Archdiocese of Saint Louis

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Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Sancti Ludovici

The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, the cathedral parish of the archdiocese.
Basic information
Location St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Territory Greater St. Louis (5,968 Square Miles)
Population 555,000
Rite Roman Rite
Ecclesiastical province Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Established July 20, 1847
Cathedral Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
Bishop Archbishop of Saint Louis
Website Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Current leadership
Pope Benedict XVI
Diocesan Bishop Raymond Leo Burke
Auxiliary bishops Robert Joseph Hermann
The Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, the archdiocese's first cathedral.
The Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, the archdiocese's first cathedral.

The Archdiocese of Saint Louis is the Roman Catholic archdiocese that covers the City of St. Louis as well as the following Missouri counties: Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Perry, Saint Charles, Saint Francois, Ste. Genevieve, St. Louis, Warren, and Washington.

The archdiocese is currently led by Archbishop Raymond Burke. The archdiocesan cathedral is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The original cathedral and motherchurch is the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France.

Contents

[edit] History

The area's first bishop was Louis William Valentine Dubourg, who on September 24, 1815 was appointed Bishop of Louisiana and the [East and West] Floridas by Pope Pius VII. DuBourg chose to set up his episcopal see in St. Louis. After his resignation and transfer to lead the diocese of Montauban, France, the Diocese of Saint Louis was erected on July 18, 1826 by Pope Leo XII. When founded, it included the state of Missouri, the western half of Illinois, and all American territory west of the Mississippi River and north of the state of Louisiana. It was the largest American diocese, equalling in extent all of the other nine dioceses.

Its first bishop, Joseph Rosati, led the Roman Catholic Church's expansion its presence in these areas, and built its first cathedral, now known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France.

On July 28, 1837, territory in Iowa, Minnesota, and the Dakotas was taken from the Diocese to form the Diocese of Dubuque, Iowa.

The Saint Louis Diocese was elevated to an Archdiocese on July 20, 1847 by Pope Pius IX.

Because of its strong Catholic identity and having been the mother diocese of many dioceses in the midwest, the archdiocese was often referred to as "the Rome of the west". It is dedicated to Saint Louis IX and has as its copatrons Saints Vincent de Paul and Rose Philippine Duchesne.

In January 1999, the archdiocese was host to a two-day visit from Pope John Paul II, the first time a pope had visited the city. It was not John Paul's first visit, since thirty years earlier, he had paid a visit when he was Cardinal Wojtyła, Archbishop of Kraków.

[edit] Residential bishops

The following is a list of the bishops and archbishops of Saint Louis and their terms of service.

  1. Bishop Joseph Rosati, C.M. (1827–1843)
  2. Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick (1843–1895)
  3. Archbishop John Joseph Kain (1895–1903)
  4. Archbishop John Joseph Cardinal Glennon (1903–1946)
  5. Archbishop Joseph Elmer Cardinal Ritter (1946–1967)
  6. Archbishop John Joseph Cardinal Carberry (1968–1979)
  7. Archbishop John L. May (1980–1992)
  8. Archbishop Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali (1994–2003)
  9. Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke (2004–present)

[edit] Eastern Rites

There are two Eastern Rite churches and one Eastern Rite Cathedral within the archdiocese's boundaries:

[edit] High schools

†Archdiocesan high schools that are owned and operated by the Archdiocese.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Catholic Education

[edit] External links

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