Parishes 82 Area 17,599 km² | Ecclesiastical province Detroit Schools 29 Bishop David John Walkowiak Phone +1 616-243-0491 | |
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Territory Counties of Ottawa, Kent, Ionia, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Montcalm, Mecosta, Lake, Mason, and Osceola Population- Total- Catholics (as of 2006)1,308,000166,000 (12.7%) Address 360 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA Similar Basilica of St Adalbert, St Thomas Parish, St Mary's Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Church, St Jude Religious Education Profiles | ||
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids (Latin: Dioecesis Grandcataractensis) is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in western Michigan, in the United States. It comprises 102 churches in 11 counties in West Michigan. It is a suffragan see to the Archdiocese of Detroit. The mother church of the diocese is the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. On April 18, 2013, Pope Francis accepted Bishop Walter A. Hurley's resignation and appointed the Rev. David J. Walkowiak to be the twelfth Bishop of Grand Rapids.
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History
The diocese was created on May 19, 1882 by Pope Leo XIII. Its territory was taken from the Diocese of Detroit. It lost territory in 1938 when the Diocese of Saginaw was established and again on December 19, 1970 when both the Diocese of Gaylord and the Diocese of Kalamazoo were created. St. Adalbert Church in Grand Rapids was raised to a minor basilica in 1979.
Bishops
- Henry Richter (1883–1916)
- Michael J. Gallagher (1916–1918)
- Edward D. Kelly (1919–1926)
- Joseph G. Pinten (1926–1940)
- Joseph C. Plagens 1941–1943)
- Francis J. Haas (1943–1953)
- Allen James Babcock (1954–1970)
- Joseph M. Breitenbeck (1969–1989)
- Robert John Rose (1989–2003)
- Kevin Michael Britt (2003–2004)
- Walter A. Hurley (2005–2013)
- David J. Walkowiak (2013–present)
Auxiliary bishops
- Charles Salatka (1962-1968)
- Joseph Crescent McKinney (1968-2001)