Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese
of the Roman Catholic Church
in the United States
. It comprises the City of Joliet
in Illinois
and its surrounding counties: DuPage
, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois
, Kankakee
, Kendall
and Will
. It is governed by a bishop
, who is a suffragan of the Archbishop of Chicago. The mother church
is the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus.
On Tuesday, May 17, 2011, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, His Excellency Archbishop Pietro Sambi
, announced that the Holy Father
, His Holiness
, Pope Benedict XVI
, named His Excellency
, the Most Reverend
Bishop
R. Daniel Conlon, 62, until then Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
in Steubenville, Ohio
(part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati, Ohio), as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet (part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Chicago, Illinois), succeeding His Excellency, the Most Reverend Archbishop James Peter Sartain
, who was named Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle
, Washington in September of 2010.
in Kentucky
. In 1824, administration of the area was transferred to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis
in Missouri
. Another period of reorganization for the expanding American Catholic community led to the transfer of administration over Joliet to the now-defunct Diocese of Vincennes, present-day Archdiocese of Indianapolis
. In 1836, with the construction of the I&M canal irish immigrants swarmed into the area. Fr. John Plunkett was assigned to provide to the spiritual needs of the workers. He established St. Patrick Church, which is still operating, as the first church in the Joliet area.
With the industrialization of Illinois and the emergence of Chicago as an important center of commerce for the nation, the new churches and missions in the Joliet area flourished. Its congregants were mostly newly arrived immigrant laborers from Europe and several generations of local farmers.
In 1948, the Diocese of Joliet was formally established to meet the demands of the exponential growth of Catholicism in the region, resulting from local post-World War II
housing developments and commercial modernization.
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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It comprises the City of Joliet
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and its surrounding counties: DuPage
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois
Iroquois County, Illinois
Iroquois County is a county located in the northeast part of the U.S. state of Illinois along the border with Indiana. It is the third largest county in the state in terms of area, covering over . According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 29,718, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 31,334...
, Kankakee
Kankakee County, Illinois
Kankakee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 113,449, which is an increase of 9.3% from 103,833 in 2000. Its county seat is Kankakee....
, Kendall
Kendall County, Illinois
Kendall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 114,736, which is an increase of 110% from 54,544 in 2000. It was the fastest-growing county in the United States between the years 2000 and...
and Will
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
. It is governed by a 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...
, who is a suffragan of the Archbishop of Chicago. The 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...
is the Cathedral of St. Raymond Nonnatus.
On Tuesday, May 17, 2011, the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, His Excellency Archbishop Pietro Sambi
Pietro Sambi
Pietro Sambi was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate who served in the Vatican's Secretariat of State. At the time of his death, he was the Titular Archbishop of Bellicastrum and the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States....
, announced that the Holy Father
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, His Holiness
His Holiness
His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. In Christianity, specifically the Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic...
, Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, named His Excellency
Excellency
Excellency is an honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are heads of state, heads of government, governors, ambassadors, certain ecclesiastics, royalty, aristocracy, and military, and others holding equivalent rank .It is...
, the Most Reverend
Most Reverend
The Most Reverend is a style applied to certain religious figures.*In the Roman Catholic Church , all bishops are styled "The Most Reverend", as well as monsignors of the rank of protonotary apostolic de numero.*In the Roman Catholic Church , archbishops are styled "The...
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...
R. Daniel Conlon, 62, until then Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville is a Roman Catholic diocese covering thirteen counties in Ohio. The diocese was erected by Pope Pius XII on October 21, 1944 out of territory from the Diocese of Columbus....
in Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio on the Ohio-West Virginia border in the United States. It is the political county seat of Jefferson County. It is also a principal city of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati, Ohio), as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet (part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Chicago, Illinois), succeeding His Excellency, the Most Reverend Archbishop James Peter Sartain
James Peter Sartain
James Peter Sartain is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He is the fifth and current Archbishop of Seattle, serving since 2010. He previously served as Bishop of Little Rock and Bishop of Joliet ....
, who was named Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle
The Archdiocese of Seattle is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of Washington. Headquartered in Seattle, the archdiocese encompasses all counties in the state west of the Cascade Range. Its cathedral is St. James Cathedral, and its present archbishop is J...
, Washington in September of 2010.
History
In 1808, the area that is now known as Joliet was governed by the Diocese of Bardstown, present-day Archdiocese of LouisvilleRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville consists of twenty-four counties in Central Kentucky, USA, covering . It is the seat of the Metropolitan Province of Louisville, which comprises the states of Kentucky and Tennessee...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. In 1824, administration of the area was transferred to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis
The Archdiocese of St. Louis is the Roman Catholic archdiocese that covers the City of St. Louis as well as the following Missouri counties: Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Perry, Saint Charles, Saint Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St...
in 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...
. Another period of reorganization for the expanding American Catholic community led to the transfer of administration over Joliet to the now-defunct Diocese of Vincennes, present-day Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis is a division of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It was originally erected as the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana on May 6, 1834, and encompassed all of Indiana as well as the eastern third of Illinois...
. In 1836, with the construction of the I&M canal irish immigrants swarmed into the area. Fr. John Plunkett was assigned to provide to the spiritual needs of the workers. He established St. Patrick Church, which is still operating, as the first church in the Joliet area.
With the industrialization of Illinois and the emergence of Chicago as an important center of commerce for the nation, the new churches and missions in the Joliet area flourished. Its congregants were mostly newly arrived immigrant laborers from Europe and several generations of local farmers.
In 1948, the Diocese of Joliet was formally established to meet the demands of the exponential growth of Catholicism in the region, resulting from local post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
housing developments and commercial modernization.
Bishops
- Martin Dewey McNamaraMartin Dewey McNamaraMartin Dewey McNamara was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Joliet, Illinois .-Biography:...
(1948-1966, Died) - Romeo Roy BlanchetteRomeo Roy BlanchetteRomeo Roy Blanchette was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Joliet from 1966 to 1979.-Biography:...
(1966-1979, Resigned) - Joseph Leopold ImeschJoseph Leopold ImeschJoseph Leopold Imesch is an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Joliet from 1979 to 2006.-Biography:...
(1979-2006, Retired) - J. Peter Sartain (2006-2010, Appointed Archbishop of Seattle)
- R. Daniel Conlon (2011-present)
High schools
- Benet AcademyBenet AcademyBenet Academy is a co-educational, college-preparatory, Benedictine high school in Lisle, Illinois, United States, overseen by the Diocese of Joliet. Founded in 1887, the school was initially established in Chicago as the all-boys St. Procopius College and Academy by Benedictine monks, who also...
, Lisle - Bishop McNamara High SchoolBishop McNamara High School (Kankakee, Illinois)Bishop McNamara High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Kankakee, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois.-History:...
, Kankakee - Immaculate Conception High SchoolImmaculate Conception High School (Elmhurst, Illinois)Immaculate Conception High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Elmhurst, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois. IC competes in the Suburban Christian Conference. The Boys athletic teams are nicknamed the "Knights", while the Girls teams are...
, Elmhurst - Joliet Catholic AcademyJoliet Catholic AcademyJoliet Catholic Academy is a coed Catholic High School located in Joliet, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet. One of the oldest Catholic high schools in the Chicago area, Joliet Catholic is perhaps best known for its prowess in football...
, Joliet - Montini Catholic High SchoolMontini Catholic High School (Lombard, Illinois)Montini Catholic High School is a co-educational, college preparatory, high school, run by the Christian Brothers in Lombard, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois. The school was planned by the Christian Brothers in 1963...
, Lombard - Providence Catholic High SchoolProvidence Catholic High SchoolProvidence Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school located in New Lenox, Illinois. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Providence Catholic is a private school run by the Order of Saint Augustine. The president of Providence is Father Richard McGrath, OSA, with Mr...
, New Lenox - St. Francis High School, Wheaton