Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Boise is an ecclesiastical territory (diocese
) of the Catholic Church
in the northwestern U.S.
, encompassing the entire state of Idaho
. It is led by a bishop
who serves as pastor
of the cathedral, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise
. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Portland
.
Approximately 150,000 Catholics live within the Diocese of Boise, making them approximately 11% of the population of the state of Idaho
. The diocese is divided up into six regions
, called deaneries
. In the whole of the diocese, there are 51 parishes, 31 stations, and 25 chapels. There are also five Catholic hospitals—namely Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Mercy Medical Center in Nampa
, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston
, St. Mary Hospital in Cottonwood
, and St. Benedict Medical Center in Jerome
— 13 elementary schools, and one high school--Bishop Kelly
in Boise.
The current bishop of the diocese is Most Reverend Michael Patrick Driscoll
, serving since 1999. The diocese currently has two vicars general
, Very Reverend Dennis Wassmuth (Vicar General for Finance), and Very Reverend Joseph daSilva (Vicar General for the Clergy and Parishes). The current chancellor is Marcie Wilske.
migrated into Idaho
from eastern Canada
. These Iroquois
had the rudiments of Catholic belief, and apparently spoke of the need for "black robes" to show the way to heaven
. Thereafter, for the next twenty-five years, members of the Nez Perce and Flathead
tribes made four journeys to St. Louis
, Missouri
, attempting to recruit a priest
for their communities. Their efforts bore fruit when, in 1840, Father Pierre-Jean De Smet
, S.J.
, a Belgian
missionary, was appointed to minister to them. The first Mass in Idaho was thus celebrated by Fr. De Smet on 22 July 1840 at Henry's Lake.
Fr. De Smet's Jesuit order constructed the first Catholic church in Idaho, built in 1843 along the St. Joe River (near the present-day town of St. Maries
) under the leadership of Father Nicholas Point, S.J.. The mission was later moved to banks of the Coeur d'Alene River
. The church, named after the Sacred Heart
, is most commonly known as the Cataldo Mission. It is the oldest building in Idaho.
Until 1862, Catholicism in Idaho remained limited to the tribes of Native Americans
in north. However, a gold rush
began in 1862 that brought tens of thousands of people to the Basin
basin, including a large number of Irish
Catholics. President Abraham Lincoln
created the Territory of Idaho in 1863, and Pope Pius IX followed up five years later in 1868 by declaring Idaho an apostolic vicariate
. At that time, both the territory and the vicariate apostolic included the current state of Idaho and the western portions of Montana
and Wyoming
.
Louis Aloysius Lootens, a native of Belgium
a priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, was named the first Vicar Apostolic of Idaho, being consecrated as such in the old St. Mary's Cathedral on August 9, 1868 by Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany. At the time, the population of Idaho consisted of approximately 20,000 people, of whom only 1,500 were Catholic. Shortly after his appointment, Bishop Lootens was called to Rome
to participate in the First Vatican Council
. When he returned to Idaho, he found that the gold rush had ended, leaving only scattered ghost towns in its wake. Lootens submitted his resignation, and moved to Victoria, British Columbia
, where he died on January 12, 1898.
Eight years after Looten's resignation, on 7 October 1887, a new vicar apostolic Alphonse Joseph Glorieux
was appointed by Pope Leo XIII
. Glorieux, a native of Belgium
and an alumnus of the American College of the Immaculate Conception there, was consecrated bishop by Cardinal James Gibbons while attending the Third Council of Baltimore
on 19 April 1885 in the Cathedral of the Assumption (Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
). The bishop made Boise his see, and established St. John the Evangelist parish as the cathedral
. On the 25 August 1893, Pope Leo XIII established Boise as a diocese
and appointed Glorieux as its first bishop
.
, who began immigrating to Idaho early in the twentieth century and primarily worked within the sheep industry. (Approximately 15,000 of their descendants remain in the diocese today.)
Succeeding Glorieux as bishop in 1918 was Monsignor Daniel Mary Gorman selected by Pope Benedict XV
. Gorman was a priest of the Diocese of Dubuque. He oversaw large growth within the diocese during his nine years as bishop, adding 32 diocesan priests, completing construction on the cathedral, and doubling enrollment in parish schools.
The third bishop of Boise was Edward Joseph Kelly, a native of The Dalles, Oregon
and priest of the Diocese of Baker City
. Kelly was selected by Pope Pius XI. Consecrated as bishop in 1928, Bishop Kelly served for 28 years until his death in 1956; the state's only Catholic high school bears his name (Bishop Kelly High School
).
On the death of Kelly, Pope Pius XII gave the See of Boise to James J. Byrne
, who was transferred to the Archdiocese of Dubuque
in 1962.
The fifth bishop of Boise, Sylvester W. Treinen
, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck, chosen by Pope John XXIII. Treinen was consecrated on July 25, 1962. He promptly departed for Rome
, where he attended three sessions of the Second Vatican Council
. As bishop, he is remembered for implementing the decrees of that council. Treinen retired in 1988 and died in 1996, having served the diocese as a bishop (and bishop emeritus) for 34 years.
Pope John Paul II had Tod Brown
installed as the sixth bishop of Boise on April 3, 1989. A capable administrator, he became the Bishop of Orange
in 1998. Michael P. Driscoll
, the current bishop of Boise, was appointed by John Paul II on January 19, 1999.
Beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, large numbers of migrant workers from Mexico
arrived in the diocese. Some settled permanently in the region, while many others remained migratory and would return to Mexico
after the harvest. Toward the latter part of the century, the number of immigrants from Mexico
and other parts of Latin America
increased dramatically, with the vast majority of them settling permanently in the southern part of the diocese. So many immigrants have now made Idaho their home that people of Latin American heritage now constitute well over half of the Catholics within the 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...
) of the 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...
in the northwestern U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, encompassing the entire state of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. It is led by a bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
who serves as pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of the cathedral, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Boise
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Portland
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland
The Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It encompasses the western part of the state of Oregon, from the summit of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean...
.
Approximately 150,000 Catholics live within the Diocese of Boise, making them approximately 11% of the population of the state of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. The diocese is divided up into six regions
Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise Regions
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise Regions consist of deaneries for geographic areas of the state of Idaho. The areas are further defined by parishes, stations, and chapels. The Diocese of Boise is a unit of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland....
, called deaneries
Deanery
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 :...
. In the whole of the diocese, there are 51 parishes, 31 stations, and 25 chapels. There are also five Catholic hospitals—namely Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Mercy Medical Center in Nampa
Nampa, Idaho
Nampa is the largest and the fastest growing city in Canyon County, Idaho, USA. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census. Nampa is located about west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles west of Meridian. Nampa is part of the Boise metropolitan area...
, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston
Lewiston, Idaho
Lewiston is a city in and also the county seat of Nez Perce County in the Pacific Northwest state of Idaho. It is the second-largest city in the northern Idaho region, behind Coeur d'Alene and ninth-largest in the state. Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA...
, St. Mary Hospital in Cottonwood
Cottonwood, Idaho
Cottonwood is a city in Idaho County, Idaho, United States. The population was 900 at the 2010 census. Cottonwood is just west of U.S. Route 95, between Grangeville and Lewiston.-Cottonwood Butte:...
, and St. Benedict Medical Center in Jerome
Jerome, Idaho
Jerome is a city in Jerome County, Idaho, U.S.A. The population was 10,890 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Jerome County, and sits at an elevation of 3763 feet above sea level. It is part of the Twin Falls, Idaho Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Jerome is located at ...
— 13 elementary schools, and one high school--Bishop Kelly
Bishop Kelly High School
Bishop Kelly High School is a private Roman Catholic high school in Boise, Idaho, operated by the Diocese of Boise.-History:The school opened its doors in the fall of 1964, succeeding St. Teresa's Academy, which had closed that spring. Bishop Kelly is the only Catholic high school in the state of...
in Boise.
The current bishop of the diocese is Most Reverend Michael Patrick Driscoll
Michael Patrick Driscoll
Michael Patrick Driscoll is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Bishop of Boise.-Early life and ministry:...
, serving since 1999. The diocese currently has two vicars general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
, Very Reverend Dennis Wassmuth (Vicar General for Finance), and Very Reverend Joseph daSilva (Vicar General for the Clergy and Parishes). The current chancellor is Marcie Wilske.
Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century
The first Catholics to arrive in the territory that would eventually become the Diocese of Boise were French-Canadian fur trappers in the mid-eighteenth century. That remained the sole Catholic contact in the area until 1815, when 19 IroquoisIroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
migrated into Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
from eastern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. These Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
had the rudiments of Catholic belief, and apparently spoke of the need for "black robes" to show the way to heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
. Thereafter, for the next twenty-five years, members of the Nez Perce and Flathead
Flathead
Flathead may refer to:* Flat-head screwdriver, a screwdriver designed to turn slotted screws* Flat-head screw, a screw with a flat top, designed to be installed in a countersunk hole* Flathead engine, a valve configuration...
tribes made four journeys to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. 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...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, attempting to recruit a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
for their communities. Their efforts bore fruit when, in 1840, Father Pierre-Jean De Smet
Pierre-Jean De Smet
Pierre-Jean De Smet , also known as Pieter-Jan De Smet, was a Belgian Roman Catholic priest and member of the Society of Jesus , active in missionary work among the Native Americans of the Midwestern United States in the mid-19th century.His extensive travels as a missionary were said to total...
, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, a Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
missionary, was appointed to minister to them. The first Mass in Idaho was thus celebrated by Fr. De Smet on 22 July 1840 at Henry's Lake.
Fr. De Smet's Jesuit order constructed the first Catholic church in Idaho, built in 1843 along the St. Joe River (near the present-day town of St. Maries
St. Maries, Idaho
St. Maries is a city in Benewah County, Idaho, United States. The population was 2,652 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Benewah County. Pronounced St. Mary's.-Geography:St. Maries is located at ....
) under the leadership of Father Nicholas Point, S.J.. The mission was later moved to banks of the Coeur d'Alene River
Coeur d'Alene River
The Coeur d'Alene River flows from the Silver Valley into Lake Coeur d'Alene in the U.S. state of Idaho. The stream continues out of Lake Coeur d'Alene as the Spokane River...
. The church, named after the Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart
The Sacred Heart is one of the most famous religious devotions to Jesus' physical heart as the representation of His divine love for Humanity....
, is most commonly known as the Cataldo Mission. It is the oldest building in Idaho.
Until 1862, Catholicism in Idaho remained limited to the tribes of Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in north. However, a gold rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
began in 1862 that brought tens of thousands of people to the Basin
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
basin, including a large number of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Catholics. President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
created the Territory of Idaho in 1863, and Pope Pius IX followed up five years later in 1868 by declaring Idaho an apostolic vicariate
Apostolic vicariate
An apostolic vicariate is a form of territorial jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church established in missionary regions and countries that do not have a diocese. It is essentially provisional, though it may last for a century or more...
. At that time, both the territory and the vicariate apostolic included the current state of Idaho and the western portions of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
.
Louis Aloysius Lootens, a native of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
a priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, was named the first Vicar Apostolic of Idaho, being consecrated as such in the old St. Mary's Cathedral on August 9, 1868 by Archbishop Joseph S. Alemany. At the time, the population of Idaho consisted of approximately 20,000 people, of whom only 1,500 were Catholic. Shortly after his appointment, Bishop Lootens was called to Rome
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
to participate in the First Vatican Council
First Vatican Council
The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864. This twentieth ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church, held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December 1869 and adjourned...
. When he returned to Idaho, he found that the gold rush had ended, leaving only scattered ghost towns in its wake. Lootens submitted his resignation, and moved to Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, where he died on January 12, 1898.
Eight years after Looten's resignation, on 7 October 1887, a new vicar apostolic Alphonse Joseph Glorieux
Alphonse Joseph Glorieux
Bishop Alphonse Joseph Glorieux was a Belgian missionary Roman Catholic bishop, who served as the first bishop of Boise, Idaho, United States.-Beginning in Belgium:...
was appointed by Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. Glorieux, a native of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and an alumnus of the American College of the Immaculate Conception there, was consecrated bishop by Cardinal James Gibbons while attending the Third Council of Baltimore
Plenary Councils of Baltimore
The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Roman Catholic bishops in the 19th century in Baltimore, Maryland.During the early history of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States all of the dioceses were part of one ecclesiastical province under the Archbishop of Baltimore...
on 19 April 1885 in the Cathedral of the Assumption (Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also called the Baltimore Basilica, was the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in the United States, and was the first major religious building constructed in the nation after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution...
). The bishop made Boise his see, and established St. John the Evangelist parish as the cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
. On the 25 August 1893, Pope Leo XIII established Boise as a 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...
and appointed Glorieux as its first bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
.
Twentieth Century
The opening of large tracts of land to settlement and the arrival of the railroad greatly increased the population of Idaho. When the diocese was officially established in 1893, there were approximately 7,000 Catholics in the state. It grew dramatically over the following century. One group of significance are the Basque peopleBasque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
, who began immigrating to Idaho early in the twentieth century and primarily worked within the sheep industry. (Approximately 15,000 of their descendants remain in the diocese today.)
Succeeding Glorieux as bishop in 1918 was Monsignor Daniel Mary Gorman selected by Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV
Pope Benedict XV , born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa, reigned as Pope from 3 September 1914 to 22 January 1922...
. Gorman was a priest of the Diocese of Dubuque. He oversaw large growth within the diocese during his nine years as bishop, adding 32 diocesan priests, completing construction on the cathedral, and doubling enrollment in parish schools.
The third bishop of Boise was Edward Joseph Kelly, a native of The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
and priest of the Diocese of Baker City
Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker
The Diocese of Baker is a territorial division, or diocese, of the Roman Catholic Church in Eastern Oregon, United States...
. Kelly was selected by Pope Pius XI. Consecrated as bishop in 1928, Bishop Kelly served for 28 years until his death in 1956; the state's only Catholic high school bears his name (Bishop Kelly High School
Bishop Kelly High School
Bishop Kelly High School is a private Roman Catholic high school in Boise, Idaho, operated by the Diocese of Boise.-History:The school opened its doors in the fall of 1964, succeeding St. Teresa's Academy, which had closed that spring. Bishop Kelly is the only Catholic high school in the state of...
).
On the death of Kelly, Pope Pius XII gave the See of Boise to James J. Byrne
James Byrne (Archbishop)
-External links:* at Find-A-Grave...
, who was transferred to the Archdiocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
in 1962.
The fifth bishop of Boise, Sylvester W. Treinen
Sylvester William Treinen
Sylvester William Treinen was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Boise from 1962 to 1988.-Biography:...
, a priest of the Diocese of Bismarck, chosen by Pope John XXIII. Treinen was consecrated on July 25, 1962. He promptly departed for Rome
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, where he attended three sessions of 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...
. As bishop, he is remembered for implementing the decrees of that council. Treinen retired in 1988 and died in 1996, having served the diocese as a bishop (and bishop emeritus) for 34 years.
Pope John Paul II had Tod Brown
Tod David Brown
Tod David Brown is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Orange.- Biography :...
installed as the sixth bishop of Boise on April 3, 1989. A capable administrator, he became the Bishop of Orange
Diocese of Orange
Diocese of Orange may refer to:*Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange in California*Ancient Diocese of Orange, in France...
in 1998. Michael P. Driscoll
Michael Patrick Driscoll
Michael Patrick Driscoll is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Bishop of Boise.-Early life and ministry:...
, the current bishop of Boise, was appointed by John Paul II on January 19, 1999.
Beginning in the middle of the twentieth century, large numbers of migrant workers 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...
arrived in the diocese. Some settled permanently in the region, while many others remained migratory and would return to 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...
after the harvest. Toward the latter part of the century, the number 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...
and other parts of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
increased dramatically, with the vast majority of them settling permanently in the southern part of the diocese. So many immigrants have now made Idaho their home that people of Latin American heritage now constitute well over half of the Catholics within the diocese.
List of the Bishops of Boise
- Louis Aloysius LootensLouis Aloysius LootensLouis Lootens was a Belgian-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Vicar Apostolic of Idaho and auxiliary bishop of Vancouver Island .-Biography:...
(1868–76) - Alphonse Joseph GlorieuxAlphonse Joseph GlorieuxBishop Alphonse Joseph Glorieux was a Belgian missionary Roman Catholic bishop, who served as the first bishop of Boise, Idaho, United States.-Beginning in Belgium:...
(1884–1917) - Daniel Mary GormanDaniel Mary GormanDaniel Mary Gorman was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Boise from 1918 until his death in 1927.-Biography:...
(1918–27) - Edward Joseph KellyEdward Kelly (bishop)Edward Joseph Kelly was an American Roman Catholic clergyman.Kelly was born in The Dalles, Oregon, to James Leo and Henrietta Kelly. He received his early education at in his native city, and made his classical studies at Columbia University in Portland. He began his studies for the priesthood...
(1927–56) - James Joseph Byrne (1956–62)
- Sylvester William TreinenSylvester William TreinenSylvester William Treinen was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Boise from 1962 to 1988.-Biography:...
(1962–88) - Tod David BrownTod David BrownTod David Brown is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Orange.- Biography :...
(1988–98) - Michael Patrick DriscollMichael Patrick DriscollMichael Patrick Driscoll is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Bishop of Boise.-Early life and ministry:...
(1999–present)
Resources
- Diocese of Boise - official site
- Catholic Hierarchy.org - Diocese of Boise
Print References
- Bradley, Cyprian and Kelly, Edward J., History of the Diocese of Boise 1863-1952, Caldwell, Idaho: The Caxton Printers, Ltd., 1953.