Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond
Encyclopedia
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...
. Its current territory was created by Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
and encompasses all of central and southern Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
, and the eastern shore. It is a ceremonial suffragan of the metropolitan province of Baltimore
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore as well as Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland...
, from which its territories were taken.
The Diocese of Richmond was canonically erected by Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
on July 11, 1820. It is led by a prelate
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
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...
which 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"....
s the motherchurch in the City of Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
The current bishop is Most Reverend Francis Xavier DiLorenzo, previously the Bishop of Honolulu
Roman Catholic Diocese of Honolulu
The Catholic Diocese of Honolulu, officially in Latin Dioecesis Honoluluensis, is an ecclesiastical territory or particular church of the Catholic Church in the United States...
. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II
Pope 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 ...
on March 31, 2004 and installed on May 24, 2004.
Bishops
- Most Rev. Patrick KellyPatrick Kelly (bishop)Patrick Kelly was an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond and Bishop of Waterford and Lismore ....
(Aug 24, 1820 - Feb 9, 1822) - Most Rev. Richard Vincent WhelanRichard Vincent WhelanRichard Vincent Whelan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond, Virginia and Bishop of Wheeling, West Virginia ....
(Dec 19, 1840 - Jul 23, 1850) - Most Rev. John McGillJohn McGill (bishop)John McGill was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond from 1850 until his death in 1872.-Biography:...
(Jul 23, 1850 - Jan 14, 1872) - Most Rev. James Gibbons (Jul 30, 1872 - May 20, 1877)
- Most Rev. John Joseph KeaneJohn Joseph KeaneJohn Joseph Keane was an American Roman Catholic archbishop in the late 19th and early 20th century.-Early Life & Ministry:...
(Mar 28, 1878 - Aug 12, 1888) - Most Rev. Augustine Van de VyverAugustine Van de VyverAugustine Van de Vyver was a Belgian-American Catholic priest, who became the sixth Bishop of Richmond, Virginia.-Life:...
(Jul 16, 1889 - Oct 16, 1911) - Most Rev. Denis Joseph O'Connell (Jan 19, 1912 - Jan 15, 1926)
- Most Rev. Andrew James Louis BrennanAndrew James Louis BrennanAndrew James Louis Brennan was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond from 1926 to 1945.-Biography:...
(May 28, 1926 - Apr 14, 1945) - Most Rev. Peter Leo IretonPeter Leo IretonPeter Leo Ireton was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Richmond from 1945 until his death in 1958.-Biography:...
(Apr 14, 1945 - Apr 27, 1958) - Most Rev. John Joyce RussellJohn Joyce RussellJohn Joyce Russell was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as Bishop of Richmond from 1958 to 1973....
(Jul 3, 1958 - Apr 28, 1973) - Most Rev. Walter Francis SullivanWalter Francis SullivanWalter Francis Sullivan is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States.Bishop Sullivan served as the Eleventh Bishop of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia from July 19, 1974 to September 16, 2003...
(Jun 4, 1974 - Sep 16, 2003) - Most Rev. Francis Xavier DiLorenzoFrancis X. DiLorenzoFrancis Xavier DiLorenzo is a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Honolulu in Hawaii, and is currently the twelfth bishop of the Diocese of Richmond in Virginia.-Early life and career:...
(Mar. 31, 2004 - current)
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of ColumbusKnights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
has several councils in the Richmond Diocese. The Knights serve parish and communities throughout both dioceses in the Commowealth. One of the best known services is the KOVAR drive that raises money for assisting Virginians with intellectual disabilities.
High schools
- Benedictine High SchoolBenedictine High School (Richmond, Virginia)Benedictine College Preparatory is a private, Roman Catholic military high school in Richmond, Virginia. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond, and is owned and operated by the Benedictine Society of Virginia.-History:...
, Richmond - Bishop Sullivan Catholic High SchoolBishop Sullivan Catholic High SchoolBishop Sullivan Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, founded as Norfolk Catholic High School in 1950 and moved to Virginia Beach in 1993...
, Virginia Beach - Blessed Sacrament HuguenotBlessed Sacrament HuguenotBlessed Sacrament Huguenot is a private, Roman Catholic pre-K through 12th grade school in Powhatan, Virginia. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond.-Background:...
, Powhatan - Holy Cross Regional Catholic SchoolHoly Cross Regional Catholic School (Lynchburg, Virginia)Holy Cross Regional Catholic School is a private, Roman Catholic school in Lynchburg, Virginia for Pre-K through 12th grade. It is in association with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond.-Background:...
, Lynchburg - Peninsula Catholic High SchoolPeninsula Catholic High SchoolPeninsula Catholic High School is a regional school of the Diocese of Richmond located in Newport News, Virginia, which offers grades 8 through 12....
, Newport News - Roanoke Catholic SchoolRoanoke Catholic SchoolRoanoke Catholic School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Roanoke, Virginia. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Richmond. It also includes a highly specialized preschool...
, Roanoke - Saint Gertrude High SchoolSaint Gertrude High School]Saint Gertrude High School is an independent Catholic college preparatory day school for young women grades 9-12 in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded in 1922 by the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia. The school's goal is to provide young women with an academic education in an environment of...
, Richmond - Walsingham AcademyWalsingham AcademyWalsingham Academy is an independent Roman Catholic school in Williamsburg, Virginia, and founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1947.-Mission statement:Walsingham's school mascot is the Trojan....
, Williamsburg