Diocese of Grand Rapids, USA 🇺🇸

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Grand Rapids / Grandicataracten(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Detroit

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1882.05.19: Established as Diocese of Grand Rapids / Grandicataracten(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Detroit and became suffragan of Cincinnati)
1937.05.22: Became suffragan of Detroit
1938.02.26: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Saginaw
1970.12.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Gaylord and Diocese of Kalamazoo

Contact Info

Address: Cathedral Square Center, 360 Division Ave. S., Grand Rapids, MI 49503-4539, USA

Phone: +1 (616) 243-0491

Present Prelates

Bishop (2013.04.18 – ...):

Bishop David John Walkowiak (72)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Grand Rapids (Roman Rite)

Bishop David John Walkowiak (72)
(2013.04.18 – ...)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA)

Gratias agite Domino

Born:	1953.06.18 (Cleveland, OH, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1979.06.09
Consecrated Bishop:	2013.06.18

Priest of Cleveland (USA) (1979.06.09 – 2013.04.18)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (2013.04.18 – ...)

Bishop Walter Allison Hurley (88)
(2005.06.21 – 2013.04.18)

Bishop emeritus of Grand Rapids (USA)

Serve with gladness

Born:	1937.05.30 (Fredericton, NB, Canada)
Ordained Priest:	1965.06.05
Consecrated Bishop:	2003.08.12

Priest of Detroit (USA) (1965.06.05 – 2003.07.07)

Titular Bishop of Chunavia (2003.07.07 – 2005.06.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (2003.07.07 – 2005.06.21)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (2005.06.21 – 2013.04.18)

Apostolic Administrator of Saginaw (USA) (2018.10.17 – 2019.05.24)

Apostolic Administrator of Gaylord (USA) (2020.06.23 – 2021.12.21)

Cardinal Adam Joseph Maida (95)
(Apostolic Administrator 2004.05.16 – 2005.06.21)

Bishop Kevin Michael Britt
(2003.10.13 – 2004.05.15)

Kindness, mercy, love

Born:	1944.11.19 (Detroit, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1970.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1994.01.06
Died:	2004.05.15 († 59)

Titular Bishop of Œscus (1993.11.23 – 2002.12.10)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (1993.11.23 – 2002.12.10)

Coadjutor Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (2002.12.10 – 2003.10.13)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (2003.10.13 – 2004.05.15)

Bishop Robert John Rose
(1989.06.24 – 2003.10.13)

In the name of the Lord

Born:	1930.02.28 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1955.12.21
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.12.06
Died:	2022.03.02 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA † 92)

Priest of Grand Rapids (USA) (1955.12.21 – 1981.10.13)

Bishop of Gaylord (USA) (1981.10.13 – 1989.06.24)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1989.06.24 – 2003.10.13)

Bishop Joseph Matthew Breitenbeck
(1969.10.15 – 1989.06.24)

Born:	1914.08.03 (Detroit, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1942.05.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1965.12.20
Died:	2005.03.12 († 90)

Titular Bishop of Tepelta (1965.10.18 – 1969.10.15)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (1965.10.18 – 1969.10.15)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1969.10.15 – 1989.06.24)

Bishop Allen James Babcock
(1954.03.23 – 1969.06.27)

Born:	1898.06.17 (Bad Axe, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1925.03.07
Consecrated Bishop:	1947.03.25
Died:	1969.06.27 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA † 71)

Titular Bishop of Irenopolis in Cilicia (1947.02.15 – 1954.03.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (1947.02.15 – 1954.03.23)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1954.03.23 – 1969.06.27)

Bishop Francis Joseph Haas
(1943.09.26 – 1953.08.29)

Born:	1889.03.18 (Racine, WI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1913.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1943.11.18
Died:	1953.08.29 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA † 64)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1943.09.26 – 1953.08.29)

Bishop Joseph Casimir Plagens
(1940.12.16 – 1943.03.31)

Born:	1880.01.29 (Czeszewo, Poland)
Ordained Priest:	1903.07.05
Consecrated Bishop:	1924.09.30
Died:	1943.03.31 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA † 63)

Titular Bishop of Rhodiapolis (1924.05.22 – 1935.11.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (1924.05.22 – 1935.11.16)

Bishop of Sault Sainte Marie–Marquette (USA) (1935.11.16 – 1937.01.03)

Bishop of Marquette (USA) (1937.01.03 – 1940.12.16)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1940.12.16 – 1943.03.31)

Bishop Joseph Gabriel Pinten
(1926.06.25 – 1940.11.01)

Born:	1867.10.03 (Rockland, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1890.11.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.05.03
Died:	1945.11.06 († 78)

Bishop of Superior (USA) (1921.11.30 – 1926.06.25)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1926.06.25 – 1940.11.01)

Titular Bishop of Sela (1940.11.01 – 1945.11.06)

Bishop Edward Denis Kelly
(1919.01.16 – 1926.03.26)

Born:	1860.12.30 (Hartford, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1886.06.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.01.26
Died:	1926.03.26 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA † 65)

Titular Bishop of Cestrus (1910.12.09 – 1919.01.16)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (1910.12.09 – 1919.01.16)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1919.01.16 – 1926.03.26)

Bishop Michael James Gallagher
(1916.12.26 – 1918.07.18)

Born:	1866.11.16 (Auburn, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1893.03.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1915.09.08
Died:	1937.01.20 (Detroit, MI, USA † 70)

Priest of Grand Rapids (USA) (1893.03.19 – 1915.07.05)

Titular Bishop of Tipasa (1915.07.05 – 1916.12.26)

Coadjutor Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1915.07.05 – 1916.12.26)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1916.12.26 – 1918.07.18)

Bishop of Detroit (USA) (1918.07.18 – 1937.01.20)

Bishop Henry Joseph Richter
(1883.01.30 – 1916.12.26)

Born:	1838.04.09 (Neuenkirchen, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1865.06.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1883.04.22
Died:	1916.12.26 (Grand Rapids, MI, USA † 78)

Bishop of Grand Rapids (USA) (1883.01.30 – 1916.12.26)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Kevin Michael Britt (2002.12.10 – 2003.10.13)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Michael James Gallagher (1915.07.05 – 1916.12.26)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Joseph Crescent McKinney (1968.07.24 – 2001.10.03)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Charles Alexander K. Salatka (later Archbishop) (1961.12.09 – 1968.01.10)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Joseph Schrembs (later Archbishop) (1911.01.08 – 1911.08.11)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Andrew, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Minor Basilica: Basilica of St. Adalbert, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (102)

Gaylord (↑), Saginaw (→), Lansing (↘), Kalamazoo (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 17,592 km²

Population: 197,900 Catholics (13.6% of 1,450,305 total)

Pastoral Centres: 80 parishes

Personnel: 108 priests (93 diocesan, 15 religious), 46 deacons, 232 religious (23 brothers, 209 sisters), 21 seminarians