The Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart (lat: Dioecesis Rottenburgensis-Stutgardiensis) is a suffragan diocese of the Latin Rite, in Baden-Württemberg and in the ecclesiastical province of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Freiburg of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany.
The Diocese of Rottenburg was established on 16 August 1821 through the Papal Bull De salute animarum, on territory split off from the suppressed Diocese of Konstanz. With the enthronement of the first bishop, Johann Baptist von Keller, on May 20, 1828, the formation of the diocese was complete.On 18 January 1978, the bishopric changed its name to the current form of Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. The St. Martin's Cathedral is the episcopal see in RottenburgThe Co-cathedral is St. Eberhard in StuttgartIt also has three Minor Basilicas :the former Cathedral, Basilika St. Vitus Basilika St. Vitus, in EllwangenBasilika St. Martin, in Ulm's Benedictine Wiblingen AbbeyBasilika St. Martin von Tours und St. Oswald, in Weingarten, Württemberg.Another World Heritage Site (now secular) is the monastery Kloster Maulbronn, in Maulbronn.(all Roman Rite)
Suffragan Bishops of RottenburgJohann Baptist von Keller January 28, 1828 - death October 17, 1845; previously Auxiliary Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Augsburg|Augsburg]] (Germany) (1816.06.15 – 1828.01.28) and Titular Bishop of Evaria (1816.07.22 – 1828.01.28)Josef von Lipp June 14, 1847 - death May 3, 1869Karl Joseph von Hefele June 17, 1869 - death June 5, 1893Wilhelm von Reiser June 5, 1893 - death May 11, 1898; succeeded as former Titular Bishop of Ænos (1886.08.31 – 1893.06.05) and Coadjutor Bishop of Rottenburg (1886.08.31 – 1893.06.05)Father Franz Xaver von Linsenmann July 20, 1898 - September 21, 1898; never consecrated BishopPaul Wilhelm von Keppler November 11, 1898 - death July 16, 1926Johannes Baptista Sproll March 29, 1927 - death March 4, 1949; succeeded as former Titular Bishop of Halmyrus (1916.03.03 – 1927.03.29) and Auxiliary Bishop of Rottenburg (1916.03.03 – 1927.03.29)Auxiliary Bishop: Franz Joseph Fischer (1929.12.19 – death 1958.07.24), Titular Bishop of Zuri (1929.12.19 – 1958.07.24)Carl Joseph Leiprecht July 4, 1949 - retired June 4, 1974, previously Titular Bishop of Scyrus (1948.10.07 – 1949.07.04) as Auxiliary Bishop of Rottenburg (1948.10.07 – 1949.07.04); died 1981Auxiliary Bishop: Wilhelm Sedlmeier (1953.02.07 – retired 1976), Titular Bishop of Aulon (1953.02.07 – death 1987.02.24)Auxiliary Bishop: Anton Herre (1970.10.12 – retired 1985.12.31), Titular Bishop of Galazia in Campania (1970.10.12 – death 1993.09.24)Suffragan Bishops of Rottenburg-StuttgartGeorg Moser March 12, 1975 - death May 9, 1988; previously Titular Bishop of Thiges (1970.10.12 – 1975.03.12) as Auxiliary Bishop of Rottenburg (1970.10.12 – 1975.03.12)Auxiliary Bishop: Franz Josef Kuhnle ((1976.10.13 – retired 1990.11.07), Titular Bishop of Sorres (1976.10.13 – ...)Auxiliary Bishop: Bernhard Rieger (1984.12.20 – retired 1996.07.31), Titular Bishop of Tigava (1984.12.20 – death 2013.04.10)Walter Kasper April 17, 1989 - retired May 31, 1999; also Secretary of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (1999.03.16 – 2001.02.21), created Cardinal-Deacon of Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova (2001.02.21 [2001.03.25] – 2011.02.21), President of Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (2001.03.03 – 2010.07.01), President of Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews (2001.03.03 – 2010.07.01), promoted Cardinal-Priest of above Ognissanti in Via Appia Nuova as pro hac vice Title (2011.02.21 – ...)Auxiliary Bishop: Johannes Kreidler (1991.06.06 – retired 2017.03.02), Titular Bishop of Edistiana (1991.06.06 – ...)Auxiliary Bishop: Thomas Maria Renz (1997.04.29 – ...), Titular Bishop of Rucuma (1997.04.29 – ...)Gebhard Fürst July 7, 2000 - ... incumbentAuxiliary Bishop: Bishop-elect Matthäus Karrer (2017.03.02 – ...), Titular Bishop of Tunnuna (2017.03.02 – ...)Statistics and extent
The diocese is located in the Württemberg part of the German State of Baden-Württemberg. As per 2014, it pastorally served 1,872,849 Catholics (37.0% of 5,068,000 total) on 19,500 km² in 1,096 parishes and 40 missions with 1,016 priests (829 diocesan, 187 religious), 283 deacons, 3,368 lay religious (228 brothers, 3,140 sisters) and 26 seminarians. The Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart is made up of 45 deaneries
