Diocese of

Great Falls–Billings

USA

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Great Falls–Billings / Magnocataracten(sis)–Billingen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Portland in Oregon

Neighbouring Dioceses: Helena (←), Calgary (↖), Regina (↗), Bismarck (→), Rapid City (↘), Cheyenne (↓)

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1904.05.18: Established as Diocese of Great Falls / Magnocataracten(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Helena and became suffragan of Oregon City)
1928.09.26: Became suffragan of Portland in Oregon
1980.02.14: Renamed as Diocese of Great Falls–Billings / Magnocataracten(sis)–Billingen(sis) (Latin)

Contact Info

Address: Chancery Office, 121 23rd St. S, P.O. Box 1399, Great Falls, MT 59403-1399, USA

Phone: +1 (406) 727-6683

Present Prelates

Bishop (2023.08.22 – ...):

Bishop Jeffrey Michael Fleming (60)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Great Falls–Billings (Roman Rite)

Bishop Jeffrey Michael Fleming (60)
(2023.08.22 – ...)

Bishop of Great Falls–Billings (USA)

Go make disciples

Born:	1966.02.10 (Billings, MT, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1992.05.19
Consecrated Bishop:	2022.06.22

Priest of Helena (USA) (1992.05.19 – 2022.04.19)

Coadjutor Bishop of Great Falls–Billings (USA) (2022.04.19 – 2023.08.22)

Bishop of Great Falls–Billings (USA) (2023.08.22 – ...)

Bishop Michael William Warfel (77)
(2007.11.20 – 2023.08.22)

Bishop emeritus of Great Falls–Billings (USA)

Always to walk in Christ

Born:	1948.09.16 (Elkhart, IN, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1980.04.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.12.17

Priest of Anchorage (USA) (1980.04.26 – 1996.11.19)

Bishop of Juneau (USA) (1996.11.19 – 2007.11.20)

Apostolic Administrator of Fairbanks (USA) (2001.10.23 – 2002.06.07)

Bishop of Great Falls–Billings (USA) (2007.11.20 – 2023.08.22)

Bishop Anthony Michael Milone
(1987.12.14 – 2006.07.12)

Born:	1932.09.24 (Omaha, NE, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1957.12.15
Consecrated Bishop:	1982.01.06
Died:	2018.05.17 (Omaha, NE, USA † 85)

Titular Bishop of Plestia (1981.11.10 – 1987.12.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of Omaha (USA) (1981.11.10 – 1987.12.14)

Bishop of Great Falls–Billings (USA) (1987.12.14 – 2006.07.12)

Bishop Thomas Joseph Murphy (later Archbishop)
(1980.02.14 – 1987.05.26)

In Christo gaudium et spes

Born:	1932.10.03 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1958.04.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1978.08.21
Died:	1997.06.26 († 64)

Bishop of Great Falls (USA) (1978.07.05 – 1980.02.14)

Bishop of Great Falls–Billings (USA) (1980.02.14 – 1987.05.26)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle (USA) (1987.05.26 – 1991.08.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Seattle (USA) (1991.08.21 – 1997.06.26)

Bishops of Great Falls (Roman Rite)

Bishop Thomas Joseph Murphy (later Archbishop)
(1978.07.05 – 1980.02.14)

(see above)

Bishop Eldon Bernard Mathias Schuster
(1967.12.02 – 1977.12.27)

Born:	1911.03.10 (Calio, ND, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1937.05.27
Consecrated Bishop:	1961.12.21
Died:	1998.09.04 (Great Falls, MT, USA † 87)

Titular Bishop of Amblada (1961.10.30 – 1967.12.02)

Auxiliary Bishop of Great Falls (USA) (1961.10.30 – 1967.12.02)

Bishop of Great Falls (USA) (1967.12.02 – 1977.12.27)

Bishop William Joseph Condon
(1939.08.05 – 1967.08.17)

Born:	1895.04.07 (Colton, WA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1917.10.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1939.10.18
Died:	1967.08.17 (Great Falls, MT, USA † 72)

Bishop of Great Falls (USA) (1939.08.05 – 1967.08.17)

Bishop Edwin Vincent O’Hara (later Archbishop)
(1930.08.06 – 1939.04.15)

Sinite parvulos venire

Born:	1881.09.06 (Lanesboro, MN, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1905.06.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1930.10.28
Died:	1956.09.11 (Milano, Italy † 75)

Bishop of Great Falls (USA) (1930.08.06 – 1939.04.15)

Bishop of Kansas City (USA) (1939.04.15 – 1956.07.02)

Archbishop ad personam (1954.06.29 – 1956.09.11)

Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph (USA) (1956.07.02 – 1956.09.11)

Bishop Mathias Clement Lenihan (later Archbishop)
(1904.08.26 – 1930.01.18)

Born:	1854.10.06 (Dubuque, IA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1879.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1904.09.21
Died:	1943.08.19 (Dubuque, IA, USA † 88)

Bishop of Great Falls (USA) (1904.08.26 – 1930.01.18)

Titular Archbishop of Preslavus (1930.02.14 – 1943.08.19)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Jeffrey Michael Fleming (60) (2022.04.19 – 2023.08.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Eldon Bernard Mathias Schuster (1961.10.30 – 1967.12.02)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Ann Cathedral, Great Falls, Montana
Co-Cathedral: St. Patrick Co-Cathedral, Billings, Montana
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (104)

Helena (←), Calgary (↖), Regina (↗), Bismarck (→), Rapid City (↘), Cheyenne (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 241,276 km²

Population: 37,900 Catholics (9.2% of 411,000 total)

Pastoral Centres: 50 parishes, 49 missions

Personnel: 63 priests (52 diocesan, 11 religious), 14 deacons, 41 religious (12 brothers, 29 sisters), 2 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

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