Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie | |
Dioecesis Eriensis | |
St. Peter's Cathedral |
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Basic information | |
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Location | Erie, Pennsylvania, United States |
Territory | Northwestern Pennsylvania |
Population | approx. 225,000 |
Rite | Roman Rite |
Ecclesiastical province | Archdiocese of Philadelphia |
Established | 29 July 1853 |
Cathedral | St. Peter Cathedral |
Bishop | Bishop of Erie |
Website | http://www.eriercd.org |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Benedict XVI |
Metropolitan | Justin Francis Rigali
Archbishop of Philadelphia |
Diocesan Bishop | Donald Walter Trautman
Bishop of Erie |
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie (Latin: Dioecesis Eriensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in western Pennsylvania. It was founded on July 29, 1853. It is one of seven suffragan sees in Pennsylvania that make up the Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia, which is headed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Contents |
[edit] Size of diocese
Erie is geographically the largest diocese in Pennsylvania, covering 9,936 square miles (25,734.12 km²). About 225,000 Catholics reside in the diocese. [1]
[edit] Vicariates and parishes
The diocese is divided into three vicariates:
- The Eastern Vicariate consists of parishes in Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, Jefferson, McKean, and Potter counties. It has deaneries at Bradford, Clearfield, Dubois, and St. Mary's.
- The Northern Vicariate consists of parishes in Erie, part of Forest, and Warren counties. It has Erie East and Erie West deaneries in Erie, Pennsylvania, plus a deanery in Warren
- The Western Vicariate consists of parishes in Clarion, Crawford, part of Forest, Mercer, and Venango. It has deaneries in Meadville, Oil City, and Sharon.[2]
Historically significant parishes include:
- St. Francis Assisi, Clearfield (Oldest parish community in the diocese)
- St. Mary's, Erie (German origins, pioneer parish)
- St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral, Erie (Pioneer parish)
- St. Peter Cathedral, Erie (Significant edifice)
- St. Stanislaus, Erie (Polish origins)
- St. Mary, St. Marys (Bavarian German origins, over 150 years old)
[edit] Administrative offices
The diocesan offices are located at St. Mark Catholic Center in Erie, Pennsylvania.[1]
[edit] Bishops
Below are the bishops of the diocese and their tours of service:
- Michael O'Connor (1853–1854) [3]
- Joshua Maria Young (1854–1866) [4]
- Tobias Mullen (1868–1899) [5]
- John Edmund Fitzmaurice (1899–1920) [6]
- John Mark Gannon (1920–1966) [7] [3]
- John Francis Whealon (1966–1968) [8]
- Alfred Michael Watson (1969–1982) [9]
- Michael Joseph Murphy (1982–1990) [10]
- Donald Walter Trautman (1990—) [11]
[edit] Religious orders
- Benedictines (22 July 1852)
- Bridgettines
- Felicians
- Franciscans
- Marists
- Redemptorists (1875)
- Sisters of the Humility of Mary
- Sisters of St. Joseph (1860)
- Sisters of Mercy (24 /September 1870)
[edit] High schools
- Cathedral Preparatory School, Erie
- Central Catholic High School, DuBois
- Elk County Catholic High School, St. Marys
- Kennedy Catholic High School, Hermitage
- Mercyhurst Preparatory School, Erie
- Venango Catholic High School, Oil City
- Villa Maria Academy, Erie
[edit] Cemeteries
- Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum, 3325 West Lake Road, Erie
- Gate of Heaven Cemetery and Mausoleum, 5711 West Lake Road, Erie
- Mary, Queen of Peace Cemetery and Mausoleum, 6000 Lake Pleasant Road, Erie
- Trinity Cemetery 2971 West Lake Road, Erie
See also Erie Diocesan Cemeteries
[edit] References
- ^ a b About the Diocese. Erie Roman Catholic Diocese. Retrieved on 2007-05-09.
- ^ Map of the Diocese. Erie Roman Catholic Diocese. Retrieved on 2007-05-09.
- ^ Named archbishop in 1953 [1]; Gannon University named for Bishop Gannon in 1944 [2]