Fairbanks (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Steven John Maekawa, O.P., Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Elevated: 8 August 1962
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Alaska
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 1,061,508 (410,007 Square Miles)
Conference Region: XII (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: FBK
Official Web Site: http://www.cbna.info/
Mailing Address: 1316 Peger Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USA
Telephone: (907)374-9504
Fax: 374-9580

Historical Details

Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska
- Latin Name: Alaskensis
- Erected: 27 July 1894
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Seattle
- State: Alaska
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 586,400
Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska
- Latin Name: Alaskensis
- Elevated: 22 December 1916
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Seattle
- State: Alaska
- Country: United States of America

Past and Present Ordinaries

Paschal Tosi, S.J. † (27 Jul 1894 Appointed - 13 Sep 1897 Resigned)
Jean Baptist Rene, S.J. † (16 Mar 1897 Appointed - 28 Mar 1904 Resigned)
Joseph Raphael John Crimont, S.J. † (28 Mar 1904 Appointed - 20 May 1945 Died)
Walter James Fitzgerald, S.J. † (20 May 1945 Succeeded - 19 Jul 1947 Died)
Francis Doyle Gleeson, S.J. † (8 Jan 1948 Appointed - 15 Nov 1968 Resigned)
Robert Louis Whelan, S.J. † (15 Nov 1968 Succeeded - 1 Jun 1985 Retired)
Michael Joseph Kaniecki, S.J. † (1 Jun 1985 Succeeded - 6 Aug 2000 Died)
Donald Joseph Kettler (21 May 2002 Appointed - 20 Sep 2013 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Cloud, Minnesota)
Chad William Zielinski (8 Nov 2014 Appointed - 12 Jul 2022 Appointed, Bishop of New Ulm, Minnesota)
Steven John Maekawa, O.P. (11 Jul 2023 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska
27 July 1894	Erected	Diocese of New Westminster Archdiocese of Victoria	Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska (erected)
Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska
22 December 1916	Elevated	Prefecture Apostolic of Alaska	Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska
23 June 1951	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska	Diocese of Juneau (erected)
23 June 1951	Metropolitan Changed		Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska (to Seattle)
Diocese of Fairbanks
8 August 1962	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska	Diocese of Fairbanks
22 January 1966	Territory Lost	Diocese of Fairbanks Diocese of Juneau	Archdiocese of Anchorage (erected) (Third Judicial Division)
22 January 1966	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Fairbanks (from Immediately Subject)

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

Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska

1950 11,892 132,000 9.0% 9 26 35 339 35 73 25 ap1951

Diocese of Fairbanks

1966 11,500 75,000 15.3% 8 24 32 359 16 ap1967

1970 12,775 88,269 14.5% 2 35 37 345 42 24 24 ap1971

1976 13,820 106,225 13.0% 3 36 39 354 4 45 27 27 ap1977

1980 14,200 118,600 12.0% 4 36 40 355 26 46 51 27 ap1981

1990 17,248 127,000 13.6% 6 26 32 539 38 31 26 42 ap1991

1999 16,846 141,759 11.9% 5 24 29 580 40 4 16 41 ap2000

2000 17,068 141,760 12.0% 10 22 32 533 41 26 21 48 ap2001

2001 17,132 145,223 11.8% 11 17 28 611 35 21 20 48 ap2002

2002 17,700 145,125 12.2% 10 18 28 632 35 21 20 19 ap2003

2003 18,931 144,291 13.1% 9 15 24 788 28 18 15 48 ap2004

2004 17,978 144,567 12.4% 9 15 24 749 29 18 20 46 ap2005

2006 18,000 160,000 11.3% 12 15 27 666 18 20 47 ap2007

2013 13,939 164,355 8.5% 13 7 20 696 25 9 12 46 ap2014

2016 12,475 167,544 7.4% 9 8 17 733 32 10 7 46 ap2017

2019 12,300 165,131 7.4% 13 6 19 647 26 8 3 46 ap2020

2021 11,570 166,835 6.9% 11 7 18 642 24 9 1 46 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska
1950	11,892	132,000	9.0%	9	26	35	339		35	73	25	ap1951
Diocese of Fairbanks
1966	11,500	75,000	15.3%	8	24	32	359				16	ap1967
1970	12,775	88,269	14.5%	2	35	37	345		42	24	24	ap1971
1976	13,820	106,225	13.0%	3	36	39	354	4	45	27	27	ap1977
1980	14,200	118,600	12.0%	4	36	40	355	26	46	51	27	ap1981
1990	17,248	127,000	13.6%	6	26	32	539	38	31	26	42	ap1991
1999	16,846	141,759	11.9%	5	24	29	580	40	4	16	41	ap2000
2000	17,068	141,760	12.0%	10	22	32	533	41	26	21	48	ap2001
2001	17,132	145,223	11.8%	11	17	28	611	35	21	20	48	ap2002
2002	17,700	145,125	12.2%	10	18	28	632	35	21	20	19	ap2003
2003	18,931	144,291	13.1%	9	15	24	788	28	18	15	48	ap2004
2004	17,978	144,567	12.4%	9	15	24	749	29	18	20	46	ap2005
2006	18,000	160,000	11.3%	12	15	27	666		18	20	47	ap2007
2013	13,939	164,355	8.5%	13	7	20	696	25	9	12	46	ap2014
2016	12,475	167,544	7.4%	9	8	17	733	32	10	7	46	ap2017
2019	12,300	165,131	7.4%	13	6	19	647	26	8	3	46	ap2020
2021	11,570	166,835	6.9%	11	7	18	642	24	9	1	46	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

George Theodore Boileau, S.J. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 21 Apr 1964 to 25 Feb 1965)
Joseph Raphael John Crimont, S.J. † (Prefect: 28 Mar 1904; Vicar Apostolic: 15 Feb 1917 to 20 May 1945)
Walter James Fitzgerald, S.J. † (Coadjutor Vicar Apostolic: 14 Dec 1938; Vicar Apostolic: 20 May 1945 to 19 Jul 1947)
Francis Doyle Gleeson, S.J. † (Vicar Apostolic: 8 Jan 1948; Bishop: 8 Aug 1962 to 15 Nov 1968)
Michael Joseph Kaniecki, S.J. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 8 Mar 1984; Bishop: 1 Jun 1985 to 6 Aug 2000)
Robert Dermot O’Flanagan † (Priest: 27 Aug 1929 to 9 Jul 1951)
Jean Baptist Rene, S.J. † (Prefect: 16 Mar 1897 to 28 Mar 1904)
Paschal Tosi, S.J. † (Prefect: 27 Jul 1894 to 13 Sep 1897)
Robert Louis Whelan, S.J. † (Coadjutor Bishop: 6 Dec 1967; Bishop: 15 Nov 1968 to 1 Jun 1985)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Alaska
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 9, Page 99, and Page 100
Diocese of Fairbanks
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 55, Page 919, and Page 920

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Diocese of Fairbanks

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