Manchester (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Peter Anthony Libasci, Bishop
Francis Joseph Christian, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 15 April 1884
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Boston
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: New Hampshire
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 24,097 (9,307 Square Miles)
Description: The entire state.
Conference Region: I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: MAN
Official Web Site: https://www.catholicnh.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 153 Ash Street, Manchester, NH 03104, USA
Telephone: (603)669-3100
Fax: 669-0377

Past and Present Ordinaries

Denis Mary Bradley † (18 Apr 1884 Appointed - 13 Dec 1903 Died)
John Bernard Delany (Delaney) † (18 Apr 1904 Appointed - 11 Jun 1906 Died)
George Albert Guertin † (2 Jan 1907 Appointed - 6 Aug 1931 Died)
John Bertram Peterson † (13 May 1932 Appointed - 15 Mar 1944 Died)
Matthew Francis Brady † (11 Nov 1944 Appointed - 20 Sep 1959 Died)
Ernest John Primeau † (27 Nov 1959 Appointed - 30 Jan 1974 Resigned)
Odore Joseph Gendron † (12 Dec 1974 Appointed - 12 Jun 1990 Resigned)
Leo Edward O’Neil † (12 Jun 1990 Succeeded - 30 Nov 1997 Died)
John Brendan McCormack † (21 Jul 1998 Appointed - 19 Sep 2011 Retired)
Peter Anthony Libasci (19 Sep 2011 Appointed - )

Date	Event	From	To
15 April 1884	Erected	Diocese of Portland (New Hampshire)	Diocese of Manchester (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1918 135,600 132 12 144 941 111 ocdk1919

1928 149,200 176 35 211 707 120 ocdk1929

1950 180,159 491,524 36.7% 207 94 301 598 86 1,147 102 ap1951

1966 252,800 661,000 38.2% 280 154 434 582 263 1,609 123 ap1967

1970 260,703 659,132 39.6% 255 112 367 710 225 1,481 124 ap1971

1976 269,775 792,000 34.1% 299 70 369 731 146 1,204 129 ap1977

1980 285,311 826,000 34.5% 276 81 357 799 137 1,155 128 ap1981

1990 296,513 1,085,000 27.3% 262 97 359 825 20 244 986 130 ap1991

1999 330,513 1,173,000 28.2% 243 77 320 1,032 25 42 742 131 ap2000

2000 342,662 1,185,000 28.9% 239 76 315 1,087 24 116 710 131 ap2001

2001 325,674 1,201,000 27.1% 232 83 315 1,033 23 112 688 131 ap2002

2002 336,803 1,235,786 27.3% 238 62 300 1,122 25 97 652 131 ap2003

2003 327,353 1,275,000 25.7% 222 62 284 1,152 47 96 608 131 ap2004

2004 327,353 1,275,000 25.7% 225 60 285 1,148 51 95 621 120 ap2005

2010 309,987 1,315,809 23.6% 207 62 269 1,152 52 89 439 98 ap2011

2013 316,000 1,343,000 23.5% 193 54 247 1,279 45 81 400 90 ap2014

2016 322,258 1,326,813 24.3% 173 42 215 1,498 72 57 348 88 ap2017

2019 330,160 1,356,458 24.3% 141 38 179 1,844 74 54 299 89 ap2020

2021 332,000 1,364,170 24.3% 110 33 143 2,321 68 48 257 89 ap2022

2023 336,700 1,378,900 24.4% 137 35 172 1,957 70 51 238 88 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1918	135,600			132	12	144	941				111	ocdk1919
1928	149,200			176	35	211	707				120	ocdk1929
1950	180,159	491,524	36.7%	207	94	301	598		86	1,147	102	ap1951
1966	252,800	661,000	38.2%	280	154	434	582		263	1,609	123	ap1967
1970	260,703	659,132	39.6%	255	112	367	710		225	1,481	124	ap1971
1976	269,775	792,000	34.1%	299	70	369	731		146	1,204	129	ap1977
1980	285,311	826,000	34.5%	276	81	357	799		137	1,155	128	ap1981
1990	296,513	1,085,000	27.3%	262	97	359	825	20	244	986	130	ap1991
1999	330,513	1,173,000	28.2%	243	77	320	1,032	25	42	742	131	ap2000
2000	342,662	1,185,000	28.9%	239	76	315	1,087	24	116	710	131	ap2001
2001	325,674	1,201,000	27.1%	232	83	315	1,033	23	112	688	131	ap2002
2002	336,803	1,235,786	27.3%	238	62	300	1,122	25	97	652	131	ap2003
2003	327,353	1,275,000	25.7%	222	62	284	1,152	47	96	608	131	ap2004
2004	327,353	1,275,000	25.7%	225	60	285	1,148	51	95	621	120	ap2005
2010	309,987	1,315,809	23.6%	207	62	269	1,152	52	89	439	98	ap2011
2013	316,000	1,343,000	23.5%	193	54	247	1,279	45	81	400	90	ap2014
2016	322,258	1,326,813	24.3%	173	42	215	1,498	72	57	348	88	ap2017
2019	330,160	1,356,458	24.3%	141	38	179	1,844	74	54	299	89	ap2020
2021	332,000	1,364,170	24.3%	110	33	143	2,321	68	48	257	89	ap2022
2023	336,700	1,378,900	24.4%	137	35	172	1,957	70	51	238	88	ap2024

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Denis Mary Bradley † (Bishop: 18 Apr 1884 to 13 Dec 1903)
Matthew Francis Brady † (Bishop: 11 Nov 1944 to 20 Sep 1959)
John Bernard Delany (Delaney) † (Priest: 23 May 1891; Bishop: 18 Apr 1904 to 11 Jun 1906)
Odore Joseph Gendron † (Priest: 31 May 1947; Bishop: 12 Dec 1974 to 12 Jun 1990)
Joseph John Gerry, O.S.B. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 4 Feb 1986 to 21 Dec 1988)
George Albert Guertin † (Priest: 17 Dec 1892; Bishop: 2 Jan 1907 to 6 Aug 1931)
John Brendan McCormack † (Bishop: 21 Jul 1998 to 19 Sep 2011)
Thomas Edmund Molloy †
Robert Edward Mulvee † (Priest: 30 Jun 1957; Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Feb 1977 to 19 Feb 1985)
Thomas Mary O’Leary † (Priest: 18 Dec 1897 to 16 Jun 1921)
Leo Edward O’Neil † (Coadjutor Bishop: 17 Oct 1989; Bishop: 12 Jun 1990 to 30 Nov 1997)
John Bertram Peterson † (Bishop: 13 May 1932 to 15 Mar 1944)
Ernest John Primeau † (Bishop: 27 Nov 1959 to 30 Jan 1974)

Diocese of Manchester

Dioecesis Manchesteriensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased