Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States. The prelate is a bishop serving as pastor of the mother church, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield in Illinois. A diocese of the Metropolitan Province of Chicago, the metropolitan bishop of Springfield in Illinois is the Archbishop of Chicago. The bishop of the Diocese of Springfield is Bishop George Lucas. Bishop Emeritus is Bishop Daniel L. Ryan.

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is comprised of the Counties of Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Jasper, Jersey, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Menard, Moultrie, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Scott, and Shelby.

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was erected on July 29, 1853 as the Diocese of Quincy. It changed its name to the Diocese of Alton on January 9, 1857. It took its current name on October 26, 1923.

1 Statistics
- 1.1 Catholic schools
2 Leadership
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Statistics

As of 2006^{[citation needed]}:

Approximately 170,000 Catholics
164 parishes
99 active priests; 62 religious order priests
145 diocesan priests (including retired and serving outside the diocese)
8 Catholic hospitals

[edit] Catholic schools

1 seminary
1 university
1 college
7 high schools
54 elemenary schools

[edit] Leadership

His Exellency Bishop George J. Lucas, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois: named as eighth bishop of the diocese by Pope John Paul II on 1999-10-19; proposed installation 1999-12-14. At the time of his appointment, Msgr. Lucas was president-rector of Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.^[1]

His Exellency Bishop Daniel L. Ryan, J.C.L., Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois: named as seventh bishop of the diocese by Pope John Paul II in 1983; installed 1984-01-18. Born in Mankato, Minnesota, 1930-09-28. Elementary education in Mankato, Minneapolis, and Springfield; one year of high school at Cathederal Boys High School (now Sacred Heart - Griffin High School) in Springfield before going to Passionist Preparatory Seminary. Ordained as a priest 1956-05-03. Named titular bishop of Surista and auxiliary bishop of Joliet in Illinois by Pope John Paul II in 1981; installed as auxiliary bishop 1981-09-30.^[1]