Grand Rapids (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

David John Walkowiak, Bishop
Walter Allison Hurley, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 19 May 1882
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Detroit
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Michigan
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 17,592 (6,794 Square Miles)
Description: Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, and Ottawa
Conference Region: VI (OH, MI)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: GR
Official Web Site: https://grdiocese.org
Mailing Address: Cathedral Square Center, 360 Division Ave., South, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
Telephone: (616)514-6050
Fax: 243-4910

Past and Present Ordinaries

Henry Joseph Richter † (30 Jan 1883 Appointed - 26 Dec 1916 Died)
Michael James Gallagher † (26 Dec 1916 Succeeded - 18 Jul 1918 Appointed, Bishop of Detroit, Michigan)
Edward Denis Kelly † (16 Jan 1919 Appointed - 26 Mar 1926 Died)
Joseph Gabriel Pinten † (25 Jun 1926 Appointed - 1 Nov 1940 Resigned)
Joseph Casimir Plagens † (14 Dec 1940 Appointed - 31 Mar 1943 Died)
Francis Joseph Haas † (26 Sep 1943 Appointed - 29 Aug 1953 Died)
Allen James Babcock † (23 Mar 1954 Appointed - 27 Jun 1969 Died)
Joseph Matthew Breitenbeck † (6 Oct 1969 Appointed - 24 Jun 1989 Retired)
Robert John Rose † (24 Jun 1989 Appointed - 13 Oct 2003 Resigned)
Kevin Michael Britt † (13 Oct 2003 Succeeded - 15 May 2004 Died)
Walter Allison Hurley (21 Jun 2005 Appointed - 18 Apr 2013 Retired)
David John Walkowiak (18 Apr 2013 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
19 May 1882	Erected	Diocese of Detroit	Diocese of Grand Rapids (erected) (Northern part of Lower Michigan)
22 May 1937	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Grand Rapids (from Cincinnati)
26 February 1938	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Detroit (Huron, Tuscola, and Sanilac) Diocese of Grand Rapids (Saginaw, Gratiot, Midland, Bay, Gladwin, Arenac, Ogemaw, Iosco, Oscoda, Alcona, Montmorency, Alpena, and Presque Isle)	Diocese of Saginaw (erected)
26 February 1938	Territory Added	Diocese of Lansing (Allegan, Barry, and Ionia)	Diocese of Grand Rapids
19 December 1970	Territory Lost	Diocese of Grand Rapids (Manistee, Wexford, Misaukee, Roscommon, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Crawford, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Charlevoix, Emmet, and Cheboygan) Diocese of Saginaw (Presque Isle, Montmorency, Alpena, Oscoda, Alcona, Ogemaw, and Iosco)	Diocese of Gaylord (erected)
19 December 1970	Territory Lost	Diocese of Grand Rapids (Allegan and Barry) Diocese of Lansing (Berrien, Cass, Saint Joseph, Branch, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, and Calhoun)	Diocese of Kalamazoo (erected)
19 December 1970	Territory Lost	Diocese of Grand Rapids (Isabella and Clare)	Diocese of Saginaw

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

1950 111,759 1,000,000 11.2% 159 35 194 576 41 760 162 ap1951

1966 189,461 1,121,343 16.9% 223 52 275 688 40 1,098 130 ap1967

1970 212,605 1,598,044 13.3% 205 60 265 802 67 1,021 130 ap1971

1976 142,555 899,128 15.9% 124 40 164 869 22 50 623 88 ap1977

1980 152,000 923,000 16.5% 144 32 176 863 17 34 609 92 ap1981

1990 150,373 966,060 15.6% 119 28 147 1,022 18 31 416 90 ap1991

1999 153,601 1,167,900 13.2% 123 21 144 1,066 20 1 296 90 ap2000

2000 154,219 1,167,900 13.2% 121 18 139 1,109 20 20 295 91 ap2001

2001 158,050 1,167,900 13.5% 124 22 146 1,082 18 24 294 91 ap2002

2002 161,525 1,283,717 12.6% 122 21 143 1,129 18 23 283 90 ap2003

2003 162,670 1,283,717 12.7% 126 21 147 1,106 26 22 279 90 ap2004

2004 162,670 1,283,717 12.7% 121 15 136 1,196 29 16 273 91 ap2005

2006 166,000 1,308,000 12.7% 121 15 136 1,220 48 17 249 90 ap2007

2013 182,000 1,337,000 13.6% 117 19 136 1,338 37 20 370 82 ap2014

2016 197,213 1,382,688 14.3% 119 17 136 1,450 38 18 295 82 ap2017

2019 193,600 1,418,932 13.6% 100 17 117 1,654 33 18 225 80 ap2020

2021 193,415 1,417,818 13.6% 104 17 121 1,598 39 18 237 80 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	111,759	1,000,000	11.2%	159	35	194	576		41	760	162	ap1951
1966	189,461	1,121,343	16.9%	223	52	275	688		40	1,098	130	ap1967
1970	212,605	1,598,044	13.3%	205	60	265	802		67	1,021	130	ap1971
1976	142,555	899,128	15.9%	124	40	164	869	22	50	623	88	ap1977
1980	152,000	923,000	16.5%	144	32	176	863	17	34	609	92	ap1981
1990	150,373	966,060	15.6%	119	28	147	1,022	18	31	416	90	ap1991
1999	153,601	1,167,900	13.2%	123	21	144	1,066	20	1	296	90	ap2000
2000	154,219	1,167,900	13.2%	121	18	139	1,109	20	20	295	91	ap2001
2001	158,050	1,167,900	13.5%	124	22	146	1,082	18	24	294	91	ap2002
2002	161,525	1,283,717	12.6%	122	21	143	1,129	18	23	283	90	ap2003
2003	162,670	1,283,717	12.7%	126	21	147	1,106	26	22	279	90	ap2004
2004	162,670	1,283,717	12.7%	121	15	136	1,196	29	16	273	91	ap2005
2006	166,000	1,308,000	12.7%	121	15	136	1,220	48	17	249	90	ap2007
2013	182,000	1,337,000	13.6%	117	19	136	1,338	37	20	370	82	ap2014
2016	197,213	1,382,688	14.3%	119	17	136	1,450	38	18	295	82	ap2017
2019	193,600	1,418,932	13.6%	100	17	117	1,654	33	18	225	80	ap2020
2021	193,415	1,417,818	13.6%	104	17	121	1,598	39	18	237	80	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Allen James Babcock † (Bishop: 23 Mar 1954 to 27 Jun 1969)
Joseph Matthew Breitenbeck † (Bishop: 6 Oct 1969 to 24 Jun 1989)
Kevin Michael Britt † (Coadjutor Bishop: 10 Dec 2002; Bishop: 13 Oct 2003 to 15 May 2004)
Michael James Gallagher † (Priest: 19 Mar 1893; Coadjutor Bishop: 5 Jul 1915; Bishop: 26 Dec 1916 to 18 Jul 1918)
Francis Joseph Haas † (Bishop: 26 Sep 1943 to 29 Aug 1953)
Edward Denis Kelly † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1919 to 26 Mar 1926)
Edward Kozlowski † (Priest: 29 Jun 1887 to 12 Nov 1913)
Joseph Crescent McKinney † (Priest: 20 Dec 1953; Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jul 1968 to 3 Oct 2001)
Thomas Lawrence Noa † (Priest: 23 Dec 1916 to 22 Feb 1946)
Joseph Gabriel Pinten † (Bishop: 25 Jun 1926 to 1 Nov 1940)
Joseph Casimir Plagens † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1940 to 31 Mar 1943)
Henry Joseph Richter † (Bishop: 30 Jan 1883 to 26 Dec 1916)
Robert John Rose † (Priest: 21 Dec 1955 to 13 Oct 1981; Bishop: 24 Jun 1989 to 13 Oct 2003)
Charles Alexander Kazimieras Salatka † (Priest: 24 Feb 1945; Auxiliary Bishop: 11 Dec 1961 to 5 Jan 1968)
Joseph Schrembs † (Priest: 29 Jun 1889; Auxiliary Bishop: 13 Jan 1911 to 11 Aug 1911)
Charles Daniel White † (Priest: 24 Sep 1910 to 20 Dec 1926)

Diocese of Grand Rapids

Dioecesis Grandormensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)