Springfield-Cape Girardeau (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Edward Matthew Rice, Bishop
John Joseph Leibrecht, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 2 July 1956
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Missouri
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 66,612 (25,728 Square Miles)
Conference Region: IX (IA, KS, MO, NE)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SPC
Official Web Site: http://www.dioscg.org/
Mailing Address: The Catholic Centre, 601 South Jefferson Ave., Springfield, MO 65806, USA
Telephone: (417)866-0841
Fax: 866-1140

Past and Present Ordinaries

Charles Herman Helmsing † (24 Aug 1956 Appointed - 27 Jan 1962 Appointed, Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, Missouri)
Ignatius Jerome Strecker † (7 Apr 1962 Appointed - 4 Sep 1969 Appointed, Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas)
William Wakefield Baum † (18 Feb 1970 Appointed - 5 Mar 1973 Appointed, Archbishop of Washington, District of Columbia)
Bernard Francis Law † (22 Oct 1973 Appointed - 11 Jan 1984 Appointed, Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts)
John Joseph Leibrecht (20 Oct 1984 Appointed - 24 Jan 2008 Retired)
James Vann Johnston, Jr. (24 Jan 2008 Appointed - 15 Sep 2015 Appointed, Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, Missouri)
Edward Matthew Rice (26 Apr 2016 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
2 July 1956	Erected	Diocese of Kansas City (Counties of: Cedar, Polk, Dallas, Laclede, Barton, Dade, Greene, Webster, Wright, Jasper, Lawrence, Newton, Barry, Stone, Christian, Douglas, Donald, Taney, and the Ozarks) Archdiocese of Saint Louis (Counties of: Dent, Iron, Texas, Shannon, Reynolds, Madison, Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Howell, Oregon, Carter, Ripley, Wayne, Butler, Stoddard, Scott, Mississippi, New Madrid, Dunklin, and Pemiscott)	Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau (erected)

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

1966 36,197 823,027 4.4% 74 47 121 299 75 312 92 ap1967

1970 38,814 823,047 4.7% 68 48 116 334 59 268 59 ap1971

1976 38,816 833,669 4.7% 73 51 124 313 284 238 90 ap1977

1980 48,832 856,000 5.7% 70 59 129 378 1 145 225 89 ap1981

1990 48,864 1,098,000 4.5% 70 66 136 359 4 136 175 86 ap1991

1999 57,439 1,155,600 5.0% 76 64 140 410 7 77 125 64 ap2000

2000 59,038 1,177,273 5.0% 73 67 140 421 8 179 110 65 ap2001

2001 61,788 1,187,339 5.2% 82 63 145 426 10 171 109 65 ap2002

2002 62,825 1,059,606 5.9% 78 69 147 427 10 176 104 65 ap2003

2003 63,162 1,226,079 5.2% 80 55 135 467 8 137 98 65 ap2004

2004 63,240 1,226,079 5.2% 78 53 131 482 8 118 93 65 ap2005

2010 68,217 1,269,180 5.4% 75 57 132 516 16 116 77 66 ap2011

2014 70,300 1,309,000 5.4% 67 65 132 532 22 109 66 66 ap2015

2017 64,145 1,353,829 4.7% 68 58 126 509 21 106 60 66 ap2018

2020 64,577 1,372,800 4.7% 70 50 120 538 26 92 56 66 ap2021

2022 65,632 1,381,148 4.8% 68 53 121 542 24 96 79 66 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1966	36,197	823,027	4.4%	74	47	121	299		75	312	92	ap1967
1970	38,814	823,047	4.7%	68	48	116	334		59	268	59	ap1971
1976	38,816	833,669	4.7%	73	51	124	313		284	238	90	ap1977
1980	48,832	856,000	5.7%	70	59	129	378	1	145	225	89	ap1981
1990	48,864	1,098,000	4.5%	70	66	136	359	4	136	175	86	ap1991
1999	57,439	1,155,600	5.0%	76	64	140	410	7	77	125	64	ap2000
2000	59,038	1,177,273	5.0%	73	67	140	421	8	179	110	65	ap2001
2001	61,788	1,187,339	5.2%	82	63	145	426	10	171	109	65	ap2002
2002	62,825	1,059,606	5.9%	78	69	147	427	10	176	104	65	ap2003
2003	63,162	1,226,079	5.2%	80	55	135	467	8	137	98	65	ap2004
2004	63,240	1,226,079	5.2%	78	53	131	482	8	118	93	65	ap2005
2010	68,217	1,269,180	5.4%	75	57	132	516	16	116	77	66	ap2011
2014	70,300	1,309,000	5.4%	67	65	132	532	22	109	66	66	ap2015
2017	64,145	1,353,829	4.7%	68	58	126	509	21	106	60	66	ap2018
2020	64,577	1,372,800	4.7%	70	50	120	538	26	92	56	66	ap2021
2022	65,632	1,381,148	4.8%	68	53	121	542	24	96	79	66	ap2023