Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore

Archdiocese of Baltimore Archidioecesis Baltimorensis
Location
Country	United States of America
Territory	The City of Baltimore and nine counties across central and western Maryland
Ecclesiastical province	Baltimore
Statistics
Area	4,801 km2 (1,854 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2012) 3,148,690 510,328 (16.2%)
Parishes	146
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	November 6, 1789 (226 years)
Cathedral	Cathedral of Mary Our Queen
Co-cathedral	Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patron saint	Immaculate Conception St. Ignatius of Loyola[1]
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Metropolitan Archbishop	William E. Lori
Auxiliary Bishops	Denis James Madden
Emeritus Bishops	William Henry Keeler William Clifford Newman
Map
Website
www.archbalt.org

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore (Latin: Archidioecesis Baltimorensis) is the premier "see" of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the largest metropolitan area in the City of Baltimore as well as nine counties (out of 23 in the state) in central and western Maryland: Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington Counties in Maryland. The archdiocese is the metropolitan see of the larger regional Ecclesiastical Province of Baltimore.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is the oldest diocese in the United States whose see city was within the nation's boundaries when the United States declared its independence in 1776. The Holy See granted the Archbishop of Baltimore the right of precedence in the nation at liturgies, meetings, and Plenary Councils on August 15, 1859.^[2] Although the Archdiocese of Baltimore does not enjoy "primatial" status, it is the premier episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States of America.

The Archdiocese comprises the nine Maryland counties (out of 23 in the state) and Baltimore city, with 518,000 Catholics, 145 parishes, 545 priests (244 diocesan priests, 196 priests resident in diocese), 159 permanent deacons, 55 brothers, 803 sisters, 205 lay eucharistic ministers, five hospitals, 28 aged homes, 7 diocesan/parish high schools, 13 private high schools, 4 colleges/universities, and two seminaries — (St. Mary's Seminary and University in Roland Park, of north Baltimore and Mount St. Mary's Seminary (at Mount Saint Mary's University) in Frederick County's Emmitsburg, Maryland).^[3][4]

History

Before and during the American Revolutionary War, the Catholics in Great Britain's thirteen colonies in America (and also its colonies in Canada) were under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the bishop of the Apostolic Vicariate of the London District, in England. The war was formally ended by the Treaty of Paris, which was signed on September 3, 1783, and was ratified by the Congress of the Confederation (of the newly independent United States of America) on January 14, 1784, and by the King of Great Britain on April 9, 1784. The ratification documents were exchanged in Paris on May 12, 1784.

A petition was sent by the Maryland clergy to the Holy See, on November 6, 1783, for permission for the missionaries in the United States to nominate a superior who would have some of the powers of a bishop. In response to that, Father John Carroll—having been selected by his brother priests—was confirmed by Pope Pius VI, on June 6, 1784, as Superior of the Missions in the newly independent thirteen United States of North America, with power to give the sacrament of confirmation. This act established a hierarchy in the United States and removed the Catholic Church in the U.S. from the authority of the Vicar Apostolic of the London District.

The Holy See then established the office of the Apostolic Prefecture of the United States on November 26, 1784. Because Maryland was one of the few regions of the colonial United States that had a substantial Roman Catholic population, the apostolic prefecture was elevated to become the Diocese of Baltimore^[5]—the first diocese in the United States—on November 6, 1789.

In 1790, Father John Carroll traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to England where he was ordained and consecrated as a bishop in Lulworth Castle in Dorset, England by authority of the Bishop of London.

On April 8, 1808, the suffragan dioceses of Boston,^[6] New York,^[7] Philadelphia,^[8] and Bardstown in Bardstown, Kentucky, (later moved in 1841 to Louisville, larger river port town on the Ohio River)^[9] were erected by Pope Pius VII from the territory of the Diocese of Baltimore, which was simultaneously raised to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese, thereby becoming the "Archdiocese of Baltimore". The newly established "Province of Baltimore"—whose metropolitan was the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore—comprised all of the states and territories of the nation.

The Archdiocese however, again lost territory in following decades with the creation of the Diocese of Richmond (Virginia)^[10] on July 11, 1820, and the Diocese of Wilmington (Delaware)^[11] on March 3, 1868. In 1850, the Diocese of Wheeling (then in Virginia; now Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia)^[12] was erected, from the Diocese of Richmond. In 1974, the Diocese of Arlington (Virginia)^[13] was erected, from the Diocese of Richmond.

On July 22, 1939, the see was temporarily renamed the Archdiocese of Baltimore-Washington, in recognition of the nation's capital. Eight years later, on November 15, 1947, the District of Columbia and the two Washington suburban and three southern counties of Maryland became the Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.),^[14] resulting in the present-day Archdiocese of Baltimore, which consists of the City of Baltimore and the nine counties of central and western Maryland.

From 1808 until 1847, Baltimore was the only archdiocese in the U.S.A. and therefore the entire country was one ecclesiastical province.^[15] As the nation's population grew and waves of Catholic immigrants came from Europe, the Holy See continued to erect new dioceses and elevate certain others to the status of metropolitan archdioceses, which simultaneously became metropolitan sees of new ecclesiastical provinces. Thus, the Province of Baltimore gradually became smaller and smaller. In 1847, the then-Diocese of Saint Louis was elevated to an archdiocese and metropolitan see of the new Province of Saint Louis. In 1850, the Diocese of New York was raised to an archdiocese. Also in 1850, the Diocese of Oregon City (now Portland, Oregon) was raised to an archdiocese. In 1875, the dioceses of Boston and Philadelphia were likewise elevated.

The Archdiocese has published "The Catholic Review" as the diocesan newspaper since 1913-14, when it was named "The Baltimore Catholic Review", succeeding the previous diocesan publication "The Catholic Mirror", published 1833 to 1908.

Prelature

In general; "Prerogative of Place"

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is led by the prelature of the Archbishop of Baltimore and a corps of auxiliary bishops who assist in the administration of the archdiocese as part of a larger curia. Sixteen people have served as Archbishop of Baltimore; the current Archbishop is William E. Lori.^[16]

In 1858, the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Propaganda Fide), with the approval of Pope Pius IX, conferred "Prerogative of Place" on the Archdiocese of Baltimore. This decree gave the archbishop of Baltimore precedence over all other archbishops of the United States (but not cardinals) in councils, gatherings, and meetings of whatever kind of the hierarchy (in conciliis, coetibus et comitiis quibuscumque), regardless of the seniority of other archbishops in promotion or ordination.^[17]

Cathedrals

The archbishop is concurrently the pastor of the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland in north Baltimore and the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, (old Baltimore Cathedral) on Cathedral Hill above downtown, near the Mount Vernon-Belvedere neighborhood, the co-cathedral; the bishop appoints the cathedral and co-cathedral's rectors. The Basilica, built in 1806–1821, is the first cathedral and parish constructed in the United States within its boundaries at the time. It is considered the mother church of the United States. During the time from the first bishop John Carroll's installation in 1790 to the dedication of the old Baltimore Cathedral in 1821, the bishop's throne ("cathedra") was at St. Peter's Church (first parish in the diocese, founded 1770), two blocks south on the northwestern corner of North Charles Street and West Saratoga Streets, serving as the pro-cathedral with its attached rectory, school and surrounding cemetery. Old St. Peter's interestingly was across the street from the "Mother Church of the Anglican Church" in Baltimore, Old St. Paul's Church (Anglican/Episcopal) with four successive buildings at the site beginning in 1730 at the southeast corner of Charles and Saratoga, in downtown, overlooking the harbor. St. Peter's Roman Catholic parish was razed in 1841.

The Archdiocese of Baltimore is one of only four United States dioceses that has two churches serving as cathedrals in the same city — the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace and Co-Cathedral of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus in the Diocese of Honolulu share the distinction. The Diocese of Burlington and The Diocese of Brooklyn also have this in common. Other dioceses with two cathedrals have their churches in separate cities.^[18]

Archbishops of Baltimore

Bishop John Carroll lays the cornerstone in 1806 for the Cathedral of the Assumption on Cathedral Hill in Baltimore, first Roman Catholic cathedral to be constructed in the United States.

The list of Archbishops and their terms of service:

1. John Carroll, S.J. (1784–1815) died
2. Leonard Neale, S.J. (1815–1817) died
3. Ambrose Maréchal, P.S.S. (1817–1828) died
4. James Whitfield (1828–1834) died
5. Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S. (1834–1851) died
6. Francis Patrick Kenrick (1851–1863) died
7. Martin John Spalding (1864–1872) died
8. James Roosevelt Bayley (1872–1877) died
9. James Gibbons (1877–1921) died
10. Michael Joseph Curley (1921–1947) died
11. Francis Patrick Keough (1947–1961) died
12. Lawrence Shehan (1961–1974) retired; Deceased
13. William Donald Borders (1974–1989) retired; deceased
14. William Henry Keeler (1989–2007) retired
15. Edwin Frederick O'Brien (2007–2011) appointed Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem
16. William Edward Lori (2012-)

Auxiliary bishops

The list of auxiliary bishops and their terms of service:

1. Dominic Laurence Graessel S.J. (Coadjutor: 1793) posthumous appointment
2. Leonard Neale S.J. (Coadjutor: 1795–1815) succeeded
3. James Whitfield (Coadjutor: January 8 – 28, 1828) succeeded
4. Samuel Eccleston P.S.S. (Coadjutor: March – October 1834) succeeded
5. James Gibbons (Coadjutor: May – October 1877) succeeded
6. Alfred Allen Paul Curtis (1897–1908) retired as Bishop emeritus of Wilmington (bishop of Wilmington, 1886–1896)
7. Owen Patrick Bernard Corrigan (1908–1929) died
8. Thomas Joseph Shahan (1914–1932) died
9. John Michael McNamara (1927–1947) appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Washington
10. Lawrence Joseph Shehan (1945–1953) appointed Bishop of Bridgeport (later named coadjutor archbishop; see #12 below)
11. Jerome Aloysius Daugherty Sebastian (1953–1960) died
12. Lawrence Joseph Shehan (Coadjutor: July – December 1961) succeeded (previously was auxiliary; see #10 above)
13. Thomas Austin Murphy (1962–1984) retired
14. Thomas Joseph Mardaga (1966–1968) appointed Bishop of Wilmington
15. Francis Joseph Gossman (1968–1975) appointed Bishop of Raleigh
16. Philip Francis Murphy (1976–1999) died
17. James Francis Stafford (1976–1982) appointed Bishop of Memphis (later appointed Archbishop of Denver; later President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity; created Cardinal; later appointed Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary; retired 2 June 2009)
18. William Clifford Newman (1984–2003) retired
19. John Ricard S.S.J. (1984–1997) appointed Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee
20. Gordon Dunlap Bennett S.J. (1997–2004) appointed Bishop of Mandeville (Jamaica, W.I.)
21. William Francis Malooly (2000–2008) appointed Bishop of Wilmington
22. Mitchell T. Rozanski (2004–2014) appointed Bishop of Springfield
23. Denis J. Madden (2005–present)

Other affiliated bishops

The following men began their service as priests in Baltimore before being appointed bishops elsewhere (years in parentheses refers to their years in Baltimore):

• Ignatius A. Reynolds, Bishop of Charleston (1823–1843)
• John J. Chanche, Bishop of Natchez (1841–1851)
• William Henry Elder, Archbishop of Cincinnati (1846–1857)
• Thomas Patrick Roger Foley, Coadjutor Bishop of Chicago (1846–1869)
• John Samuel Foley, Bishop of Detroit (1856–1888)
• Thomas Albert Andrew Becker, Bishop of Savannah (1859–1868)
• Placide Louis Chapelle, Archbishop of New Orleans, Apostolic Delegate to Cuba, Apostolic Delegate to Philippines (1865–1891)
• John Joseph Keane, Archbishop of Dubuque (1866–1878)
• Patrick James Donahue, Bishop of Wheeling (1885–1894)
• William Thomas Russell, Bishop of Charleston (1889–1916)
• Peter Leo Ireton, Bishop of Richmond (1906–1935)
• Thomas Joseph Toolen, Archbishop ad personam and Bishop of Mobile (1910–1927)
• William Joseph Hafey, Bishop of Scranton (1914–1925)
• John Joyce Russell, Bishop of Charleston and Richmond (1923–1950)
• Michael William Hyle, Bishop of Wilmington (1927–1958); was coadjutor (with right of succession) of Wilmington, 1958-1960
• Philip Matthew Hannan, Archbishop of New Orleans (1939–1948)
• Victor Benito Galeone, Bishop of Saint Augustine (1960–2001)
• F. Richard Spencer, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (1988–1994)

Parishes

Operating parishes

Closed parishes

Education

High Schools

Shrines of the archdiocese

• Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Baltimore, Maryland^[20]
• Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Maryland^[21]

Province of Baltimore

Ecclesiastical Province of Baltimore

• Diocese of Arlington
• Diocese of Richmond
• Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
• Diocese of Wilmington

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore.

• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States
• List of Roman Catholic archdioceses (by country and continent)
• List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) (including archdioceses)
• List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view) (including archdioceses)
• Plenary Councils of Baltimore

References

External links

• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore Official Site

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore Churches and parishes Cathedral Cathedral of Mary Our Queen Co-cathedral: Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish churches St. Alphonsus Holy Cross Holy Rosary St. Elizabeth of Hungary St. Leo St. Vincent de Paul St. Wenceslaus Our Lady of Pompeii Chapels and shrines National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic education Seminaries Mount St. Mary's Seminary St. Mary's Seminary Higher education Loyola University Maryland Mount St. Mary's University Notre Dame of Maryland University St. Mary's University High schools Archbishop Curley High School Archbishop Spalding High School Bishop Walsh School Calvert Hall College High School Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Institute of Notre Dame Loyola Blakefield Maryvale Preparatory School Mercy High School Mount de Sales Academy Mount Saint Joseph High School Notre Dame Preparatory School Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School St. Frances Academy St. John's Catholic Preparatory St. Maria Goretti High School St. Mary's High School The Catholic High School of Baltimore The John Carroll School The Seton Keough High School Ordinaries Past John Carroll, S.J. Leonard Neale, S.J. Ambrose Maréchal, P.S.S. James Whitfield Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S. Francis Patrick Kenrick Martin John Spalding James Roosevelt Bayley James Gibbons Michael Joseph Curley Francis Patrick Keough Lawrence Shehan William Donald Borders William Henry Keeler Edwin Frederick O'Brien Present William E. Lori (Auxiliaries: Mitchell T. Rozanski Denis J. Madden) Miscellany Plenary Councils of Baltimore The Catholic Review Suffragan dioceses Diocese of Arlington Diocese of Richmond Diocese of Wilmington Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston Maryland Portal Pope Portal Catholicism Portal

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Coordinates: 39°17′38″N 76°37′02″W / 39.29389°N 76.61722°W / 39.29389; -76.61722