Diocese of

La Crosse

USA

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: La Crosse / Crossen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Milwaukee

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Website:

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Joseph (May 1), Saint Francis of Assisi (October 4)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: May 7

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1868.03.03: Established as Diocese of La Crosse / Crossen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Milwaukee and became suffragan of Saint Louis)
1875.02.12: Became suffragan of Milwaukee
1905.05.03: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Superior
1945.12.22: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Madison

Contact Info

Address: 3710 East Ave. S, P.O. Box 4004, La Crosse, WI 54602-4004, USA

Phone: +1 (608) 788-7700

Present Prelates

Bishop (2024.03.19 – ...):

Bishop Gerard William Battersby (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of La Crosse (Roman Rite)

Bishop Gerard William Battersby (65)
(2024.03.19 – ...)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA)

Born:	1960.05.15 (Detroit, MI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1998.05.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.01.25

Priest of Detroit (USA) (1998.05.30 – 2016.11.23)

Titular Bishop of Eguga (2016.11.23 – 2024.03.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit (USA) (2016.11.23 – 2024.03.19)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (2024.03.19 – ...)

Bishop William Patrick Callahan, O.F.M. Conv. (75)
(2010.06.11 – 2024.03.19)

Bishop emeritus of La Crosse (USA)

Adoremus te Christe

Born:	1950.06.17 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1977.04.30
Consecrated Bishop:	2007.12.21

Titular Bishop of Lares (2007.10.30 – 2010.06.11)

Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee (USA) (2007.10.30 – 2010.06.11)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (2010.06.11 – 2024.03.19)

Bishop Jerome Edward Listecki (76) (later Archbishop)
(2004.12.29 – 2009.11.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Milwaukee (USA)

Born:	1949.03.12 (Chicago, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1975.05.14
Consecrated Bishop:	2001.01.08

Priest of Chicago (USA) (1975.05.14 – 2000.11.07)

Titular Bishop of Nara (2000.11.07 – 2004.12.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago (USA) (2000.11.07 – 2004.12.29)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (2004.12.29 – 2009.11.14)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Milwaukee (USA) (2009.11.14 – 2024.11.04)

Bishop Raymond Leo Burke (77) (later Cardinal)
(1994.12.10 – 2003.12.02)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Agata de’ Goti pro hac vice Title
Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Saint Louis (USA)
Patron emeritus of Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (Knights of Malta)

Secundum cor tuum

Born:	1948.06.30 (Richland Center, WI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1975.06.29
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.01.06
Created Cardinal:	2010.11.20

Priest of La Crosse (USA) (1975.06.29 – 1994.12.10)

Defender of the Bond of Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (1989 – 1994.12.10)

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness (1993.08.12 – 1994.12.10)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1994.12.10 – 2003.12.02)

Founder of Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem (2002)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Saint Louis (USA) (2003.12.02 – 2008.06.27)

Prefect of Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (2008.06.27 – 2014.11.08)

President of Supreme Court of Vatican City State (2008.06.27 – 2014.11.08)

President of Commission for Advocates (2008.10.07 – 2014.11.08)

Cardinal-Deacon of S. Agata de’ Goti (2010.11.20 [2011.02.05] – 2021.05.03)

Patron of Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta (Knights of Malta) (2014.11.08 – 2023.06.19)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Agata de’ Goti pro hac vice Title (2021.05.03 – ...)

Bishop John Joseph Paul
(1983.10.14 – 1994.12.10)

Born:	1918.08.17 (La Crosse, WI, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1943.01.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.08.04
Died:	2006.03.05 (La Crosse, WI, USA † 87)

Titular Bishop of Lambæsis (1977.05.17 – 1983.10.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1977.05.17 – 1983.10.14)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1983.10.14 – 1994.12.10)

Bishop Frederick William Freking
(1964.12.30 – 1983.05.10)

Born:	1913.08.11 (Huron Lake, MN, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1938.07.31
Consecrated Bishop:	1957.11.30
Died:	1998.11.28 (La Crosse, WI, USA † 85)

Bishop of Salina (USA) (1957.10.10 – 1964.12.30)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1964.12.30 – 1983.05.10)

Bishop John Patrick Treacy
(1948.08.25 – 1964.10.11)

Born:	1891.07.23 (Marlborough, MA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1918.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1945.10.02
Died:	1964.10.11 (La Crosse, WI, USA † 73)

Titular Bishop of Metelis (1945.08.22 – 1948.08.25)

Coadjutor Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1945.08.22 – 1948.08.25)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1948.08.25 – 1964.10.11)

Bishop Alexander Joseph McGavick
(1921.11.21 – 1948.08.25)

Born:	1863.08.22 (Fox Lake, IL, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1887.06.11
Consecrated Bishop:	1899.05.01
Died:	1948.08.25 (La Crosse, WI, USA † 85)

Titular Bishop of Marcopolis (1898.12.02 – 1921.11.21)

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago (USA) (1898.12.02 – 1921.11.21)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1921.11.21 – 1948.08.25)

Bishop James Schwebach
(1891.12.14 – 1921.06.06)

Born:	1847.08.15 (Platen, Luxembourg)
Ordained Priest:	1870.06.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1892.02.25
Died:	1921.06.06 (La Crosse, WI, USA † 73)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1891.12.14 – 1921.06.06)

Bishop Kilian Casper Flasch
(1881.06.14 – 1891.08.03)

Born:	1837.07.16 (Retzstadt, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1869.12.16
Consecrated Bishop:	1881.08.24
Died:	1891.08.03 (La Crosse, WI, USA † 54)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1881.06.14 – 1891.08.03)

Bishop Michael Heiss (later Archbishop)
(1868.03.03 – 1880.03.14)

Born:	1818.04.12 (Pfahldorf, Germany)
Ordained Priest:	1840.10.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.09.06
Died:	1890.03.26 († 71)

Priest of Louisville (USA) (1840.10.18 – 1868.03.03)

Bishop of La Crosse (USA) (1868.03.03 – 1880.03.14)

Titular Archbishop of Adrianopolis (1880.03.14 – 1881.09.07)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Milwaukee (USA) (1880.03.14 – 1881.09.07)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Milwaukee (USA) (1881.09.07 – 1890.03.26)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop John Patrick Treacy (1945.08.22 – 1948.08.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop John Joseph Paul (1977.05.17 – 1983.10.14)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop William Richard Griffin (1935.03.09 – 1944.03.18)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Diocesan Shrine: Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (166)

Dubuque (↙), Winona–Rochester (←), Saint Paul and Minneapolis (↖), Superior (↑), Green Bay (→), Madison (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 39,037 km²

Population: 156,000 Catholics (17.8% of 875,018 total)

Pastoral Centres: 157 parishes

Personnel: 142 priests (139 diocesan, 3 religious), 58 deacons, 180 religious (3 brothers, 177 sisters), 13 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.01.09

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