Country United States Ecclesiastical province Anchorage Area 1.062 million km² Cathedral Sacred Heart Cathedral | Territory Northern Alaska Parishes 47 Bishop Chad Zielinski Phone +1 907-374-9500 | |
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Metropolitan Roger Lawrence Schwietz, O.M.I. Population
- Total
- Catholics (as of 2015)
167,500
13,500 (8%) Address 1316 Peger Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USA Similar Immaculate Conception Parish, Sacred Heart Cathedral, University of Alaska‑F, Timothy L Sander - LMFT, Journey Christian Church | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks (Latin: Dioecesis de Fairbanks) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northwestern United States, comprising the northern regions of the state of Alaska. It is led by a bishop who serves as pastor of the mother church, Sacred Heart Cathedral in the City of Fairbanks. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Anchorage.
Contents
History
The See of Fairbanks was established from the Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska on July 27, 1894, which was created from the Diocese of Vancouver Island. It was elevated to an apostolic vicariate on December 22, 1916. The Diocese of Juneau was carved out of the apostolic vicariate on June 23, 1951. On August 8, 1962, the apostolic vicariate was elevated to a diocese.
The first seven bishops of Fairbanks were missionaries of the Society of Jesus. On June 7, 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed Donald Joseph Kettler as the first non-Jesuit bishop of Fairbanks.
In February 2008, the diocese announced plans to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, claiming inability to pay the 140 plaintiffs who filed claims against the diocese for alleged sexual abuse by priests or church workers dating from the 1950s to the early 1980s. The Society of Jesus, Oregon Province, was named as a co-defendant in the case, and settled for $50 million. The Diocese, which reports an operating budget of approximately $6 million, claims one of the diocese’s insurance carriers failed to "participate meaningfully".
Diocese Demographics
As of 2015, the diocese contains 47 parishes, 17 priests, providing service to 13,500 Catholics, in an area of 409,849 square miles (1,061,500 km2). It also has 7 religious sisters and 2 religious brothers.
Ordinaries/Bishops
The list of ordinaries and their years of service:
Prefects of Alaska (Juneau)
Vicars Apostolic of Alaska (Juneau)
Vicar Apostolic of Northern Alaska (Fairbanks)
Bishops of Fairbanks
- Francis Doyle Gleeson, S.J. (1962–1968); retired; died 1983
- Robert Louis Whelan, S.J. (1968–1985)
- Michael Joseph Kaniecki, S.J. (1985–2000)
- Donald Joseph Kettler (2002–2013)
- Chad William Zielinski (2014–present)
Coadjutor Bishop
Churches & locations
Services are provided in English. But due to the growing Hispanic population in Fairbanks, services are also provided in Spanish.
Education
The diocese has 2 schools for education.
Health Care
Due to the vast area, low population density, and financial restraints, the diocese has no hospitals.
Media
The diocese provides communication to its community by: