped out entirely.
Over two years later, the long process of rebuilding the archdiocese continues.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans is a culturally diverse community within the diverse city of New Orleans. As a major port, the city has attracted immigrants
from around the world. Since French and Spanish Catholics ruled the city, they encouraged enslaved
Africans to adopt Christianity
. The city has a large population of African American
Catholics with deep heritage in the area. Later European immigrants, such as the Irish
, Italians
, and German Bavaria
ns have also been a part of the Archdiocese throughout its history. In the last quarter of the 20th century, many Vietnamese Catholics
from South Vietnam
settled in the city. New waves of immigrants from Mexico
, Honduras
, Nicaragua
and Cuba
have added to the Catholic congregations.
fronting the Spanish Plaza de Armas, now Jackson Square, in the French Quarter
. This church was originally built in 1718, shortly after the founding of the city. The modest building was destroyed by fire several times before the current structure was built between 1789 and 1794 during the Spanish domination. During renovations to the cathedral between 1849 and 1851, St. Patrick's Church
, the second-oldest parish in the city, served as the pro-cathedral
of the archdiocese.
, Alabama
, and Florida
.
In April, 1803, the United States purchased Louisiana
from France, which had in 1800 forced Spain to retrocede the territory in the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso
. The United States took formal possession of New Orleans on December 20, 1803, and of Upper Louisiana on March 10, 1804. The then-Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore served as apostolic administrator
of the diocese from 1805 to 1812; during this period, the diocese became a suffragan of Baltimore. Archbishop Carroll's successor as apostolic administrator would eventually be the diocese's first resident bishop of the 19th century.
In 1823, Joseph Rosati
was appointed coadjutor bishop
of the diocese. In 1825, the territory of the diocese in what is now Alabama
and Florida
was transferred to the new Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas, and in 1826, the diocese was renamed, becoming the Diocese of New Orleans. At the same time, the diocese's territory was further reduced by the creation of the Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi
and the Diocese of St. Louis. Bishop Rosati served as the diocese's apostolic administrator from 1826 to 1829; having been appointed bishop of St. Louis two years previously, he resigned the administration of the New Orleans diocese upon the appointment of Bishop de Neckere.
† = deceased
† = deceased
† = deceased
.
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
administered from New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. It is the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the age of 218, having been elevated to the rank of diocese on 25 April 1793 by Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI
Pope Pius VI , born Count Giovanni Angelo Braschi, was Pope from 1775 to 1799.-Early years:Braschi was born in Cesena...
during Spanish colonial rule
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Our Lady of Prompt Succor is a religious title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, by the Roman Catholic Church. It refers to a statue of the Madonna kept in a shrine in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. She is also known as Notre-Dame de Bon Secours...
and St. Louis, King of France are the patron saints of the Archdiocese and Cathedral of Saint Louis
St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
Saint Louis Cathedral , also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans; it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States...
is its mother church
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
as St. Patrick's Church
St. Patrick's Church (New Orleans)
St. Patrick's Church is a Catholic church and parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The parish was founded in 1833, and the current structure was completed in 1840. It is the second oldest parish in New Orleans St. Patrick's Church is a Catholic church and parish in the Archdiocese of New...
serves as the Pro-Cathedral
Pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral is a parish church that is temporarily serving as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese.-Usage:In Ireland, the term is used to specifically refer to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin since the Reformation, when Christ Church...
of the Archdiocese.
Led by an archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
, the Archdiocese of New Orleans is the center of a larger ecclesiastical province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
. The Metropolitan Province of New Orleans include the suffragan
Suffragan bishop
A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:...
Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s of Alexandria
Roman Catholic Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana
The Diocese of Alexandria is the Roman Catholic diocese for central Louisiana, based in Alexandria, with its see at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral...
, Baton Rouge
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, officially in Latin Dioecesis Rubribaculensis, is a Latin Rite diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of New Orleans....
, Houma-Thibodaux
Roman Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux is a Roman Catholic diocese in southeastern Louisiana. It comprises Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes, the eastern part of St. Mary Parish including Morgan City, and Grand Isle in Jefferson Parish. The diocese was created on June 5, 1977, and was previously part of...
, Lafayette
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana
The Diocese of Lafayette in Louisiana is an ecclesiastical division of the Catholic Church in the United States. The oldest church in the diocese is the parish church of St. Martinville, dating back to 1756. The diocese was created on January 11, 1918 from the western part of the Archdiocese of New...
, Lake Charles
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles , is a particular church located in southwest Louisiana . It is a fairly new diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, being founded on January 29, 1980. It is suffragan to the Archdiocese of New Orleans.The diocese is administered from the city of Lake...
, and Shreveport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shreveport is a Roman Catholic diocese located in northwestern Louisiana, and a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. It is under the governance of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and belongs to Conference Region V...
.
Archbishop Gregory Michael Aymond
Gregory Michael Aymond
Gregory Michael Aymond is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fourteenth and current Archbishop of New Orleans...
is the current metropolitan archbishop of the New Orleans Archdiocese. On Friday, June 12, 2009, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Aymond, of the Diocese of Austin
Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin includes 125 parishes, or faith communities, in 25 counties in Central Texas. The diocese stretches from West, Texas, in the north to San Marcos in the south to the Bryan/College Station area in the east to Mason in the west...
, to be the next Archbishop. Archbishop Aymond was installed on August 20, 2009 at Saint Louis Cathedral.
Summary
The archdiocese encompasses eight civil parishes in the New Orleans metropolitan area: JeffersonJefferson Parish, Louisiana
Jefferson Parish is a parish in Louisiana, United States that includes most of the suburbs of New Orleans. The seat of parish government is Gretna....
, Orleans, Plaquemines
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
Plaquemines Parish is the parish with the most combined land and water area in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Pointe à la Hache...
, St. Bernard
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
St. Bernard Parish is a parish located southeast of New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Chalmette, the largest city in the parish. As of 2000, its population was 67,229. It has been ranked the fastest-growing county in the United States from 2007 to 2008 by the U.S....
, St. Charles
St. Charles Parish, Louisiana
St. Charles Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Hahnville. In 2010, its population was 52,780. In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, this was part of the German Coast, an area along the Mississippi River settled by numerous German pioneers in the...
, St. John the Baptist
St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
St. John the Baptist Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana.The parish seat is Edgard, an unincorporated area and the unofficial parish captial is LaPlace, an unincorporated area. St. John the Baptist is one of the original 19 parishes in Louisiana. In 2010, its population was...
, St. Tammany
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
, and Washington
Washington Parish, Louisiana
Washington Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Franklinton. In 2000, its population was 43,926....
. There are 137 church parishes in the archdiocese, ministered by 387 priests (including those belonging to religious orders), 187 permanent deacons, 84 brothers, and 432 sisters. There are 372,037 Catholics on the census of the Archdiocese, 36% of the total population of the area. The current head of the archdiocese is Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Gregory Michael Aymond
Gregory Michael Aymond
Gregory Michael Aymond is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fourteenth and current Archbishop of New Orleans...
. He is assisted by one auxiliary bishop, Shelton Joseph Fabre. There are two Archbishops Emeriti: Archbishop Alfred Clifton Hughes
Alfred Clifton Hughes
Alfred Clifton Hughes is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th Archbishop of New Orleans, having previously served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1993 to 2002. On June 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Gregory M...
and Archbishop Francis Bible Schulte. There is also one Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus: Bishop Dominic Carmon, S.V.D.
Current Politics
In July 2009 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans contributed $2,000 of its money to overturn a law in the New England state of Maine allowing same-sex civil marriage. In early 2009, Maine, through its legislature and with the approval of its catholic governor extended the civil rights of same sex couples to marry in Maine. According to Maine's "Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices", the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland Maine spent over $553,000 to rescind those rights. The Archdiocese of New Orleans' $2,000 was part of that $553,000.History
The Catholic ChurchHistory of the Roman Catholic Church
As the oldest branch of Christianity, along with Eastern Orthodoxy, the history of the Catholic Church plays an integral part of the History of Christianity as a whole. This article covers a period of just under 2,000 years....
has had a presence in New Orleans since the founding of the city by the French
French colonization of the Americas
The French colonization of the Americas began in the 16th century, and continued in the following centuries as France established a colonial empire in the Western Hemisphere. France founded colonies in much of eastern North America, on a number of Caribbean islands, and in South America...
in 1718. New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
west of the Mississippi were surrendered
Treaty of Paris (1763)
The Treaty of Paris, often called the Peace of Paris, or the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763, by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement. It ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War...
to the Spanish
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
in 1763. From then until 1783 the two Floridas were under British control, but as part of the Peace of Paris (1783)
Peace of Paris (1783)
The Peace of Paris was the set of treaties which ended the American Revolutionary War. On 3 September 1783, representatives of King George III of Great Britain signed a treaty in Paris with representatives of the United States of America—commonly known as the Treaty of Paris —and two treaties at...
the two Florida colonies
Spanish Florida
Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...
were regained from Great Britain. Thus, the pioneer parishes of New Orleans and Louisiana were incorporated
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
into the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas when it was erected on April 25, 1793. The diocese originally encompassed the entire Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
, from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
to British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
, as well as the Florida peninsula and the Gulf Coast
West Florida
West Florida was a region on the north shore of the Gulf of Mexico, which underwent several boundary and sovereignty changes during its history. West Florida was first established in 1763 by the British government; as its name suggests it largely consisted of the western portion of the region...
.
The date of its establishment makes it the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States: the Diocese of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
was established on November 6, 1789. At the time of its establishment, the territory of the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas was part of the Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana
The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana is one of three Catholic Archdioceses in Cuba.-History:Erected originally as Santiago de Cuba, this Latin Rite or Roman Rite diocese was erected as the Diocese of Santiago de Cuba on 10 September 1787 by Pope Pius VI...
(Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
) in what is now Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
The diocese was divided into smaller dioceses several times, and many modern dioceses in the central United States were originally part of the Diocese of Louisiana. As capital of the Louisiana, the city was sold to the United States
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
in 1803. The diocese was renamed the Diocese of New Orleans in 1826, and encompassed what is now Louisiana and Mississippi. New Orleans was elevated to an archdiocese in 1850. As the population of Louisiana grew, the Archdiocese of New Orleans was further subdivided into several additional dioceses.
In its long history, the Archdiocese and the city of New Orleans have survived several major disasters, including several city-wide fires
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
, a British invasion
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
, the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, multiple yellow fever epidemics
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
, anti-immigration and anti-Catholicism, the New Orleans Hurricane of 1915
New Orleans Hurricane of 1915
The New Orleans Hurricane of 1915 was an intense Category 4 hurricane that made landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana during the 1915 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane killed 275 people and caused $13 million in damage....
, Segregation
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
, Hurricane Betsy
Hurricane Betsy
Hurricane Betsy was a Category 4 hurricane of the 1965 Atlantic hurricane season which caused enormous damage in the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana. Betsy made its most intense landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River, causing significant flooding of the waters of Lake Pontchartrain into...
, and an occasional financial crisis, not to mention Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. Each time, the Archdiocese rebuilt damaged churches and rendered assistance to the victims of every disaster. More recently, the church has faced an increased demand for churches in the suburbs
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
and a decline in attendance to inner-city parishes
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
. The church has also weathered changes within the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholicism in the United States
The Catholic Church in the United States is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, the Christian Church in full communion with the Pope. With more than 68.5 registered million members, it is the largest single religious denomination in the United States, comprising about 22 percent of the population...
, such as the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, and changing spiritual values
Culture of life
The phrase "culture of life" is a term used in discussion of moral theology, especially of the Catholic Church. Its proponents describe it as a way of life based upon the theological truth that human life at all stages from conception through natural death is sacred...
throughout the rest of the United States
Religion in the United States
Religion in the United States is characterized by both a wide diversity in religious beliefs and practices, and by a high adherence level. According to recent surveys, 83 percent of Americans claim to belong to a religious denomination, 40 percent claim to attend services nearly every week or...
.
The archdiocese sustained severe damage from Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
and Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita
Hurricane Rita was the fourth-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded and the most intense tropical cyclone ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico. Rita caused $11.3 billion in damage on the U.S. Gulf Coast in September 2005...
. Numerous churches and schools were flooded and battered by hurricane force winds. In the more heavily flooded neighborhoods, such as St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
St. Bernard Parish is a parish located southeast of New Orleans in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Chalmette, the largest city in the parish. As of 2000, its population was 67,229. It has been ranked the fastest-growing county in the United States from 2007 to 2008 by the U.S....
, many parish structures were wiped out entirely.
Over two years later, the long process of rebuilding the archdiocese continues.
Heritage
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
from around the world. Since French and Spanish Catholics ruled the city, they encouraged enslaved
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
Africans to adopt Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The city has a large population of African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Catholics with deep heritage in the area. Later European immigrants, such as the Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
, Italians
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
, and German Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
ns have also been a part of the Archdiocese throughout its history. In the last quarter of the 20th century, many Vietnamese Catholics
Vietnamese American
A Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....
from South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
settled in the city. New waves of immigrants from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
have added to the Catholic congregations.
Landmarks
The best known church in the New Orleans Archdiocese is the historic St. Louis CathedralSt. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
Saint Louis Cathedral , also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans; it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States...
fronting the Spanish Plaza de Armas, now Jackson Square, in the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
. This church was originally built in 1718, shortly after the founding of the city. The modest building was destroyed by fire several times before the current structure was built between 1789 and 1794 during the Spanish domination. During renovations to the cathedral between 1849 and 1851, St. Patrick's Church
St. Patrick's Church (New Orleans)
St. Patrick's Church is a Catholic church and parish in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The parish was founded in 1833, and the current structure was completed in 1840. It is the second oldest parish in New Orleans St. Patrick's Church is a Catholic church and parish in the Archdiocese of New...
, the second-oldest parish in the city, served as the pro-cathedral
Pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral is a parish church that is temporarily serving as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese.-Usage:In Ireland, the term is used to specifically refer to St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin since the Reformation, when Christ Church...
of the archdiocese.
Bishops
The Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas was erected on April 25, 1793; it encompassed the area claimed by Spain as Luisiana, which was all the land draining into the Mississippi River from the west, as well as Spanish territory to the east of the river in modern-day MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
- † Luis Ignatius Peñalver y CárdenasLuis Ignatius Peñalver y CárdenasLuis Ignatius Peñalver y Cardenas was a Cuban Catholic Bishop of New Orleans, and Archbishop of Guatemala.-Life:...
— appointed September 12, 1794 (installed 1795), elevated July 20, 1801 to the see of Guatemala; the first bishop of Louisiana and the Two Floridas. - † Francisco Porró y ReinadoFrancisco Porró y ReinadoFrancisco Bartolomé Porró y Reinado, O.F.M. was a Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Louisiana and the Two Floridas and Bishop of Tarazona ....
— appointed July 20, 1801, transferred January 17, 1803; never took formal possession of the diocese and was transferred to the see of TarazonaTarazonaTarazona is a municipality in the Spanish province of Zaragoza, in the autonomous community of Aragon. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarazona and the capital of the Tarazona y el Moncayo Aragonese comarca.- History :...
.
In April, 1803, the United States purchased Louisiana
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
from France, which had in 1800 forced Spain to retrocede the territory in the Third Treaty of San Ildefonso
Third Treaty of San Ildefonso
The Third Treaty of San Ildefonso was a secretly negotiated treaty between France and Spain in which Spain returned the colonial territory of...
. The United States took formal possession of New Orleans on December 20, 1803, and of Upper Louisiana on March 10, 1804. The then-Bishop John Carroll of Baltimore served as apostolic administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the diocese from 1805 to 1812; during this period, the diocese became a suffragan of Baltimore. Archbishop Carroll's successor as apostolic administrator would eventually be the diocese's first resident bishop of the 19th century.
- † Louis-Guillaume DubourgLouis William Valentine DubourgLouis William Valentine Dubourg was a Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church who played an active role in the growth of the church in the early years of the United States. He was born in Cap Français, St...
— appointed apostolic administrator, August 18, 1812, appointed bishop September 18, 1815 (installed 1818 at St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
), resigned February 2, 1825.
In 1823, Joseph Rosati
Joseph Rosati
Joseph Rosati was a U.S. Catholic bishop. He served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis between 1826 and 1843....
was appointed coadjutor bishop
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of the diocese. In 1825, the territory of the diocese in what is now Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
was transferred to the new Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Floridas, and in 1826, the diocese was renamed, becoming the Diocese of New Orleans. At the same time, the diocese's territory was further reduced by the creation of the Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson is a diocese in the ecclesiastical province of Mobile, in the southern United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi, an area of . It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United...
and the Diocese of St. Louis. Bishop Rosati served as the diocese's apostolic administrator from 1826 to 1829; having been appointed bishop of St. Louis two years previously, he resigned the administration of the New Orleans diocese upon the appointment of Bishop de Neckere.
- † Leo-Raymond de NeckereLeo-Raymond de NeckereLeo-Raymond de Neckère C.M. was a Belgian-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of New Orleans from 1830 until his death in 1833....
— appointed August 4, 1829, died September 4, 1833; the first bishop of New Orleans to use that title. - † Antoine BlancAntoine BlancAntoine Blanc was the fifth Bishop and first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. His tenure, during which the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese, was at a time of growth in the city, which he matched with the most rapid church expansion in the history of New Orleans...
— appointed June 19, 1835, elevated July 19, 1850; the first archbishop of New Orleans. Upon the elevation of the diocese, its territory outside the state of Louisiana became the Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory East of the Rocky MountainsRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in KansasThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in Kansas. The original diocese was formed on May 22, 1877 as the Diocese of Leavenworth...
.
† = deceased
Archbishops
- † Antoine BlancAntoine BlancAntoine Blanc was the fifth Bishop and first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans. His tenure, during which the diocese was elevated to an archdiocese, was at a time of growth in the city, which he matched with the most rapid church expansion in the history of New Orleans...
(1850–1860) - † Jean-Marie OdinJean-Marie OdinJean-Marie Odin, C.M. was a French Roman Catholic missionary, first Bishop of Galveston , and second Archbishop of New Orleans .-Biography:...
(1861–1870) - † Napoléon-Joseph PerchéNapoléon-Joseph PerchéArchbishop Napoléon-Joseph Perché was the third Archbishop of New Orleans . The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans is the second-oldest diocese in the present-day United States....
(1870–1883) - † Francis Xavier LerayFrancis Xavier LerayFrancis Xavier Leray was a French-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Natchitoches and Archbishop of New Orleans ....
(1883–1887) - † Francis Janssens (1888–1897)
- † Placide-Louis Chapelle (1897–1905)
- † James Hubert BlenkJames BlenkJames Hubert Herbert Blenk, S.M. was a German American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Puerto Rico and Archbishop of New Orleans .-Biography:...
(1906–1917) - † John William ShawJohn Shaw (archbishop)John William Shaw was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of San Antonio and Archbishop of New Orleans .-Biography:...
(1918–1934) - † Joseph Francis RummelJoseph RummelJoseph Francis Rummel was bishop of the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans Joseph Francis Rummel (October 14, 1876, Steinmauern, Baden - November 8, 1964, New Orleans, Louisiana) was bishop of the Diocese of Omaha, Nebraska (Mar. 30, 1928 - Mar. 9, 1935)...
(1935–1964) - † John Patrick CodyJohn Cardinal CodyJohn Patrick Cardinal Cody was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. A native of St. Louis, he served as Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph , Archbishop of New Orleans , and Archbishop of Chicago . He was created a cardinal in 1967.-Early life and education:John Cody was born in St...
(1964–1965) - † Philip Matthew HannanPhilip HannanPhilip Matthew Hannan was an American Roman Catholic Archbishop. Archbishop Hannan, in his episcopal career, served as Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and later as the Eleventh Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans from September 29, 1965 to...
(1965–1989)"Archbishop Hannan the Beloved" - Francis Bible SchulteFrancis B. SchulteFrancis Bible Schulte is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston from 1985 to 1988, and Archbishop of New Orleans from 1989 to 2001.-Biography:...
(1989–2001) - Alfred Clifton HughesAlfred Clifton HughesAlfred Clifton Hughes is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the 13th Archbishop of New Orleans, having previously served as Bishop of Baton Rouge from 1993 to 2002. On June 12, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop Gregory M...
(2002–2009) - Gregory Michael AymondGregory Michael AymondGregory Michael Aymond is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fourteenth and current Archbishop of New Orleans...
(2009–present)
† = deceased
Auxiliary bishops
- † Louis Abel Caillouet (1947-1976)
- † Harold Robert Perry, S.V.D.Harold Robert PerryHarold Robert Perry, S.V.D. was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. An auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans for over twenty years, he was the first African American to serve as a Catholic bishop in the 20th century.-Biography:Harold Perry was born in Lake Charles,...
(1966-1991) - Dominic Carmon, S.V.D.Dominic CarmonDominic Carmon, S.V.D. is an African American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New Orleans from 1993 to 2006....
(1993–2006) – retired - Roger Paul MorinRoger MorinRoger Paul Morin is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Biloxi.-Early life and education:...
(2003-2009) - Shelton Joseph Fabre (2007–present)
† = deceased
Parishes
The 108 parishes of the archdiocese are divided into 10 deaneriesDeanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
.
Schools
There are 5 Roman Catholic colleges and over 20 high schools within the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Many of the churches throughout the archdiocese have primary schools as well.Ecclesiastical province of New Orleans
- See: List of the Catholic bishops of the United States#Province of New Orleans
See also
- List of the Roman Catholic dioceses of the United States#Ecclesiastical province of New Orleans
- :Category:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans
External links
- The Archdiocese of New Orleans Official Website
- Nolan, Charles E. A History of the Archdiocese of New Orleans May 2001
- Cheney, David M. Catholic Hierarchy Website.
- Archdiocesan Statistics.
- Catholic Charities of New Orleans.
- The Clarion Herald, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
- John and Kathleen DeMajo. Gallery of New Orleans Churches, including numerous Catholic Churches.
- The Catholic Encyclopedia's article for the Archdiocese of New Orleans.
- Organizational website devoted to the opposition of merging Archbishop Blenk and Immaculata high schools