Cheyenne (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Steven Robert Biegler, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 2 August 1887
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Denver
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Wyoming
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 262,333 (101,326 Square Miles)
Description: Comprises the State of Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park.
Conference Region: XIII (AZ, CO, NV, NM, UT, WY)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: CHY
Official Web Site: https://dcwy.org
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 2121 Capitol Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001; P.O. Box 1468, Cheyenne, WY 82003, USA
Telephone: (307)638-1530
Fax: 637-7936

Past and Present Ordinaries

Maurice Francis Burke † (9 Aug 1887 Appointed - 19 Jun 1893 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Joseph, Missouri)
Thomas Mathias Lenihan † (18 Dec 1896 Appointed - 15 Dec 1901 Died)
James John Keane † (4 Aug 1902 Appointed - 11 Aug 1911 Appointed, Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa)
Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern † (19 Jan 1912 Appointed - 8 Nov 1951 Died)
Hubert Michael Newell † (8 Nov 1951 Succeeded - 3 Jan 1978 Resigned)
Joseph Hubert Hart † (25 Apr 1978 Appointed - 26 Sep 2001 Resigned)
David Laurin Ricken (26 Sep 2001 Succeeded - 9 Jul 2008 Appointed, Bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Paul Dennis Etienne (19 Oct 2009 Appointed - 4 Oct 2016 Appointed, Archbishop of Anchorage, Alaska)
Steven Robert Biegler (16 Mar 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
2 August 1887	Erected	Diocese of Omaha (Wyoming)	Diocese of Cheyenne (erected)
15 November 1941	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Cheyenne (from Dubuque)

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

1950 48,263 288,707 16.7% 44 9 53 910 11 65 28 ap1951

1959 48,500 300,000 16.2% 58 8 66 734 14 120 37 ap1960

1966 49,308 340,000 14.5% 58 4 62 795 11 125 38 ap1967

1970 45,000 320,000 14.1% 61 5 66 681 7 101 39 ap1971

1976 45,000 350,000 12.9% 54 11 65 692 1 13 94 39 ap1977

1980 57,000 410,000 13.9% 58 6 64 890 2 8 89 39 ap1981

1990 63,973 475,000 13.5% 46 10 56 1,142 2 15 59 69 ap1991

1999 49,800 484,010 10.3% 51 9 60 830 7 1 29 36 ap2000

2000 49,800 484,010 10.3% 45 10 55 905 10 11 25 36 ap2001

2001 49,000 480,907 10.2% 47 10 57 859 14 11 24 36 ap2002

2002 49,000 480,907 10.2% 46 12 58 844 14 13 24 36 ap2003

2003 45,060 493,782 9.1% 47 10 57 790 14 11 25 36 ap2004

2004 47,800 498,704 9.6% 50 10 60 796 16 12 22 36 ap2005

2006 49,459 503,000 9.8% 49 13 62 797 19 14 23 36 ap2007

2013 56,100 568,000 9.9% 65 5 70 801 38 5 15 33 ap2014

2016 53,594 584,153 9.2% 59 5 64 837 35 5 9 37 ap2017

2019 51,701 577,700 8.9% 53 7 60 861 31 7 10 37 ap2020

2021 50,010 578,759 8.6% 50 6 56 893 33 6 9 32 ap2022

2023 48,553 576,851 8.4% 49 2 51 952 36 2 9 36 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	48,263	288,707	16.7%	44	9	53	910		11	65	28	ap1951
1959	48,500	300,000	16.2%	58	8	66	734		14	120	37	ap1960
1966	49,308	340,000	14.5%	58	4	62	795		11	125	38	ap1967
1970	45,000	320,000	14.1%	61	5	66	681		7	101	39	ap1971
1976	45,000	350,000	12.9%	54	11	65	692	1	13	94	39	ap1977
1980	57,000	410,000	13.9%	58	6	64	890	2	8	89	39	ap1981
1990	63,973	475,000	13.5%	46	10	56	1,142	2	15	59	69	ap1991
1999	49,800	484,010	10.3%	51	9	60	830	7	1	29	36	ap2000
2000	49,800	484,010	10.3%	45	10	55	905	10	11	25	36	ap2001
2001	49,000	480,907	10.2%	47	10	57	859	14	11	24	36	ap2002
2002	49,000	480,907	10.2%	46	12	58	844	14	13	24	36	ap2003
2003	45,060	493,782	9.1%	47	10	57	790	14	11	25	36	ap2004
2004	47,800	498,704	9.6%	50	10	60	796	16	12	22	36	ap2005
2006	49,459	503,000	9.8%	49	13	62	797	19	14	23	36	ap2007
2013	56,100	568,000	9.9%	65	5	70	801	38	5	15	33	ap2014
2016	53,594	584,153	9.2%	59	5	64	837	35	5	9	37	ap2017
2019	51,701	577,700	8.9%	53	7	60	861	31	7	10	37	ap2020
2021	50,010	578,759	8.6%	50	6	56	893	33	6	9	32	ap2022
2023	48,553	576,851	8.4%	49	2	51	952	36	2	9	36	ap2024