Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson
Encyclopedia
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 97458 square kilometres (37,628.7 sq mi). It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United States east of the Mississippi River
. It was formerly known as the Diocese of Natchez (1837–1956) and the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson (1956–77). Jackson, Mississippi
is the episcopal see
.
missionaries during the expeditions of La Salle
, Marquette
, and d'Iberville
in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1787, three Spanish
priests, Fathers McKenna, White, and Savage, arrived at Natchez
from Salamanca
and erected three missions in the vicinity. These missions, however, virtually disappeared after the Spanish turned over the area to the United States, and the church's property was confiscated by secular authorities.
The diocese was originally erected as the Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi, an administrative region of the church separate from the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas (Saint Louis of New Orleans) (to which it had previously belonged, and which itself would later become the Diocese of New Orleans), on 18 July 1826. At the head of the Vicariate was Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, P.S.S., who served less than a year before being appointed bishop of Montauban, France
(he would eventually become the archbishop of Besançon).
The Vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Natchez
on 28 July 1837, at the same time that the area of north Louisiana was made a separate diocese; the Diocese of New Orleans was not, however, elevated to an archdiocese until 1850. Although the Diocese of Natchez encompassed the entire state of Mississippi, a large geographic region, nearly three years passed before John Mary Joseph Chanche, S.S. (1795–1852), a native of Baltimore, was appointed as its first bishop on 15 December 1840. (Since 1840, however, a new bishop has regularly been appointed within a few months of the end of the previous bishop's tenure.) Bishop Chanche, like his predecessor, was of French lineage, having been born to parents who had fled to Baltimore from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti
), presumably during the Haitian revolution (which itself occurred at about the same time as the French Revolution
). At his arrival, he found one priest in the diocese, a Father Brogard, who was there only temporarily. Chanche set to work building a diocesan infrastructure, and became reasonably well-known in the church hierarchy in North America
. The First Plenary Council of 1852, held in Frederick, Maryland
, records him as the "chief promoter." By the time he died later that year, he had built 11 churches, with a team of 11 priests and 13 attendant missions.
A curious series of events regarding the separation of church and state involved the Diocese of Natchez in 1864, during the American Civil War
. That year, Bishop William Henry Elder
refused to bend to orders from the Federal troops administering Natchez to compel his parishioners to pray for the President of the United States
. For this act, Elder was tried, convicted, and then jailed briefly in Vidalia, Louisiana
, just across the Mississippi River
from Natchez. Nonetheless, as of 2006, Elder remains the second-longest-serving bishop in the diocese's history.
By the mid-20th century, the capital of the state of Mississippi, Jackson
, had grown to perhaps be a more appropriate center for the administration of the diocese. To reflect this fact, on 18 December 1956 the name was changed to Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. Finally, on 1 March 1977, the diocese was divided, with the southern counties of Mississippi being reorganized as the Diocese of Biloxi
. Concurrently, the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson became simply the Diocese of Jackson. Since the relocation of the diocese to Jackson, the Diocese of Natchez has been maintained as a titular see
.
at the former cathedral in Natchez; it is now formally known as St. Mary Basilica.
The Diocese of Jackson encompasses an area of the United States that has historically (and still is) overwhelmingly Protestant. Only about 2.6% of the residents in the diocese are considered Catholic (about 52,000 Catholics out of a total population of nearly 2 million). The diocese contains 74 parish
es and has 79 priests.
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...
in the 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...
of Mobile
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile
The Archdiocese of Mobile is a Roman Catholic archdiocese comprising the lower 28 counties of Alabama. It is the metropolitan seat of the Province of Mobile, which includes the suffragan bishopric sees of the Diocese of Biloxi, the Diocese of Jackson, and the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama...
, in the southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
United States of America. Its ecclesiastical jurisdiction includes the northern and central parts of the state of Mississippi
Mississippi
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...
, an area of 97458 square kilometres (37,628.7 sq mi). It is the largest diocese, by area, in the United States east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. It was formerly known as the Diocese of Natchez (1837–1956) and the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson (1956–77). Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
is the episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
.
History
The region which is now the Diocese of Jackson made its first contacts with the Catholic Church through French Jesuit and CapuchinOrder of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
missionaries during the expeditions of La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle
René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
, Marquette
Jacques Marquette
Father Jacques Marquette S.J. , sometimes known as Père Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Ste. Marie, and later founded St. Ignace, Michigan...
, and d'Iberville
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville pronounced as described in note] (16 July 1661 – 9 July 1702 (probable)was a soldier, ship captain, explorer, colonial administrator, knight of...
in the 17th and 18th centuries. In 1787, three Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
priests, Fathers McKenna, White, and Savage, arrived at Natchez
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
from Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
and erected three missions in the vicinity. These missions, however, virtually disappeared after the Spanish turned over the area to the United States, and the church's property was confiscated by secular authorities.
The diocese was originally erected as the Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi, an administrative region of the church separate from the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas (Saint Louis of New Orleans) (to which it had previously belonged, and which itself would later become the Diocese of New Orleans), on 18 July 1826. At the head of the Vicariate was Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, P.S.S., who served less than a year before being appointed bishop of Montauban, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(he would eventually become the archbishop of Besançon).
The Vicariate was elevated to the Diocese of Natchez
Natchesium
Natchesium or Natchez is a Roman Catholic Diocese. As it is a titular see, it is not an active diocese. The diocese was founded on July 28, 1837 and originally was the Catholic diocese for the entire state of Mississippi. Even though the diocese was officially created in 1837, the first bishop of...
on 28 July 1837, at the same time that the area of north Louisiana was made a separate diocese; the Diocese of New Orleans was not, however, elevated to an archdiocese until 1850. Although the Diocese of Natchez encompassed the entire state of Mississippi, a large geographic region, nearly three years passed before John Mary Joseph Chanche, S.S. (1795–1852), a native of Baltimore, was appointed as its first bishop on 15 December 1840. (Since 1840, however, a new bishop has regularly been appointed within a few months of the end of the previous bishop's tenure.) Bishop Chanche, like his predecessor, was of French lineage, having been born to parents who had fled to Baltimore from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
), presumably during the Haitian revolution (which itself occurred at about the same time as the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
). At his arrival, he found one priest in the diocese, a Father Brogard, who was there only temporarily. Chanche set to work building a diocesan infrastructure, and became reasonably well-known in the church hierarchy in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The First Plenary Council of 1852, held in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, records him as the "chief promoter." By the time he died later that year, he had built 11 churches, with a team of 11 priests and 13 attendant missions.
A curious series of events regarding the separation of church and state involved the Diocese of Natchez in 1864, during 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...
. That year, Bishop William Henry Elder
William Henry Elder
William Henry Elder was a U.S. archbishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez from 1857 to 1880 and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati between 1883 and 1904.-Early life and education:...
refused to bend to orders from the Federal troops administering Natchez to compel his parishioners to pray for the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. For this act, Elder was tried, convicted, and then jailed briefly in Vidalia, Louisiana
Vidalia, Louisiana
Vidalia is a city in and the parish seat of Concordia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,543 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Vidalia is located at and has an elevation of ....
, just across the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
from Natchez. Nonetheless, as of 2006, Elder remains the second-longest-serving bishop in the diocese's history.
By the mid-20th century, the capital of the state of Mississippi, Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, had grown to perhaps be a more appropriate center for the administration of the diocese. To reflect this fact, on 18 December 1956 the name was changed to Diocese of Natchez-Jackson. Finally, on 1 March 1977, the diocese was divided, with the southern counties of Mississippi being reorganized as the Diocese of Biloxi
Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi encompasses 17 counties in south Mississippi. It was erected on March 1, 1977, when it was split from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson...
. Concurrently, the Diocese of Natchez-Jackson became simply the Diocese of Jackson. Since the relocation of the diocese to Jackson, the Diocese of Natchez has been maintained 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"....
.
Demographics
The first seat of the diocese was Saint Mary Basilica (then Cathedral) in Natchez, whose cornerstone was laid by Bishop Chanche in 1842. The current seat is the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson. Since 1998, however, the church has maintained a minor basilicaMinor basilica
Minor basilica is a title given to some Roman Catholic churches. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom....
at the former cathedral in Natchez; it is now formally known as St. Mary Basilica.
The Diocese of Jackson encompasses an area of the United States that has historically (and still is) overwhelmingly Protestant. Only about 2.6% of the residents in the diocese are considered Catholic (about 52,000 Catholics out of a total population of nearly 2 million). The diocese contains 74 parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es and has 79 priests.
Middle Schools and High Schools
- Cathedral Middle/High SchoolCathedral High School (Natchez, Mississippi)Cathedral High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Natchez, Mississippi. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson.-Background:...
(NatchezNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
) - St. Aloysius Middle/High SchoolSt. Aloysius High School (Vicksburg, Mississippi)St. Aloysius High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson.-Background:St. Aloysius was founded in 1878 by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart...
(VicksburgVicksburg, MississippiVicksburg is a city in Warren County, Mississippi, United States. It is the only city in Warren County. It is located northwest of New Orleans on the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, and due west of Jackson, the state capital. In 1900, 14,834 people lived in Vicksburg; in 1910, 20,814; in 1920,...
) - St. Joseph Catholic High SchoolSt. Joseph Catholic High School (Greenville, Mississippi)St. Joseph Catholic High School is a Catholic high school in Greenville, Mississippi, under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson. St. Joseph is accredited by CASI/Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and by the Mississippi Department of Education. All professional...
(GreenvilleGreenville, MississippiGreenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
) - St. Joseph Catholic High School (MadisonMadison, MississippiMadison is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, USA. The population was 14,691 at the 2000 census. The population is currently 16,930. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is currently the highest income city in the state...
)
Elementary Schools
- Annunciation Catholic Elementary School (ColumbusColumbus, MississippiColumbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
) - Cathedral Elementary School (Natchez)
- Holy Child Jesus Elementary School (CantonCanton, MississippiCanton is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 12,911 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Madison County, and situated in the northern part of the metropolitan area surrounding the state capital, Jackson....
) - Holy Family Elementary School (Holly SpringsHolly Springs, MississippiHolly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
) - Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School (Greenville)
- Sacred Heart Elementary School (SouthavenSouthaven, Mississippi-Households And Families:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,977 people, 11,007 households, and 8,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 857.9 people per square mile...
) - St. Alphonsus Elementary School (McCombMcComb, MississippiMcComb is a city in Pike County, Mississippi, United States, about south of Jackson. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 13,644. It is the principal city of the McComb, Mississippi, Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - St. Anthony Elementary School (MadisonMadison, MississippiMadison is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, USA. The population was 14,691 at the 2000 census. The population is currently 16,930. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is currently the highest income city in the state...
) - St. Elizabeth Elementary School (ClarksdaleClarksdale, MississippiClarksdale is a city in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Coahoma County....
) - St. Francis of Assisi Elementary School (GreenwoodGreenwood, MississippiGreenwood is a city in and the county seat of Leflore County, Mississippi, United States, located at the eastern edge of the Mississippi Delta approximately 96 miles north of Jackson, Mississippi, and 130 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The population was 15,205 at the 2010 census. It is the...
) - St. Francis Elementary School (Vicksburg)
- St. Mary Elementary School (Jackson)
- St. Patrick Elementary School (MeridianMeridian, MississippiMeridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
) - St. Therese Elementary School (Jackson)
- St. Richard Catholic School (Jackson)
Diocesan Bishops and dates of service
- Bishop John Mary Joseph ChancheJohn J. ChancheBishop John Joseph Mary Benedict Chanche, S.S. was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez from 1841 to 1852.-Early Life and Family:John Mary Joseph Chanche was born October 4, 1795, in Baltimore, Maryland...
, P.S.S. (1840–1852) - Bishop James Oliver Van de VeldeJames Oliver Van de VeldeJames Oliver Van de Velde was a U.S. Catholic bishop born in Belgium. He served as the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Chicago between 1849 and 1853. He traveled to Rome in 1852 and petitioned the Pope for a transfer to a warmer climate, due to his health...
, S.J. (1853–1855) - Bishop William Henry ElderWilliam Henry ElderWilliam Henry Elder was a U.S. archbishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez from 1857 to 1880 and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati between 1883 and 1904.-Early life and education:...
(1857–1880) - Bishop Francis Janssens (1881–1888)
- Bishop Thomas HeslinThomas HeslinThomas Heslin was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Natchez from 1889 until his death in 1911....
(1889–1911) - Bishop John Edward GunnJohn Edward GunnJohn Edward Gunn was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Natchez from 1911 until his death in 1924.-Early life and ordination:...
, S.M. (1911–1924) - Bishop Richard Oliver GerowRichard Oliver GerowRichard Oliver Gerow was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Natchez-Jackson from 1924 to 1967.-Early life and education:...
(1924–1967) during this time it became the Diocese of Jackson - Bishop Joseph Bernard BruniniJoseph Bernard BruniniJoseph Bernard Brunini was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Jackson from 1967 to 1984.-Biography:...
(1967–1984) - Bishop William Russell Houck (1984–2003)
- Bishop Joseph Nunzio LatinoJoseph Nunzio LatinoJoseph Nunzio Latino is the current Roman Catholic Bishop of Jackson .-Early life and career :Latino was born in New Orleans, Louisiana....
(2003- )