Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle

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Basic information
Archdiocese of Seattle
Archidioecesis Seattlensis
St. James Cathedral in Seattle
Location	Western Washington, United States
Territory	Western Washington
Population	562,600 Catholics^[1]
Rite	Roman Rite
Patron	Mary, the Immaculate Conception
Ecclesiastical province	Archdiocese Seattle
Established	June 23, 1951
Cathedral	St. James Cathedral
Bishop	Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett
Website	www.seattlearch.org
Current leadership
Pope	Benedict XVI
Diocesan Bishop	Most Rev. Alexander J. Brunett
Auxiliary bishops	Most Rev. Eusebio Elizondo Almaguer, M.Sp.S Most Rev. Joseph Jude Tyson

The Archdiocese of Seattle is an ecclastical territory (diocese) of the Catholic Church in the northwestern U.S., led by an archbishop. The archbishop concurrently serves as metropolitan bishop of the suffragan dioceses within the Province of Seattle, which includes the Spokane and Yakima dioceses. The archdiocese and two suffragan dioceses cover the entire state of Washington.

The archdiocese was canonically erected on May 31, 1850 as the Diocese of Nesqually, taking its territory from the suppressed and now defunct Diocese of Walla Walla. It changed its name on September 11, 1907 to become the Diocese of Seattle. It was elevated to the rank of an archdiocese and metropolitan on June 23, 1951.

The archdiocese is composed of 170 parishes and missions. These are served by 122 active diocesan priests, 95 diocesan deacons, and about 560 lay ecclesial ministers. Also resident in the archdiocese are 40 international 'extern' priests, and 604 members of religious communities, including priests, brothers and sisters, although most are retired.

There are 2 post-secondary schools, 9 secondary schools, and 58 primary schools. The archdiocese also has an extensive welfare and health system with 8 hospitals, 8 day care centers and 22 assisted-living housing centers for the elderly and others.

The incumbent ordinary is Archbishop Alexander J. Brunett, who has been in office since October 27, 1997; he was formerly the Bishop of Helena.

Archbishop Brunett ordained Bishop George Leo Thomas as Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle on November 19, 1999. Five years later, Bishop Thomas was appointed as the Bishop of Helena. Following Bishop Thomas' departure for western Montana in 2004, Archbishop Brunett ordained two new Auxiliary Bishops: Eusebio L. Elizondo Almaguer, M.Sp.S. and Joseph Jude Tyson, both were concurrently installed on May 12, 2005.