Springfield in Illinois (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Thomas John Joseph Paprocki, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 26 October 1923
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Chicago
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Illinois
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 39,210 (15,144 Square Miles)
Description: Adams, Brown, Pike, Scott, Cass, Menard, Morgan, Sangamon, Christian, Macon, Calhoun, Green, Jersey, Macoupin, Montgomery, Madison, Bond, Moultrie, Shelby, Fayette, Effingham, Douglas, Coles, Cumberland, Jasper, Edgar, Clark, and Crawford Counties
Conference Region: VII (IL, IN, WI)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SFD
Official Web Site: https://dio.org
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 1615 W. Washington St., Springfield, IL 62702, USA
Telephone: (217)698-8500
Fax: 698-0802

Historical Details

Diocese of Quincy
- Latin Name: Quinciensis
- Erected: 29 July 1853
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Louis
- State: Illinois
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Alton
- Latin Name: Altonensis
- Name Changed: 9 January 1857
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Chicago
- State: Illinois
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 15,139

Past and Present Ordinaries

Joseph Melcher † (23 Jul 1853 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Henry Damian Juncker † (9 Jan 1857 Appointed - 2 Oct 1868 Died)
Peter Joseph Baltes † (24 Sep 1869 Appointed - 15 Feb 1886 Died)
James Ryan † (28 Feb 1888 Appointed - 2 Jul 1923 Died)
James Aloysius Griffin † (10 Nov 1923 Appointed - 5 Aug 1948 Died)
William Aloysius O’Connor † (17 Dec 1948 Appointed - 22 Jul 1975 Resigned)
Joseph Alphonse McNicholas † (22 Jul 1975 Appointed - 17 Apr 1983 Died)
Daniel Leo Ryan † (22 Nov 1983 Appointed - 19 Oct 1999 Resigned)
George Joseph Lucas (19 Oct 1999 Appointed - 3 Jun 2009 Appointed, Archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska)
Thomas John Joseph Paprocki (20 Apr 2010 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Quincy
29 July 1853	Erected	Diocese of Chicago	Diocese of Quincy (erected) (Southern part of IL)
Diocese of Alton
9 January 1857	Name Changed	Diocese of Quincy	Diocese of Alton
10 September 1880	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Alton (from Saint Louis to Chicago) Diocese of Peoria (from Saint Louis to Chicago)
7 January 1887	Territory Lost	Diocese of Alton	Diocese of Belleville (erected)
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
26 October 1923	Name Changed	Diocese of Alton	Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

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

Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

1950 110,303 934,975 11.8% 228 124 352 313 198 1,145 176 ap1951

1966 176,949 1,043,224 17.0% 242 131 373 474 216 1,236 183 ap1967

1970 187,249 1,043,224 17.9% 198 94 292 641 155 1,082 144 ap1971

1976 182,758 1,091,191 16.7% 165 87 252 725 133 984 181 ap1977

1980 184,023 1,123,000 16.4% 168 92 260 707 156 988 180 ap1981

1990 178,108 1,224,000 14.6% 146 76 222 802 104 824 172 ap1991

1999 163,713 1,106,124 14.8% 145 62 207 790 2 19 700 165 ap2000

2000 169,769 1,129,814 15.0% 132 66 198 857 2 101 611 164 ap2001

2001 175,474 1,142,630 15.4% 107 62 169 1,038 4 117 830 164 ap2002

2002 169,735 1,142,630 14.9% 108 63 171 992 7 110 503 162 ap2003

2003 177,973 1,142,630 15.6% 129 56 185 962 4 99 666 160 ap2004

2004 161,325 1,106,124 14.6% 119 59 178 906 5 90 563 156 ap2005

2009 164,000 1,176,000 13.9% 105 52 157 1,044 23 94 567 131 ap2010

2010 165,548 1,187,100 13.9% 104 53 157 1,054 36 95 525 131 ap2011

2014 170,600 1,223,000 13.9% 109 45 154 1,107 44 58 609 130 ap2015

2017 134,173 1,150,549 11.7% 105 42 147 912 58 58 544 127 ap2018

2020 127,241 1,145,660 11.1% 94 34 128 994 55 188 399 129 ap2021

2022 123,950 1,107,081 11.2% 111 29 140 885 66 49 392 129 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
1950	110,303	934,975	11.8%	228	124	352	313		198	1,145	176	ap1951
1966	176,949	1,043,224	17.0%	242	131	373	474		216	1,236	183	ap1967
1970	187,249	1,043,224	17.9%	198	94	292	641		155	1,082	144	ap1971
1976	182,758	1,091,191	16.7%	165	87	252	725		133	984	181	ap1977
1980	184,023	1,123,000	16.4%	168	92	260	707		156	988	180	ap1981
1990	178,108	1,224,000	14.6%	146	76	222	802		104	824	172	ap1991
1999	163,713	1,106,124	14.8%	145	62	207	790	2	19	700	165	ap2000
2000	169,769	1,129,814	15.0%	132	66	198	857	2	101	611	164	ap2001
2001	175,474	1,142,630	15.4%	107	62	169	1,038	4	117	830	164	ap2002
2002	169,735	1,142,630	14.9%	108	63	171	992	7	110	503	162	ap2003
2003	177,973	1,142,630	15.6%	129	56	185	962	4	99	666	160	ap2004
2004	161,325	1,106,124	14.6%	119	59	178	906	5	90	563	156	ap2005
2009	164,000	1,176,000	13.9%	105	52	157	1,044	23	94	567	131	ap2010
2010	165,548	1,187,100	13.9%	104	53	157	1,054	36	95	525	131	ap2011
2014	170,600	1,223,000	13.9%	109	45	154	1,107	44	58	609	130	ap2015
2017	134,173	1,150,549	11.7%	105	42	147	912	58	58	544	127	ap2018
2020	127,241	1,145,660	11.1%	94	34	128	994	55	188	399	129	ap2021
2022	123,950	1,107,081	11.2%	111	29	140	885	66	49	392	129	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Peter Joseph Baltes † (Bishop: 24 Sep 1869 to 15 Feb 1886)
John Baptist Franz † (Priest: 13 Jun 1920 to 27 May 1951)
James Aloysius Griffin † (Bishop: 10 Nov 1923 to 5 Aug 1948)
John Janssen † (Priest: 19 Nov 1858 to 28 Feb 1888)
Henry Damian Juncker † (Bishop: 9 Jan 1857 to 2 Oct 1868)
Joseph Alphonse McNicholas † (Bishop: 22 Jul 1975 to 17 Apr 1983)
Joseph Melcher † (Bishop: 23 Jul 1853 - Did Not Take Effect)
William Aloysius O’Connor † (Bishop: 17 Dec 1948 to 22 Jul 1975)
Anthony O’Regan † (Apostolic Administrator: 16 Dec 1853 to 9 Jan 1857)
Daniel Leo Ryan † (Bishop: 22 Nov 1983 to 19 Oct 1999)
James Ryan † (Bishop: 28 Feb 1888 to 2 Jul 1923)
Philip George Scher †
Joseph Henry Leo Schlarman †

Source(s)

Diocese of Quincy
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 174
Diocese of Alton
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 91
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 9, Page 49
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 174
Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 15, Page 587

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Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

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