Roman Catholic Diocese of Grass Valley
Encyclopedia
The Diocese of Grass Valley was a diocese
of the Latin Church
of the Catholic Church located in northeastern California
, United States
. The diocese also included most of Nevada
, and, early in its history, Utah
and part of Colorado
.
that became the Diocese of Grass Valley was erected in 1860 as the Vicariate Apostolic of Marysville
from territory formerly belonging to the Archdiocese of San Francisco
, of which it was a suffragan see. In 1868, the see city was changed to Grass Valley
, and the vicariate was renamed and elevated to a diocese.
St. Joseph Church in Marysville served as the pro-cathedral
of the vicarate. When the vicarate was elevated to a diocese, Bishop Eugene O'Connell
resisted the change of see city to Grass Valley, and continued using St. Joseph's as his pro-cathedral. St. Patrick Cathedral in Grass Valley was the official cathedral
approved by the Vatican
.
The diocese served the large mining population in the Sierra Nevada during the California Gold Rush
. By 1886, commercial mining in the Gold Country
had slowed considerably, significantly reducing the population in the area, and the diocese was suppressed. Much of its territory became part of the Diocese of Sacramento
. O’Connell is considered the first bishop of Sacramento.
was appointed
as coadjutor bishop
of the Grass Valley Diocese. On May 24, 1884, Manogue succeeded O’Connell as the second and last diocesan bishop of Grass Valley. Manogue served two years as the final diocesan bishop.
was erected. Manogue became its founding bishop and in effect the second bishop of the Sacramento diocese.
restored the see as a titular see
. The current titular bishop
of Grass Valley is Christie Macaluso
, an auxiliary bishop
of the Archdiocese of Hartford
.
Bishop of Grass Valley
Titular Bishop of Grass Valley
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 Latin Church
Latin Church
The Latin Church is the largest particular church within the Catholic Church. It is a particular church not on the level of the local particular churches known as dioceses or eparchies, but on the level of autonomous ritual churches, of which there are 23, the remaining 22 of which are Eastern...
of the Catholic Church located in northeastern 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The diocese also included most of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and, early in its history, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and part of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
.
History
The particular churchParticular 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 ...
that became the Diocese of Grass Valley was erected in 1860 as the Vicariate Apostolic of Marysville
Marysville, California
Marysville is the county seat of Yuba County, California, United States. The population was 12,072 at the 2010 census, down from 12,268 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Yuba City Metropolitan Statistical Area, often referred to as the Yuba-Sutter Area after the two counties, Yuba and...
from territory formerly belonging to the Archdiocese of San Francisco
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It covers the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Marin and San Mateo...
, of which it was a suffragan see. In 1868, the see city was changed to Grass Valley
Grass Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Grass Valley had a population of 12,860. The population density was 2,711.3 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Grass Valley was 11,493 White, 46 African American, 208 Native American, 188 Asian, 9 Pacific Islander, 419 from other...
, and the vicariate was renamed and elevated to a diocese.
St. Joseph Church in Marysville 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 vicarate. When the vicarate was elevated to a diocese, Bishop Eugene O'Connell
Eugene O'Connell
Eugene O'Connell was the first Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grass Valley, California.-Early pastoral appointments:O'Connell was ordained to the priesthood on May 21, 1842...
resisted the change of see city to Grass Valley, and continued using St. Joseph's as his pro-cathedral. St. Patrick Cathedral in Grass Valley was the official cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
approved by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
.
The diocese served the large mining population in the Sierra Nevada during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. By 1886, commercial mining in the Gold Country
Gold Country
Gold Country is a region in the central and northeastern part of California, United States. It is famed for the mineral deposits and gold mines that attracted waves of immigrants, known as the 49ers, during the 1849 California Gold Rush.-Geography:State Route 49 was built through the Gold Country,...
had slowed considerably, significantly reducing the population in the area, and the diocese was suppressed. Much of its territory became part of the Diocese of Sacramento
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States...
. O’Connell is considered the first bishop of Sacramento.
Second diocesan bishop
On July 27, 1880 Bishop Patrick ManoguePatrick Manogue
Patrick Manogue was a miner '49er, pioneer priest and the founding Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, California.-Early life:...
was appointed
Appointment of Catholic bishops
The appointment of bishops in the Catholic Church is a complicated process. Outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, various members of the Roman Curia, and the pope all have a role in the selection...
as 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 Grass Valley Diocese. On May 24, 1884, Manogue succeeded O’Connell as the second and last diocesan bishop of Grass Valley. Manogue served two years as the final diocesan bishop.
Suppression of diocese
On May 28, 1888 this diocese was suppressed when the Diocese of SacramentoRoman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States...
was erected. Manogue became its founding bishop and in effect the second bishop of the Sacramento diocese.
Restoration
In 1997, Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
restored the see as a titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
. The current titular bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Grass Valley is Christie Macaluso
Christie Macaluso
Christie Albert Macaluso is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford.-Early life and education:...
, an auxiliary bishop
Auxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of the Archdiocese of Hartford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford is a particular church of the Latin Rite in Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut. The archdiocese includes about 700,000 Catholics, more than 500 priests, 216 parishes and almost 300 deacons. This is roughly one-half the population of...
.
Ordinaries
Vicar Apostolic of Marysville- Eugene O’Connell (1860–1868)
Bishop of Grass Valley
- Eugene O’Connell (1868–1884)
- Patrick ManoguePatrick ManoguePatrick Manogue was a miner '49er, pioneer priest and the founding Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, California.-Early life:...
(1884–1886)
Titular Bishop of Grass Valley
- Christie MacalusoChristie MacalusoChristie Albert Macaluso is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford.-Early life and education:...
(1997–present)
Further reading
- Dwyer, John T. (1976); Condemned to the mines: The life of Eugene O'Connell, 1815-1891, pioneer bishop of Northern California and Nevada; ISBN 0-533-02130-8