Diocese of Belleville, USA 🇺🇸

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Belleville / Bellevillen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Chicago

Neighbouring Dioceses: Springfield–Cape Girardeau (↙), Springfield in Illinois (↑), Evansville (→), Owensboro (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1887.01.07: Established as Diocese of Belleville / Bellevillen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Alton and became suffragan of Chicago)

Contact Info

Address: Chancery Office, 222 S. Third St., Belleville, IL 62220, USA

Phone: +1 (618) 277-8181

Present Prelates

Bishop (2026.03.13 – ...):

Bishop-elect Godfrey Mullen, O.S.B. (60)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Belleville (Roman Rite)

Bishop-elect Godfrey Mullen, O.S.B. (60)
(2026.03.13 – ...)

Bishop of Belleville (USA)

Born:	1966.01.22 (Salem, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1994.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2026.05.01

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (2026.03.13 – ...)

Bishop Michael George McGovern (61) (later Archbishop)
(2020.04.03 – 2025.03.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Omaha (USA)

Vos autem dixi amicos

Born:	1964.07.01 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1994.05.21
Consecrated Bishop:	2020.07.22

Priest of Chicago (USA) (1994.05.21 – 2020.04.03)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (2020.04.03 – 2025.03.31)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Omaha (USA) (2025.03.31 – ...)

Bishop Edward Kenneth Braxton (81)
(2005.03.15 – 2020.04.03)

Bishop emeritus of Belleville (USA)

Mane nobiscum Domine

Born:	1944.06.28 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1970.05.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.05.17

Priest of Chicago (USA) (1970.05.13 – 1995.03.28)

Titular Bishop of Macomades rusticiana (1995.03.28 – 2000.12.12)

Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis (USA) (1995.03.28 – 2000.12.12)

Bishop of Lake Charles (USA) (2000.12.12 – 2005.03.15)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (2005.03.15 – 2020.04.03)

Bishop Wilton Daniel Gregory (78) (later Cardinal)
(1993.12.29 – 2004.12.09)

Cardinal-Priest of Immacolata Concezione di Maria a Grottarossa
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Washington (USA)

We are the Lord’s

Born:	1947.12.07 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1973.05.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1983.12.13
Created Cardinal:	2020.11.28

Priest of Chicago (USA) (1973.05.09 – 1983.10.31)

Titular Bishop of Oliva (1983.10.31 – 1993.12.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago (USA) (1983.10.31 – 1993.12.29)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1993.12.29 – 2004.12.09)

Vice-President of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (1998.12 – 2001.11.13)

President of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2001.11.13 – 2004.11.15)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Atlanta (USA) (2004.12.09 – 2019.04.04)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Washington (USA) (2019.04.04 – 2025.01.06)

Apostolic Administrator of Saint Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) (2020.09.18 – 2021.03.02)

Cardinal-Priest of Immacolata Concezione di Maria a Grottarossa (2020.11.28 [2021.09.27] – ...)

Bishop James Patrick Keleher (later Archbishop)
(1984.10.23 – 1993.06.28)

One body one spirit

Born:	1931.07.31 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1958.04.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1984.12.11
Died:	2024.11.09 (Olathe, KS, USA † 93)

Priest of Chicago (USA) (1958.04.12 – 1984.10.23)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1984.10.23 – 1993.06.28)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Kansas City (USA) (1993.06.28 – 2005.01.15)

Bishop John Nicholas Wurm
(1981.09.19 – 1984.04.27)

Benedicere custodire diligere

Born:	1927.12.06 (St. Louis, MO, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1954.04.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1976.08.17
Died:	1984.04.27 (Belleville, IL, USA † 56)

Titular Bishop of Plestia (1976.06.25 – 1981.09.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis (USA) (1976.06.25 – 1981.09.19)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1981.09.19 – 1984.04.27)

Bishop William Michael Cosgrove
(1976.08.30 – 1981.05.19)

Rejoice in Christ

Born:	1916.11.26 (Canton, OH, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1943.12.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1968.09.03
Died:	1992.12.11 († 76)

Titular Bishop of Trisipa (1968.06.12 – 1976.08.30)

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland (USA) (1968.06.12 – 1976.08.30)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1976.08.30 – 1981.05.19)

Bishop Albert Rudolph Zuroweste
(1947.11.29 – 1976.08.30)

Born:	1901.04.26 (East St. Louis, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1924.06.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1948.01.29
Died:	1987.03.28 (Belleville, IL, USA † 85)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1947.11.29 – 1976.08.30)

Bishop Henry J. Althoff
(1913.12.04 – 1947.07.03)

Deus providebit

Born:	1873.08.28 (Aviston, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1902.07.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1914.02.24
Died:	1947.07.03 (Belleville, IL, USA † 73)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1913.12.04 – 1947.07.03)

Bishop John Janssen
(1888.02.28 – 1913.07.02)

Ave Maria

Born:	1835.03.03 (Keppeln, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1858.11.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1888.04.25
Died:	1913.07.02 (Belleville, IL, USA † 78)

Bishop of Belleville (USA) (1888.02.28 – 1913.07.02)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Stanley Girard Schlarman (1979.03.13 – 1983.03.01)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Peter Cathedral, Belleville, Illinois
National Shrine: National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows, Belleville, Illinois
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (121)

Springfield–Cape Girardeau (↙), Springfield in Illinois (↑), Evansville (→), Owensboro (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 30,062 km²

Population: 127,100 Catholics (13.2% of 960,100 total)

Pastoral Centres: 100 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 116 priests (71 diocesan, 45 religious), 38 deacons, 144 religious (47 brothers, 97 sisters), 6 seminarians