Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese
of the Roman Catholic Church
in the northern Illinois
region of the United States
. The prelate
is a bishop
serving as pastor
of the motherchurch, the Cathedral of Saint Peter
in the City of Rockford
. A diocese of the Metropolitan Province of Chicago
, the metropolitan bishop
of Rockford is the Archbishop of Chicago.
The Diocese of Rockford comprises the Counties of Boone, Carroll, DeKalb
, Jo Daviess
, Kane
, Lee, McHenry
, Ogle
, Stephenson
, Whiteside and Winnebago
.
The Diocese of Rockford was erected on September 27, 1907 and established on September 23, 1908. Its territory of 12 counties was taken from the Archdiocese of Chicago. In 1948 Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Joliet and transferred Kendall County from Rockford to Joliet.
The current Bishop of Rockford is The Most Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Doran
, D.D.
, ordained by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin on June 24, 1994.
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 northern 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,...
region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The 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...
is 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...
serving as 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"....
of the motherchurch, the Cathedral of Saint Peter
Cathedral of Saint Peter (Rockford, Illinois)
The Cathedral of Saint Peter is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford.-External links:* *...
in the City of Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. A diocese of the Metropolitan Province of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
, the metropolitan bishop
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Rockford is the Archbishop of Chicago.
The Diocese of Rockford comprises the Counties of Boone, Carroll, DeKalb
DeKalb County, Illinois
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 105,160, which is an increase of 18.2% from 88,969 in 2000. Its county seat is Sycamore. DeKalb County is part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area.-History:DeKalb County...
, Jo Daviess
Jo Daviess County, Illinois
Jo Daviess County is a county located in the northwest corner of U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,678, which is an increase of 1.7% from 22,289 in 2000. Its county seat is Galena....
, Kane
Kane County, Illinois
Kane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 515,269, which is an increase of 27.5% from 404,119 in 2000. Its county seat is Geneva, and its largest city is Aurora.- Geography :...
, Lee, McHenry
McHenry County, Illinois
McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 308,760, which is an increase of 18.7% from 260,077 in 2000. Its county seat is Woodstock. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest county, in...
, Ogle
Ogle County, Illinois
Ogle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,497, which is an increase of 4.8% from 51,032 in 2000. Its county seat is Oregon, and its largest city is Rochelle...
, Stephenson
Stephenson County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,979 people, 19,785 households, and 13,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 87 people per square mile . There were 21,713 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
, Whiteside and Winnebago
Winnebago County, Illinois
Winnebago County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 295,266, which is an increase of 6.1% from 278,418 in 2000...
.
The Diocese of Rockford was erected on September 27, 1907 and established on September 23, 1908. Its territory of 12 counties was taken from the Archdiocese of Chicago. In 1948 Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Joliet and transferred Kendall County from Rockford to Joliet.
The current Bishop of Rockford is The Most Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Doran
Thomas G. Doran
The Most Reverend Dr. Thomas George Doran , D.D., is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Bishop of Rockford.-Early life:...
, D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
, ordained by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin on June 24, 1994.
Bishops
- Peter MuldoonPeter MuldoonPeter J. Muldoon was born in Columbia, California to Irish immigrants John and Catherine Muldoon. He was educated at St. Mary's College in St. Mary, Kentucky and St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore, Maryland and ordained a Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1886...
(1908-1927, Died in office) - Edward Francis HobanEdward Francis HobanEdward Francis Hoban was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Rockford and Bishop of Cleveland .-Biography:...
(1928-1942, Appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Cleveland) - John Joseph BoylanJohn Joseph Boylan (bishop)John Joseph Boylan was the third Roman Catholic Bishop of Rockford, Illinois .-Biography:John Boylan was born in New York City to Edward Lawrence and Bridget Anne Boylan. He studied at La Salle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island and Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland . He entered St...
(1942-1953, Died in office) - Raymond Peter HillingerRaymond Peter HillingerRaymond Peter Hillinger was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Rockford and Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago .-Biography:...
(1953-1956, Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago)- Donald Martin Carroll (1956, Appointed Bishop but resigned before consecration due to health problems)
- Loras Thomas LaneLoras Thomas LaneThe Most Reverend Dr. Loras Thomas Lane , DD., was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Rockford from 1956 until his death in 1968.-Biography:...
(1956-1968, Died in office) - Arthur Joseph O'NeillArthur Joseph O'NeillThe Most Reverend Dr. Arthur Joseph O'Neill, D.D. , is an American bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He is one of oldest American Roman Catholic bishops....
(1968-1994, Retired) - Thomas G. DoranThomas G. DoranThe Most Reverend Dr. Thomas George Doran , D.D., is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Bishop of Rockford.-Early life:...
(1994-present)
High schools
- Aquin Catholic SchoolsAquin Catholic SchoolsAquin Catholic Schools is a group of three private Catholic schools in Freeport, Illinois in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford.On 6 September 2007, Thomas G. Doran, the Bishop of Rockford, renamed the three Catholic schools in Freeport to Aquin Catholic Schools, and their campuses are now...
(Junior-Senior High Campus), Freeport - Aurora Central Catholic High SchoolAurora Central Catholic High SchoolAurora Central Catholic High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school under the direction of the Diocese of Rockford. ACC began as two separate secondary schools in 1926. Madonna Catholic High School, a girls school, and Roncalli High School, a boys school, merged in 1968 to become Aurora...
, Aurora - Boylan Catholic High SchoolBoylan Catholic High SchoolBoylan Catholic High School is a private Catholic school located in the city of Rockford, Illinois. Founded in 1960, Boylan is the only Catholic high school in Rockford, and has 1187 students at the start of the 2010-2011 school year...
, Rockford - Marian Central Catholic High SchoolMarian Central Catholic High SchoolMarian Central Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Woodstock, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford....
, Woodstock - Marmion AcademyMarmion AcademyMarmion Academy is a Roman Catholic high school for young men located in Aurora, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford.The academy is run by the Benedictine monks of Marmion Abbey, located on campus...
, Aurora - Newman Central Catholic High SchoolNewman Central Catholic High SchoolNewman Central Catholic High School is a Diocesan Catholic high school in Sterling, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford....
, Sterling - Rosary High SchoolRosary High School (Aurora, Illinois)Rosary High School was established in 1963 by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois as a private, all-girls, Roman Catholic high school. It is located in Aurora, Illinois, and part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford...
, Aurora - St. Edward Central Catholic High SchoolSt. Edward Central Catholic High School (Elgin, Illinois)St. Edward Central Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Elgin, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford and competes athletically in the Suburban Christian Conference....
, Elgin
Resources
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
- Catholic Hierarchy
- Kagan, David; Easton, Laurine; & Easton William (2007). History of the Diocese of Rockford. Strasbourg, France: Editions du Signe. ISBN 978-2-7468-1816-3