Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno is a particular church
of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
in the western region (XI) of the United States
, in the State of California
. It is a suffragan diocese
of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Geographically, the diocese consists of 35239 square miles (91,268.6 km²) of the Southern San Joaquin Valley
of California, a portion of the Sierra Nevada and some eastern valleys. The diocese consists of all of the Counties of Fresno
, Inyo
, Kern
, Kings
, Madera
, Mariposa
, Merced
, and Tulare
. The total population of the diocesan region is about 2.4 million inhabitants, of whom 581,000 were Catholic as of 2004. For administrative purposes the diocese is sub-divided into five deaneries: Fresno
City, Fresno (rural), Tulare/Kings
, Kern/Inyo, and Merced/Mariposa
.
The see was created in 1967 by splitting the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno into two sees. Historically the area of the current diocese belonged to the Dioceses of Guadalajara, Durango
, Sonora, Californias, Monterey, Monterey-Los Angeles, and lastly Monterey-Fresno. Timothy Manning (first Bishop of Fresno) and Roger Mahony (Auxiliary Bishop) have both served in the diocese.
The most recent ordinary
, John Thomas Steinbock
, was appointed the fourth Bishop of Fresno on October 15, 1991, taking over from Apostolic Administrator Most Rev. Norman McFarland
, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
. He served in that position until his death in early December 2010. Since 1922 the diocesan see has been in the City of Fresno
with the cathedra
remaining at St. John's Cathedral (which also served as the seat of the former Diocese of Monterey-Fresno). The diocese maintains 86 parishes, several charities, two high schools, numerous elementary schools, a small newspaper, television station (KNXT
), retreat center and several cemeteries.
In 2003, the Diocese of Fresno was one of only four Latin Rite dioceses in the United States
that did not participate in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
review of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. However progress in the area of protecting youth was strongly apparent by 2005.
Particular Church
In Catholic canon law, a Particular Church is an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognised as the equivalent of a bishop.There are two kinds of particular Churches:# Local particular Churches ...
of the Latin Rite 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...
in the western region (XI) of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the State of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is a suffragan diocese
Suffragan Diocese
A suffragan diocese is a diocese in the Catholic Church that is overseen not only by its own diocesan bishop but also by a metropolitan bishop. The metropolitan is always an archbishop who governs his own archdiocese...
of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Geographically, the diocese consists of 35239 square miles (91,268.6 km²) of the Southern San Joaquin Valley
San Joaquin Valley
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
of California, a portion of the Sierra Nevada and some eastern valleys. The diocese consists of all of the Counties of Fresno
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
, Inyo
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
, Kern
Kern County, California
Spreading across the southern end of the California Central Valley, Kern County is the fifth-largest county by population in California. Its economy is heavily linked to agriculture and to petroleum extraction, and there is a strong aviation and space presence. Politically, it has generally...
, Kings
Kings County, California
Kings County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is located in a rich agricultural region. Kings County is also home to NAS Lemoore, which is the U.S. Navy's newest and largest master jet air station. The county seat is Hanford...
, Madera
Madera County, California
Madera County is a county of the U.S. state of California, located in the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada north of Fresno County. It comprises the Madera-Chowchilla, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census the population was 150,865...
, Mariposa
Mariposa County, California
Mariposa County is a county in the U.S. state of California, located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced, and southeast of Stockton. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,251 up from 17,130 at the 2000 census...
, Merced
Merced County, California
Merced County , is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, north of Fresno and southeast of San Jose. As of the 2010 census, the population was 255,793, up from 210,554 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Merced...
, and Tulare
Tulare County, California
Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
. The total population of the diocesan region is about 2.4 million inhabitants, of whom 581,000 were Catholic as of 2004. For administrative purposes the diocese is sub-divided into five deaneries: Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
City, Fresno (rural), Tulare/Kings
Hanford, California
Hanford is an important commercial and cultural center in the south central San Joaquin Valley and is the county seat of Kings County, California. It is the principal city of the Hanford-Corcoran, California Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Kings County, including the cities...
, Kern/Inyo, and Merced/Mariposa
Merced, California
Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 78,958. Incorporated in 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government...
.
The see was created in 1967 by splitting the Diocese of Monterey-Fresno into two sees. Historically the area of the current diocese belonged to the Dioceses of Guadalajara, Durango
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Durango
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Durango is a Metropolitan Archdiocese in Mexico. Based in the city of Durango, it is responsible for the suffragan dioceses of Culiacán, Mazatlán and Torreón as well as the Territorial Prelature of El Salto.-Early history:...
, Sonora, Californias, Monterey, Monterey-Los Angeles, and lastly Monterey-Fresno. Timothy Manning (first Bishop of Fresno) and Roger Mahony (Auxiliary Bishop) have both served in the diocese.
The most recent ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
, John Thomas Steinbock
John Thomas Steinbock
John Thomas Steinbock was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fourth Bishop of Fresno.-Biography:...
, was appointed the fourth Bishop of Fresno on October 15, 1991, taking over from Apostolic Administrator Most Rev. Norman McFarland
Norman Francis McFarland
Norman Francis McFarland, D.D., J.C.D., was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Orange and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Reno.-Early life and pastoral appointments:...
, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church whose territory comprises the whole of Orange County, California, in the United States...
. He served in that position until his death in early December 2010. Since 1922 the diocesan see has been in the City of Fresno
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
with the cathedra
Cathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
remaining at St. John's Cathedral (which also served as the seat of the former Diocese of Monterey-Fresno). The diocese maintains 86 parishes, several charities, two high schools, numerous elementary schools, a small newspaper, television station (KNXT
KNXT
KNXT is a television station owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fresno, broadcasting on digital channel 50. The station is licensed in Visalia, California, about 45 miles southeast of Fresno...
), retreat center and several cemeteries.
In 2003, the Diocese of Fresno was one of only four Latin Rite dioceses in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that did not participate in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
review of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. However progress in the area of protecting youth was strongly apparent by 2005.
Bishops of the Diocese of Fresno
- Timothy Manning (16 Oct 1967 - 26 May 1969)
- Hugh Aloysius DonohoeHugh Aloysius DonohoeHugh Aloysius Donohoe was an American Roman Catholic clergyman.Born in San Francisco, California, Donohoe was educated at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park and at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1930. He then served as a...
(22 Aug 1969 - 1 Jul 1980 ) - José de Jesús Madera Uribe (1 Jul 1980 - 28 May 1991)
- John Thomas SteinbockJohn Thomas SteinbockJohn Thomas Steinbock was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the fourth Bishop of Fresno.-Biography:...
(15 Oct 1991 - 5 Dec 2010) - Armando Ochoa
External links
- Diocese of Fresno official website