Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island

Last updated
Diocese of Grand Island

Dioecesis Insulae Grandis
Grand Island (Nebraska) cathedral from SE 3.JPG
Cathedral of the Nativity
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
CoA Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island.svg
Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Grand Island
Location
CountryFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Territory Flag of Nebraska.svg 28 counties and the parts of Dawson, Lincoln and Keith counties north of the Platte River in central and western Nebraska
Ecclesiastical province Omaha
Statistics
Area42,000 sq mi (110,000 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		(as of 2016)
320,000
56,600 (17.7%%)
Parishes73
Schools11
Information
Denomination Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
EstablishedMarch 8, 1912 as the Diocese of Kearney;
April 11, 1917 as the Diocese of Grand Island
Cathedral Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Patron saint Blessed Virgin Mary
Secular priests 63
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt [1]
Metropolitan Archbishop George Joseph Lucas
Bishops emeritus William Joseph Dendinger
Map
Diocese of Grand Island map 1.png
Website
gidiocese.org

The Diocese of Grand Island (Latin : Dioecesis Insulae Grandis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northwestern and central Nebraska in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha. [2]

Contents

The cathedral parish is the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Grand Island. [3] As of 2023, the bishop of Grand Island is Joseph G. Hanefeldt, who was installed on March 19, 2015. [4]

History

1850 to 1900

In 1857, Pope Pius IX established the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska in territory split off from the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains. [5] Nebraska achieved statehood in 1867.

The first Catholic presence in the present-day diocese was that of priest providing services to workers building the original Union Pacific Railroad along the Platte River. [6] The first Catholic Church in Grand Island, St. Mary's, was a wooden structure erected in 1868. It was blown down by a windstorm before its dedication. It was replaced nine years later. [7] The first church in Kearney was St. James, dedicated in 1871. [8] In North Platte, the first Catholic church, St. Patrick, was finished in 1874. [6]

The Vicariate of Nebraska was elevated to the Diocese of Omaha by Pope Leo XIII in 1885. [5] Northwestern Nebraska would be part of this diocese for the next 27 years.

1900 to 1945

On March 8, 1912, Pope Pius X established the Diocese of Kearney on territory taken from the Diocese of Omaha. [9] He named Reverend James Albert Duffy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul as the first bishop of the new diocese. [10] In 1916, the Vatican added more counties from the Diocese of Omaha to the Diocese of Kearney. [5]

On April 11, 1917, the Vatican renamed the Diocese of Kearney as the Diocese of Grand Island; [11] [12] [13] the old name was later reused as a titular see. Duffy oversaw construction of the Cathedral of St. Mary from 1926 to 1928, and also established the Nebraska Register. Duffy retired in 1931 due to poor health. [10]

The second bishop of Grand Island was Monsignor Stanislaus Vincent Bona of the Archdiocese of Chicago. During World War II, he ministered to German and Italian prisoners of war kept in camps in the diocese. [14] Bona was named coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay in 1944.

1945 to 1972

Pope Pius XII named Edward Hunkeler of the Diocese of Omaha as the next bishop of Grand Island in March 1945. [15] In August 1945, the pope elevated the Diocese of Omaha to the Archdiocese of Omaha and named Hunkeler as its first archbishop. [16] [5] During his tenure in Grand Island, Hunkeler ordained 16 priests, and oversaw a large increase in the construction of new churches and other religious institutions in the post-World War II era. [17] Hunkler became bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas in 1951.

To replace Hunkler, Pius XII appointed John Paschang of Omaha to serve in Grand Island. [18] During his tenure, Paschang ordained 55 priests and established 33 churches, 15 parish houses, 13 schools, 11 parish centers, six convents, several rectories, and four hospital additions. [19]

1972 to present

After Paschang's retirement in 1972, Pope Paul VI selected Monsignor John Joseph Sullivan of Omaha as the next bishop in Grand Island. Sullivan served there until his appointment as bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph in 1977. [20] Paul VI replaced Sullivan in Grand Island with Lawrence James McNamara of Kansas City-St. Joseph in 1978. [21]

When McNamara retired in 2004 after 26 years as bishop, Pope John Paul II named William Joseph Dendinger, formerly the deputy chief of the United States Air Force Chaplain Corps, as the new bishop of Grand Island. Dendinger retired in 2014. [22]

As of 2023, the bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island is Joseph G. Hanefeldt of Omaha, named by Pope Francis in 2015. [23]

Sex abuse

Reverend Mark Maresh from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Elm Creek was arrested in June 2006 on charges of exposing himself to a woman and her two young children. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor public indecency. [24] Maresh was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 50 hours of community service. After receiving treatment at a church facility in Maryland, he was returned to ministry in 2008. [25]

In January 2019, Reverend John Kakkuzhiyil was arrested for first-degree sexual assault on a woman by the Nebraska State Patrol. [26] In November 2018, the accuser had gone to Kakkuzhiyil's house to interview him for a project. He allegedly plied her with alcohol until she passed out. When she woke up, the woman said that Kakkuzhivl was performing oral sex on her. He denied raping the woman, saying that he just felt her breasts. [27] A jury acquitted Kakkuzhivl of all charges. [28]

In November 2021, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson released a list of Catholic priests in Nebraska with credible accusations of sexual abuse of minors. Three priests from the Diocese of Grand Island appeared on the list. [29]

Bishops

Bishop of Kearney

James Albert Duffy: 1912 to 1917

Bishops of Grand Island

  1. James Albert Duffy: 1917 to 1931
  2. Stanislaus Vincent Bona: 1931 to 1944, appointed Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of Green Bay
  3. Edward Joseph Hunkeler: 1945 to 1951, appointed Bishop and later Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas
  4. John Linus Paschang: 1951 to 1972
  5. John J. Sullivan: 1972 to 1977, appointed Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph
  6. Lawrence James McNamara: 1978 to 2004)
  7. William Joseph Dendinger: 2004 to 2015
  8. Joseph G. Hanefeldt: 2015 to present

Titular Bishops of Kearney

  1. Thomas Wenski: 1997 to 2003, while auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami [30]
  2. Felipe de Jesús Estévez: 2003 to 2011, while auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami [31]
  3. Robert Deeley: 2012 to 2013, while auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston [32]
  4. Mario E. Dorsonville: 2015 to 2023, while auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington [33]
  5. Brian Nunes: incumbent-elect, auxiliary bishop-elect of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles [34]

Catholic high schools

Coat of arms of Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island
CoA Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island.svg
Notes
Arms was designed and adopted when the diocese was erected
Adopted
1912
Escutcheon
The diocesan arms consists of a gold cross against a green field, with a morning star and wavy border, both in silver.
Symbolism
The green and gold colors represent the plains and fields of western Nebraska. The cross symbolizes the crucifixion. The star is a traditional symbol of Mary, mother of Jesus, patroness of the diocese. The wavy border represents the Platte River. Crowning the shield is the mitre, worn by bishops.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Iowa, USA

The Diocese of Des Moines is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in southwestern Iowa in the United States. It is a suffragan see in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Dubuque. The see city for the diocese is Des Moines. The cathedral parish for the diocese is St. Ambrose.

The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests, and deacons. In the ecclesiological sense of the term, "hierarchy" strictly means the "holy ordering" of the church, the Body of Christ, so to respect the diversity of gifts and ministries necessary for genuine unity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tunis</span> Catholic archdiocese in Tunisia

The Archdiocese of Tunis is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Tunis, Tunisia. It was founded on 10 November 1884 under the name "Archdiocese of Carthage", with territory corresponding to that of the then French protectorate of Tunisia. On 9 July 1964, it became a territorial prelature under the ecclesiastical title of Prelature of Tunis. It was made a diocese, keeping the name of Tunis, on 31 May 1995, and raised to the rank of archdiocese on 22 May 2010.

<i>Annuario Pontificio</i> Catholic Holy See annual directory

The Annuario Pontificio is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names and contact information for all cardinals and bishops, the dioceses, the departments of the Roman Curia, the Holy See's diplomatic missions abroad, the embassies accredited to the Holy See, the headquarters of religious institutes, certain academic institutions, and other similar information. The index includes, along with all the names in the body of the book, those of all priests who have been granted the title of "Monsignor".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha</span> Latin Catholic jurisdiction in the United States

The Archdiocese of Omaha is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern Nebraska in the United States. Its current archbishop, George Joseph Lucas, was installed in Omaha on July 22, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Wyoming, USA

The Diocese of Cheyenne is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in the US state of Wyoming. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Denver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Kansas, USA

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas is a Latin Church ecclesiastical province, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in eastern Kansas in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Dodge City</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church

The Diocese of Dodge City is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in southwestern Kansas in the United States. Pope Pius XII created the diocese on May 19, 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church in Kansas, U.S.

The Diocese of Salina is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northern Kansas in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Kentucky, United States

The Diocese of Owensboro is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in western Kentucky in the United States. As of 2020, the diocese contained of 78 parishes and two Newman Centers in 32 counties. The Diocese of Owensboro is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Louisville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church in USA

The Diocese of Lincoln is a Latin Church diocese in Nebraska, United States, and comprises the majority of the eastern and central portions of the state south of the Platte River. It is a suffragan see to the archdiocese of Omaha. The episcopal see is in Lincoln, Nebraska. Bishop James D. Conley is the current ordinary of the Diocese. The Cathedral of the Risen Christ is the cathedral parish of the diocese.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Pennsylvania, USA

The Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in central Pennsylvania in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The mother church of the diocese is the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church in Texas, United States

The Diocese of Dallas is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in North Texas in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Alabama, USA

The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory. or diocese, of the Catholic Church that encompasses the northern 39 counties of Alabama in the United States. It was erected on December 9, 1969, with territory from what is now the Archdiocese of Mobile. The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Joseph Dendinger</span> United States Air Force general

William Joseph Dendinger is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Appointed by Pope John Paul II, he served as bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island in Nebraska from December 13, 2004, until January 14, 2015.

James Albert Duffy was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island in Nebraska from 1917 to 1931. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Kearney in Nebraska from 1913 until its dissolution in 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of Rome</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy

The Diocese of Rome, also called the Vicariate of Rome, is the ecclesiastical district under the direct jurisdiction of the Pope, who is Bishop of Rome and hence the supreme pontiff and head of the worldwide Catholic Church. As the Holy See, the papacy is a sovereign entity with diplomatic relations, and civil jurisdiction over the Vatican City State located geographically within Rome. The Diocese of Rome is the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Rome, an ecclesiastical province in Italy. The first bishop of Rome was Saint Peter in the first century. The incumbent since 13 March 2013 is Pope Francis.

Edward Joseph Hunkeler was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island, Nebraska (1945–1951), and Bishop and Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas (1951–1969).

John Linus Paschang was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island in Nebraska from 1951 to 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph G. Hanefeldt</span>

Joseph Gerard Hanefeldt is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Grand Island in the state of Nebraska since 2015.

References

  1. ↑ "Web Translator". www.translatetheweb.com. Retrieved Apr 5, 2021.
  2. ↑ Annuario Pontificio. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2016. p. 275. Insulae Grandis --suffr. di Omaha
  3. ↑ Annuario Pontificio. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2016. p. 275. Indirizzo: 2708 Old Fair Rd., P.O. Box 1531, Grand Island, NE 68802, U.S.A.
  4. ↑ Annuario Pontificio. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2016. p. 275. Joseph G. Hanefeldt...el 14 genn. 2015; cons. 19 mar. 2015...
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Omaha (Archdiocese) (Catholic-Hierarchy)". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  6. 1 2 "St. Patrick's Catholic Church - Past to Present". www.st-pats-online.org. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  7. ↑ "History of Churches in Hall County". sites.rootsweb.com. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  8. ↑ "About Us & Our History | St. James Catholic Church". stjameschurchkearney.org. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  9. ↑ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Kearney (Nebraska)"  . Catholic Encyclopedia . New York: Robert Appleton Company.
  10. 1 2 "Bishop James Albert Duffy". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  11. ↑ "Diocese of Grand Island". Giga Catholic. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
  12. ↑ Annuario Pontificio. Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2016. p. 275. Grand Island (8 mar. 1912 col nome di Kearney, mut. n. 11 apr. 1917)
  13. ↑ "Grand Island (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  14. ↑ "Most Reverend Stanislaus V. Bona". Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island.
  15. ↑ "Archbishop Edward Joseph Hunkeler [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  16. ↑ "Metropolitan Archdiocese of Omaha". GCatholic.org. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
  17. ↑ "Bishops". Diocese of Grand Island. Obituary of Hunkeler reproduced from Nebraska Register, vol. 46, no. 41, October 9, 1970. Retrieved June 12, 2017. Archived November 15, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Bishop John Linus Paschang [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  19. ↑ "Most Reverend John L. Paschang". Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14.
  20. ↑ "Bishop John Joseph Sullivan [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  21. ↑ "Bishop Lawrence James McNamara [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  22. ↑ "Bishop William Joseph Dendinger [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  23. ↑ "Bishop Joseph Gerard Hanefeldt [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  24. ↑ "Priest Pleads No Contest to Public Indecency". Press & Dakotan. August 11, 2006. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  25. ↑ "Report on Clergy Sexual Abuse" (PDF). Office of the Nebraska Attorney General. November 4, 2021.
  26. ↑ Bertino, Julia (January 4, 2019). "Grand Island Priest Arrested For Alleged Sexual Abuse". 1110 KFAB Local News. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  27. ↑ KHGI (2020-01-07). "Accuser takes stand in Ord priest sexual assault trial". KHGI. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  28. ↑ "Nebraska jury acquits priest of sexual assault charge". KMTV 3 News Now Omaha. 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
  29. ↑ "Nebraska AG finds 258 victims of Catholic church sex abuse". AP NEWS. 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
  30. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory, Anno Domini 1998. New York: P.J. Kennedy. 1997. p. 669. ISBN   978-0872179639.
  31. ↑ The official Catholic directory for the year of Our Lord 2010. P.J. Kennedy. 2010. p. 782.
  32. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory: Anno Domino 2013. P.J. Kennedy. 2013. p. 131.
  33. ↑ "Resignations and Appointments". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 2023-07-20.
  34. ↑ "Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 2023-07-20.

40°55′20″N98°21′29″W / 40.92222°N 98.35806°W / 40.92222; -98.35806

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.