Dom Ranjith - Arcebispo de Colombo e Cardeal?

Segundo Tornielli, a decisão de nomear Dom Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, secretário da CCDDS, como Arcebispo de Colombo, capital de sua terra natal, o Sri Lanka, já foi tomada pelo Papa e poderá ser anunciada no próximo sábado. O vaticanista também dá como provável a elevação de Dom Ranjith ao Colégio Cardinalício já no próximo concistório.

O sucessor de Dom Ranjith no Culto Divino ainda não é conhecido e, segundo o jornalista, não será anunciado no próximo sábado. Ele seria com muita probabilidade um anglófono.

Artigo original em italiano.

Pope met Canadian Indians

At the end of the General Audience, the Holy Father met with Mr Phil Fontaine, the Grand Chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Canada, and the Most Reverend James Weisgerber, President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, together with those accompanying them, and he listened to their stories and concerns.

His Holiness recalled that since the earliest days of her presence in Canada, the Church, particularly through her missionary personnel, has closely accompanied the indigenous peoples. Given the sufferings that some indigenous children experienced in the Canadian Residential School system, the Holy Father expressed his sorrow at the anguish caused by the deplorable conduct of some members of the Church and he offered his sympathy and prayerful solidarity. His Holiness emphasized that acts of abuse cannot be tolerated in society. He prayed that all those affected would experience healing, and he encouraged First Nations Peoples to continue to move forward with renewed hope.

Ao fim da Audiência Geral, o Santo Padre encontrou-se com o Sr. Phil Fontaine, Grande Chefe da Assembleia das Primeiras Nações do Canadá, e com o Exmo. e Revmo. Sr. Dom James Weisgerber, Presidente da Conferência Canadense dos Bispos Católicos, juntamente com aqueles que os acompanhavam, e ouviu suas histórias e preocupações.

Sua Santidade recordou que desde os primeiríssimos  dias de sua presença no Canadá, a Igreja, particularmente através de seus missionários, acompanhou de perto os povos indígenas. Em razão dos sofrimentos que algumas crianças indígenas experimentaram no sistema “Canadian Residential School”, o Santo Padre expressou seu pesar pela angústia causada pela conduta deplorável de alguns membros da Igreja e ofereceu sua compaixão e solidariedade orante. Sua Santidade enfatizou que atos de abuso não podem ser tolerados na sociedade. Rezou para que todos os atingidos possam superar o trauma, e encorajou os Povos das Primeiras Nações a avançar com renovada esperança.

Fonte: Santa Sé

Tradução: OBLATVS

La Tradizione Tradita - La Chiesa, gli ebrei e il negazionismo

Chegou-me hoje de Roma o livro La Tradizione Tradita – La Chiesa, gli ebrei e il negazionismo (Milano, Pauline, 2009, 79 p.), dos jornalistas Aldo Maria Valli e Rodolfo Lorenzoni.

O amigo que me presenteou, a quem agradeço de coração, disse que o livro teve excelente recepção nos círculos romanos. Apenas comecei a leitura e, posso dizer, as primeiras páginas me agradaram pela perspectiva em que os autores põem as questões.

O que distingue este livro dos demais já publicados sobre o assunto é a análise da recente polêmica midiática envolvendo Dom Williamson da Fraternidade São Pio X, que acabou por atingir a própria fraternidade, o Papa e a Igreja. Os autores escrevem como “vaticanistas”, sem ocultar a condição de católicos devotos.

Não é um livro que aprofunde o assunto, mas é, sem dúvida, uma obra jornalística útil especialmente para os católicos medianamente interessados nas questões eclesiais. Mesmo em nossas paróquias há quem nos interpele acerca do status quaestionis das relações com o judaísmo e sobre a veracidade de certas manchetes de jornais. É, porém, pouco provável que o livro ganhe uma edição brasileira.

The Catholic Church in Indiana (XIV)

INDIANA

MISSIONS

The first religion of Indiana, after its emergence into the daylight of history, was that of the Roman Catholic Church, brought thither by those missionaries of New France who followed the lakes and watercourses leading to the valley of the Wabash. The earliest of these priests was the Jesuit Allouez, whose rude mission-house stood on the St. Joseph River, within the present limits of Indiana, in close neighbourhood to the present site of Notre Dame University. The ground on which this mission stood is the earliest recorded land grant in the territory comprising the State's present limits. It was made in 1686 to the Jesuit Missions on condition of their erecting a house and chapel there within three years. Here the founder of the church in Indiana died in 1689. His place was taken by Father Claude Aveneau, who for many years ministered to the Christian Indians and the flitting coureurs des bois, who passed back and forth over this portage, which transferred their canoes from the waters of the Great Lake basin to those of the Great Valley. The mission was suspended by trouble with the Miamis for a few years, but in 1706 was restored under Father James Gravier. In 1711 he was succeeded by Father Peter F. X. Chardon, but Charlevoix found it deserted in 1721.

Until 1734 Father St. Pe was in charge and his successor was Father Du Jaunay. In 1719 at Fort Ouiatenon on the Wabash below the present Lafayette, then at Fort Miami where Fort Wayne now stands, and finally in 1733 at Poste au Ouabache (later and still known as Vincennes), Jesuit missionaries were established almost continuously down to 1763. On 22 July, 1741, at Fort Ouiatenon was born a child, Anthony Foucher, who was destined to be the first native of the State to receive Holy orders. Ouiatenon was the head of navigation for the largest pirogues. Here all peltries destined for Canada were transferred to canoes. This made it an important rendezvous. As many as 20,000 skins a year are said to have been shipped from Ouiatenon in 1720 and the decade following. Yet not a vestige of this post remains — not even a stone upon a stone.

From that point of time, until the battle of Tippecanoe (1811) marked the close of serious Indian warfare, there were only visiting priests at Vincennes and Fort Wayne. Confirmation was first administered at Vincennes about 1814 by the Bishop of Bardstown. Communicants were mostly of French origin, remnants of the early days of French sovereignty.

CRONOLOGY OF THE ERECTION OF THE DIOCESES

The Diocese of Vincennes (1st See) – now the Archdiocese of Indianapolis – was established by Pope Gregory XVI on May 6, 1834. The territory then comprised the entire state of Indiana and the eastern third of Illinois. The latter was separated from the Diocese of Vincennes upon the establishment of the Diocese of Chicago, November 28, 1843. By apostolic brief dated March 28, 1898, the title of the diocese was changed to that of “Diocese of Indianapolis,” with the episcopal see in the city of Indianapolis. Although the bishop’s official residence was changed, the patron of the diocese remained St. Francis Xavier, the title of the Old Cathedral at Vincennes.

By decree of Pope Pius IX, January 8, 1857, the northern half of the state became the Diocese of Fort Wayne (2nd See), the boundaries being that part of the state north of the south boundaries of Fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Randolph, and Warren counties. The remaining southern half of the state made up the Diocese of Vincennes, embracing 50 counties. It covered an area of 18,479 square miles extending from the north boundaries of Marion and contiguous counties to the Ohio River and from Illinois on the west to Ohio on the east.

An apostolic decree of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, creating the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was issued October 21, 1944. The dioceses of Evansville and Lafayette-in-Indiana (3rd and 4th Sees) were created by the same decree and, along with the Diocese of Fort Wayne, made suffragan sees of Indianapolis. Upon establishment of the Diocese of Gary (5th See) on February 25, 1957, it too became a suffragan see.

ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS (Dioc. 1834; Arch. 1944)

Pope Gregory XVI named the Right Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Bruté de Rémur (1834-1839) as the first bishop of the newly created Diocese of Vincennes. He was born in Rennes, France, March 20, 1779. Ordained priest at Rennes, June 11, 1808. Consecrated bishop of Vincennes in the cathedral at St. Louis, MO, October 28, 1834, by Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget of Bardstown, assisted by Bishop Joseph Rosati of St. Louis and Bishop John Baptist Purcell of Cincinnati. Bishop Bruté died at Vincennes, June 26, 1839. His body is interred in the Old Cathedral, Vincennes.

The Right Rev. Célestin René Laurent Guynemer de la Hailandière (1839-1847) was named by Pope Gregory XVI second Bishop of Vincennes. He was born in Combourg, Archdiocese of Rennes, May 3, 1798. Ordained priest at Paris, May 28, 1825. Vicar general of the Diocese of Vincennes, 1839. Named bishop coadjutor of Vincennes, May 17, 1839. Consecrated at Paris, August 18, 1839, by Bishop Charles Forbin-Janson of Nancy, assisted by Bishop Louis Blanquart de Bailleuil of Versailles and Bishop Jean Louis la Mercier of Beauvais. The second bishop of Vincennes was permitted by apostolic brief to establish his residence at Vincennes, Madison, Lafayette, or Indianapolis; Vincennes was, however, to remain the see city. Resigned July 16, 1847, and returned to France. Died May 1, 1882. His body was brought from France and interred in the Old Cathedral, Vincennes, on November 22, 1882.

The Right Rev. John Stephen Bazin (1847-1848) was named by Pope Pius IX as third Bishop of Vincennes. He was born in Duerne, Archdiocese of Lyons, France, October 15, 1796. Ordained priest at Lyons, July 22, 1822. Came to the United States in 1830 and was appointed vicar general of Mobile. Consecrated bishop of Vincennes in the cathedral at Vincennes, October 24, 1847, by Bishop Michael Portier of Mobile, assisted by Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati and Bishop de la Hailandière, his predecessor. Died at Vincennes, April 23, 1848. His body is interred in the Old Cathedral, Vincennes.

The same Pope Pius IX named the Right Rev. Jacques-Maurice des Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais (1848-1877) as the fourth Bishop of Vincennes. Born at LaSalvetat, France, November 15, 1811. Ordained priest at Paris, May 28, 1836. Administrator of the diocese after the death of Bishop Bazin. Named bishop of Vincennes, October 3, 1848. Consecrated in the cathedral at Vincennes, January 14, 1849, by Bishop Pius Miles, OP, of Nashville, assisted by Coadjutor Bishop Martin John Spalding of Louisville and Very Reverend Hippolyte Du Pontavice, vicar general of Vincennes. The fourth bishop of Vincennes was permitted by apostolic brief to establish his residence at Vincennes, Madison or Indianapolis; Vincennes was, however, to remain the see city. Died at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, June 28, 1877. His body is interred in the Old Cathedral, Vincennes.

The Right Rev. Francis Silas Marean Chatard (1878-1918) was named the fifth Bishop of Vincennes by Pope Leo XIII. Born in Baltimore, MD, December 13, 1834. Ordained at Rome, June 14, 1862. Vice-rector of the American College, Rome, 1862-1878. Named bishop of Vincennes, March 26, 1878, at which time he took the name Francis Silas. Consecrated in Rome, May 12, 1878, by Cardinal Alexander Camillus Franchi, assisted by Bishop Santori of Fano, Italy, and Bishop Edward Agnelli, president of the Academia Ecclesiastica at Rome. Enthroned in the cathedral at Vincennes, August 11, 1878. Arrived in Indianapolis, August 17, 1878. Upon his appointment in 1878, Bishop Francis Chatard, the fifth bishop of Vincennes, was directed to fix his residence at Indianapolis. Although the site of the cathedral and the title of the see were continued at Vincennes, Bishop Chatard used St. John the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis as an unofficial cathedral until the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul was completed in 1907. By apostolic brief dated March 28, 1898, the title of the diocese was changed to that of “Diocese of Indianapolis,” with the episcopal see in the city of Indianapolis. Although the bishop’s official residence was changed, the patron of the diocese remained St. Francis Xavier, the title of the Old Cathedral at Vincennes. Died at Indianapolis, September 7, 1918. His body was interred in the crypt of the cathedral, Indianapolis. On June 8, 1976, Bishop Chatard’s remains were transferred from the cathedral, Indianapolis, to the Calvary Chapel Mausoleum, Indianapolis.

Pope Benedict XV named the Most Rev. Joseph Chartrand (1918-1933) as the sixth Bishop of Indianapolis. Born in St. Louis, MO, May 11, 1870. Ordained priest at Indianapolis, September 24, 1892. Appointed vicar general, February 13, 1910. Named titular bishop of Flavias and coadjutor to the bishop of Indianapolis, July 27, 1910. Consecrated in the cathedral at Indianapolis, September 15, 1910, by Archbishop Diomede Falconio, apostolic delegate to the United States, assisted by Bishop Denis O’Donaghue of Louisville and Bishop Herman Alerding of Fort Wayne. Bishop of Indianapolis, September 7, 1918. Named assistant at the pontifical throne, February 4, 1928. Died at Indianapolis, December 8, 1933. His body was placed in the crypt of the cathedral, Indianapolis. On June 8, 1976, Bishop Chartrand’s remains were transferred from the cathedral, Indianapolis, to the Calvary Chapel Mausoleum, Indianapolis.

The Most Rev. Joseph Elmer Ritter (1934-1946) was named by Pope Pius XI the seventh Bishop of Indianapolis. He was born in New Albany, IN, July 20, 1892. Ordained priest at St. Meinrad, May 30, 1917. Named rector of the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Indianapolis, in 1924. Appointed titular bishop of Hippo and auxiliary to the bishop of Indianapolis, February 3, 1933. Consecrated in the cathedral at Indianapolis, March 28, 1933, by Bishop Chartrand, assisted by Bishop Emmanuel Ledvina of Corpus Christi and Bishop Alphonse J. Smith of Nashville. Made vicar general of the Diocese of Indianapolis, February 5, 1933. Bishop of Indianapolis, March 24, 1934. An apostolic decree of His Holiness Pope Pius XII, creating the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, was issued October 21, 1944.  Bishop Ritter was installed as first archbishop of Indianapolis, December 19, 1944, by the Most Reverend Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, apostolic delegate to the United States. Transferred to St. Louis by virtue of apostolic letters dated July 20, 1946. Formally installed in the cathedral of Saint Louis, October 8, 1946. Proclaimed and created a cardinal by Pope John XXIII on January 16, 1961. Died at St. Louis, June 10, 1967. Buried in Calvary Cemetery, St. Louis, MO.

Pope Pius XII named the Most Rev. Paul Clarence Schulte (1946-1970) as second Archbishop of Indianapolis. Born in Fredericktown, MO, March 18, 1890. Ordained priest at Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, MO, June 11, 1915. Appointed bishop of Leavenworth, May 29, 1937. Consecrated in the new cathedral at Saint Louis, September 21, 1937, by Archbishop John J. Glennon, assisted by Bishop Christopher Byrne of Galveston and Bishop Christian H. Winkelman, auxiliary of St. Louis. Named archbishop of Indianapolis, July 20, 1946. Formally installed in metropolitan see of Indianapolis by the Most Reverend Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, apostolic delegate, October 10, 1946. Appointed assistant to the pontifical throne, February 3, 1961. Retired January 14, 1970 and named titular archbishop of Elicroca. Died February 17, 1984, in St. Augustine Home, Indianapolis. Funeral, February 22, 1984, SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis. Interment in Calvary
Chapel Mausoleum, Indianapolis.

The Most Rev. George Joseph Biskup (1970-1979) was named third Archbishop of Indianapolis by Pope Paul VI. Born in Cedar Rapids, IA, August 23, 1911. Ordained priest in Rome, March 19, 1937. Appointed titular bishop of Hemeria and auxiliary to the archbishop of Dubuque, March 9, 1957. Consecrated in St. Raphael Cathedral, Dubuque, on April 24, 1957, by Archbishop Amleto Giovanni Cicognani, apostolic delegate, assisted by Archbishop Leo Binz of Dubuque and Bishop Loras T. Lane of Rockford. Appointed bishop of Des Moines, February 3, 1965. Named titular archbishop of Tamalluma and coadjutor, with the right of succession, to archbishop of Indianapolis, July 26, 1967. Formally received in the metropolitan see of Indianapolis in SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, October 10, 1967. Became archbishop of Indianapolis, January 14, 1970. Resigned as archbishop of Indianapolis, March 26, 1979. Died on October 17, 1979, in St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis. Funeral, October 22, 1979, at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis. Interment in Calvary Chapel Mausoleum, Indianapolis.

Pope John Paul II named the Most Rev. Edward Thomas O’Meara (1979-1992) as fourth Archbishop of Indianapolis. Born in St. Louis, MO, August 3, 1921. Ordained priest in St. Louis, December 21, 1946, by Archbishop Joseph Ritter. Appointed national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in the United States, December 28, 1966. Named titular bishop of Thisiduo and auxiliary bishop to the cardinal archbishop of St. Louis, January 28, 1972. Ordained in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, February 13, 1972, by His Holiness Pope Paul VI. Named fourth archbishop of Indianapolis, November 27, 1979. Formally installed in metropolitan see of Indianapolis by the Most Reverend Jean Jadot, apostolic delegate in the United States, in SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, January 10, 1980. Died January 10, 1992, at his residence, Indianapolis. Funeral, January 16, 1992, at SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Indianapolis. Interment in Calvary Chapel Mausoleum, Indianapolis.

The Most Rev. Daniel Mark Buechlein (1992-present) was named fifth Archbishop of Indianapolis by Pope John Paul II. Born in Jasper, IN, April 20, 1938. Son of Rose (Blessinger) and Carl Buechlein, Holy Family Parish. Solemn profession of vows as a Benedictine monk, August 15, 1963. Ordained at Saint Meinrad Archabbey, May 3, 1964, for Saint Meinrad Archabbey. President-rector of Saint Meinrad School of Theology, August 1971–May 1982; president-rector of Saint Meinrad School of Theology and Saint Meinrad College, May 1982–May 1987. Named third bishop of the Diocese of Memphis, TN, by Pope John Paul II. Ordained and installed, March 2, 1987. Formally installed in metropolitan see of Indianapolis by Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan, papal pro-nuncio to the United States, in SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral, September 9, 1992.

DIOCESE OF FORT WAYNE-SOUTH BEND (1857)

The earliest account of Worship in the Fort Wayne area was December 20, 1789. Fr. Louis Payet, a priest from Detroit conducted, "eight services of worship in as many days." At that time Fort Wayne was known as Miamitown  and was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Quebec.

What we would consider the Fort Wayne area was first placed under the care of the Bishop of Quebec from 1674 -1789. Then with the establishment of the Diocese of Baltimore the Fort Wayne area was under the jurisdiction of Bishop Carroll from 1789 until 1810. Then in 1810 it was under the Bishop Flaget, the Bishop of Bardstown, Kentucky. From 1834 to 1857 the Fort Wayne area was part of the Vincennes Diocese. Vincennes would later be the titular see, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

In 1857 by the decree of Pope Pius IX, on January 8 the northern half of the state of Indiana was erected into the Diocese of Fort Wayne, the boundaries being that part of the state north of the southern lines of fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Randolph and Warren Counties. The remaining southern half of the state made up the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

H. E. John Henry Luers (1857-1871) was nominated first Bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and consecrated in Cincinnati, Ohio, 10 January, 1858. He was born near Münster, Westphalia, and emigrated to America in 1831. He was ordained priest in Cincinnati on November 11, 1846. Entering upon the administration of the new diocese, he devoted himself zealously to the founding of new parishes and missions, provided a home for the orphans, and built a cathedral.

In June, 1871, during a vacancy of the See of Cleveland, Ohio, he was called to that city to confer ordination on a number of seminarians. After the function, on his way to the train, he suffered an apoplectic stroke and fell dead. At the time of Bishop Luers' death, there were, in the Diocese of Fort Wayne, 69 priests, 75 churches, 10 chapels, 1 hospital, 1 orphan asylum, 1 college, 11 academies for girls, 40 parochial schools, and a Catholic population estimated at 50,000.

The second Bishop of Fort Wayne was H. E. Joseph Gregory Dwenger (1872-1893), named by Pope Pius IX. Pope Leo XIII named H. E. Joseph James Rademacher (1893-1900) as third Bishop of Fort Wayne; the same Pontiff named the fourth Bishop of Fort Wayne, H. E. Herman Joseph Alerding (1900-1924).

The Most Rev. John Francis Noll (1925-1956) was named fifth bishop of diocese of Fort Wayne, Indiana from 1925 until his death in 1956. He was a native of Fort Wayne, and one of seventeen children. John Noll attended St. Lawrence Seminary in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin from 1888 to 1893. He was ordained a priest in 1898. His life was notable for four main reasons; he was the founder of the newspaper Our Sunday Visitor. Pope Pius XII elevated him to archbishop in 1953, despite the fact that he never headed an archdiocese. He was instrumental in generating support for construction of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, in Washington, D.C. 

Pope Pius XII named H. E. Leo Aloysius Pursley (1956-1976) as the sixth Bishop of Fort Wayne. The seventh ordinary was H. E. William Edward McManus (1976-1985), named by Pope Paul VI as Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, name added in 1960.

In 1985, Pope John Paul II named H. E. John Michael D`Arcy (1985-present) as eighth Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend. He was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, to Irish immigrants. He entered St. John's Seminary in September 1949, and was ordained to the priesthood on February 2, 1957. From 1965 to 1968, he studied at the Angelicum in Rome, from where he obtained his doctorate in spiritual theology. He served as spiritual director and professor of spiritual theology at St. John's Seminary from 1968 to 1985, and also as pastor of St. Mary Star of the Sea Church in Beverly.  

DIOCESE OF EVANSVILLE (1944)

The Diocese of Evansville, having an area of 5,010 square miles and comprising twelve counties in the southwestern section of Indiana, was created by Pope Pius XII on November 11, 1944. The episcopal residence is in the city of Evansville.

H. E. Henry Joseph Grimmelsman (1944-1965) was consecrated as first Bishop of Evansville on December 21, 1944 and Assumption Church became the Cathedral Church for the diocese. The first Chancery was housed in the Reitz Home. In 1948, the First Synod of the Diocese of Evansville was held. In 1957, the chancery moved to office space adjacent to Holy Trinity Church. And in 1958 the Second Synod of the diocese was held. Assumption Cathedral property was sold in 1965, and church dismantled. Holy Trinity Church designated as Pro-Cathedral for the diocese.

H. E. Paul Francis Leibold (1966-1969) was named by Pope Pius XII and installed as Second Bishop of Evansville. In 1969, theThird Synod of the diocese was held.

In 1970, H. E. Francis Raymond Shea (1969-1989) was appointed by Pope Paul VI, ordained and installed as Third Bishop of Evansville.

In 1989, Rev. Msgr. Gerald Andrew Gettelfinger (1989-present) of Indianapolis named Fourth Bishop of Evansville. In 1993, the Fourth Synod of the diocese was held. St. Benedict Church dedicated as the diocesan Cathedral on April 11, 1999.

In 2007, St. Francis Xavier (Old Cathedral) in Vincennes celebrated its 275th anniversary.

DIOCESE OF LAFAYETTE IN INDIANA (1944)

Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana on October 21, 1944. The Diocese of Fort Wayne, the Mother Diocese, was established in 1857. Then, the territory now occupied by the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana had only three small brick churches with resident pastors, and four frame missions. Total Catholic population was about 5,000 people. Missionaries were still active in the area.

On November 11, 1944, the Holy See made the announcement regarding the partitioning of the Fort Wayne Diocese creating the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana. The name was expressed in that manner to distinguish it from the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana. The new diocese had 54 parishes and a Catholic population of 31,700. The area designated had 9,832 square miles and comprised 24 counties in Northcentral Indiana extending from the Illinois to the Ohio state lines. Catholics comprised fewer than 6 percent of the total population. The area was largely rural. 

H. E. John George Bennett (1944-1957) was named by Pope Pius XII as first Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana. He was a son of a parish in the new diocese, St. Mary's in Dunnington.  The same Pope named H. E. John Joseph Carberry (1957-1965) as second Bishop.

Pope Paul VI named H. E. Raymond Joseph Gallagher (1965-1982) as third Bishop, who was succeded by H. E. George Avis Fulcher (1983-1984), the fourth Bishop.

Pope John Paul II named H. E. William Leo Higi (1984-present) as fifth Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana. Bishop Higi is also a son of the diocese. Bishop Higi's home parish is St. Mary, Anderson.

DIOCESE OF GARY (1957)

Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Gary on December 17, 1956.  Prior to that time, the four counties of the diocese – Lake, LaPorte, Porter, and Starke – were in the Diocese of Fort Wayne.

The Most Reverend Andrew Gregory Grutka (1956-1984), a priest of the Diocese of Fort Wayne and pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Gary, was consecrated and installed as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Gary on February 25, 1957. Bishop Grutka retired on July 9, 1984

Pope John Paul II appointed the Most Reverend Norbert Felix Gaughan (1984-1996), who had been an Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to be the second Bishop of the Diocese of Gary.  Bishop Gaughan was installed on October 2, 1984. In February 1992, Bishop Gaughan suffered a debilitating stroke. 

Because of the bishop’s health, on August 19, 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed the Most Reverend Dale Joseph Melczek (1996-present), an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Detroit, as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Gary.

On October 28, 1995, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Melczek Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Gary.  When Bishop Gaughan retired on June 1, 1996, Bishop Melczek became the diocese’s third bishop.

 

O Estado de Indiana (The Hossier State), outrora pertencente à Coroa Francesa, passou à Coroa Britânica e, por fim, incorporou-se aos Estados Unidos da América pouco depois da Guerra de Independência. Indiana significa “terra dos índios” e os habitantes do estado são chamados “Hossiers”. Sua Capital e principal cidade é Indianápolis.

O Estado abriga 5 jurisdições eclesiásticas: 1 Arquidiocese e 4 dioceses. De uma população composta de cerca de 6.177.482 de habitantes, os católicos são 767.262 (12,4%).

OBLATVS agradece as visitas de Columbia City, Indianapolis, Lafayette, Saint Meinrad e West Lafayette.

ESTATÍSTICAS

Arquidiocese de Indianápolis

População: 2.477.000; Católicos: 236.000 (9,5%); Sacerdotes: 261; Paróquias: 139

Diocese de Gary

População: 778.463; Católicos: 185.550 (23,8%); Sacerdotes: 175; Paróquias: 76

Diocese de Fort Wayne-South Bend

População: 1.247.850; Católicos: 159.888 (12,8%); Sacerdotes: 249; Paróquias: 84

Diocese de Lafayette em Indiana

População: 1.176.736; Católicos: 98.003 (8,3%); Sacerdotes: 114; Paróquias:62

Diocese de Evansville

População: 497.433; Católicos: 87.821 (17,7%); Sacerdotes: 84; Paróquias: 70

Fonte: Catholic Encyclopedia; Archdiocese of Indianapolis; Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend; Diocese of Evansville; Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana; Diocese of Gary; Catholic Hierarchy;

The Catholic Church in Illinois (XIII.2)

ILLINOIS

Part II

DIOCESE OF PEORIA (1875)

During the 1820's the counties that currently make up the Diocese of Peoria were included in several dioceses, including Bardstown, Kentucky, St. Louis, Missouri and Vincennes, Indiana. During this period central Illinois was largely a mission territory of these dioceses. In 1843, the Diocese of Chicago was formed, encompassing the entire state of Illinois. The coming of the railroads in the 1840's occasioned a growth spurt in the Catholic population in central Illinois. Many new churches were built, most of which served a specific ethnic group. The 1850's found Catholics, in particular Catholic immigrants, the targets of bigotry. In fact, in order to build a church, Catholics in Galesburg had to challenge a town charter that prohibited the sale of land for that purpose. In spite of these setbacks the Catholic population in central Illinois continued to grow and flourish.

In 1875 the Diocese of Peoria was established. On May 1, 1877, the Right Reverend John Lancaster Spalding (1876-1908) was consecrated as its first Bishop. Under Bishop Spalding's leadership the Diocese of Peoria grew quickly from 40 parishes to 200. The bishop was well known for his writings on education and is also recognized as the founder of the Catholic University of America. Bishop Spalding remained the Bishop of Peoria until 1908 and died in 1916.

On September 1, 1909 the Most Reverend Edmund M. Dunne (1909-1929), the former Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was installed as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria. Under Bishop Dunne the diocese continued to grow and prosper. New parishes were built and school enrollment was on the rise. Also, the Newman Apostolate began serving Catholic students in public universities. In 1919, during Bishop Dunne's administration, a promising young man was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Peoria. Fr. Fulton J. Sheen, born in El Paso, IL, served as an Associate Pastor at St. Patrick's Church in Peoria before leaving the diocese to teach at the university level both in the United States and abroad. The future radio and television personality was made a Monsignor in 1934 and eventually was named an Auxiliary Bishop of New York. After Bishop Dunne passed from this life on October 17, 1929, the Peoria See remained vacant until June 17, 1930 when Peoria's third Bishop was installed.

The Most Reverend Joseph H. Schlarman (1930-1951) came to Peoria from the Diocese of Belleville where he had served as Chancellor. He was a prolific writer and known for his diverse interests. The Great Depression had a devastating effect on the Church in central Illinois during his episcopacy. He shared deeply in the struggles of his flock during those difficult years. As the economy improved, Bishop Schlarman was able to focus his attention on other projects including the renovation of the Cathedral, the establishment of a diocesan newspaper and education reforms. The close of World War II found hundreds of refugees being relocated throughout the diocese in a program headed by a young Father Edward O'Rourke, who would later become bishop of his home diocese. Bishop Schlarman worked until the very end of his life. On the morning of November 10, 1951 he died of a heart attack while preparing for his 7:00 a.m. Mass.

Peoria's fourth bishop, the Most Reverend William Edward Cousins (1952-1958), was installed on July 2, 1952. The years that Bishop Cousins served the Peoria Diocese were years of expansion for the Church in America. The "baby-boom" following World War II increased the demand for more churches and schools. There was also a great increase in the number of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. He was known as a personable man who liked to meet people on an informal basis. His talents did not go without notice. It was Bishop Cousin's destiny to preside over further changes in the Church as the Archbishop of Milwaukee, where he was installed on January 27, 1959.

November 4, 1959, was the Installation Day of Bishop John Baptist Franz (1959-1971), Peoria's fifth Ordinary. The growth of the Church in the 1950's continued into the 1960's and as a participant in the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Franz began the work of implementing the sweeping changes of that Council. Many people responded with enthusiasm, while others felt the changes had come too rapidly. The political turmoil of the 60's added to his challenges, but throughout, Bishop Franz encouraged healthy expression of this new found vitality in society and in the Church, counseled against abuses and was generally serene in his pastoral response. In 1971 Bishop Franz retired, having prayerfully and skillfully guided the Church in Peoria through the tensions of transition that followed the Council.

The Most Reverend Edward William. O'Rourke (1971-1990) was installed on July 15, 1971 as the sixth Bishop of Peoria and its first native son. Bishop O'Rourke's administration reflected his overriding concern for the less fortunate members of society. The early years of his service were also marked by increased participation by lay people in the day-to-day operation of the Church. As a partial response to the decreasing number of priests available to minister to the people of the diocese, Bishop O'Rourke re-instituted the Permanent Diaconate program and ordained the first Permanent Deacon class in 1976. After nearly 19 years of service to the diocese, Bishop O'Rourke retired in 1990. Until his death on September 29, 1999, he continued to campaign and intervene for poor and less fortunate.

The Most Reverend John Joseph Myers (1990-2001) was installed on January 23, 1990 as the seventh Bishop of Peoria. Prior to his installation, Bishop Myers served as Coadjutor Bishop along with Bishop O'Rourke, and thus brought a wealth of experience and knowledge of the diocese to his new position. A major focus of Bishop Myers' administration was vocations. The Diocese of Peoria has a strong reputation nationwide for its success in attracting men to the priesthood. In an effort to ensure continuity in the passing on of the Faith, Bishop Myers issued a series of pastoral letters from 1990 to 1997. On July 24, 2001, His Holiness Pope John Paul II called John J. Myers to serve as Archbishop of Newark, NJ. Archbishop Myers was installed as the fifth Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, on October 9, 2001.

The Diocese of Peoria's eighth bishop was appointed by His Holiness Pope John Paul II in January, 2002. The Most Reverend Daniel Robert Jenky (2002-present) was installed at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception on April 10, 2002. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Bishop Jenky came to the Peoria diocese via the University of Notre Dame, where he attended school, entered the order of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers at Notre Dame, and was ordained a priest in 1974. Serving as teacher, rector, and Religious Superior prepared Bishop Jenky for his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of the Fort Wayne - South Bend Diocese in October, 1997. Since his installation as Bishop of Peoria, Bishop Jenky has introduced the cause for the canonization of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen and run a successful capital campaign in support of Catholic education.

DIOCESE OF BELLEVILLE (1887)

To this diocese belong some of the oldest missions of the West. The records of the church of Kaskaskia date from the year 1695 and give the name of the Rev. Jac. Gravier, S.J., as the missionary priest. The Jesuits continued to attend to the wants of the Indian tribe of the Kaskaskias and of the French, and alternately the Jesuit Fathers De Beaubois, Le Boullenger, Tartarin, Aubert, and Meurin had this territory as the field of their apostolic labours. Father Meurin was the last Jesuit doing missionary work at Kaskaskia; the order was suppressed in his time. He died at Prairie du Rocher and is buried at Florissant, Missouri. The Rev. P. Gibault who in 1768 came from Quebec was the first secular priest, who as resident pastor of Kaskaskia had charge also of the large surrounding territory, and who became vicar-general of the territory of Illinois. He continued his arduous labours until 1791, the time of his death. Until 1820 the Lazarist Fathers were in this field; after that the work was continued by secular priests. The old town of Kaskaskia, with its statehouse and church, has been swallowed up by the Mississippi River and about two miles farther inland a new town and a new church have been built up.

The organization of the congregation of Prairie du Rocher coincides with the building of the first Fort Chartres on the banks of the Mississippi in 1720. The Rev. J. Le Boullenger, chaplain of the militia stationed at the Fort, was placed in charge of the congregation. The church, built by the people, was placed under the protection of St. Anne. In 1743 the Rev. J. Gagnon, S.J., took charge of the mission and laboured there until his death in 1755. His remains were interred by the side of the altar in the chapel in the cemetery. This chapel was built in 1734, and placed under the patronage of St. Joseph. When the river inundated one corner of the newly built stone structure at Fort Chartres and threatened the village and St. Anne's church, the Fort was evacuated, the village deserted; its inhabitants sought the high ground at the foot of the bluffs, and the cemetery chapel became the parish church and served as such until 1858, when a brick church was erected. Among the missionaries who worked there, the names of Gabriel Richard (later Delegate to Congress from Michigan); Doutien Olivier (who lived to by ninety-five years of age); Xavier Dahmen, and John Timon (later Bishop of Buffalo, New York) deserve special mention. The early records of the old church of Cahokia have been lost, and accurate data can be found from the year 1783 only. At that time the religious wants of the Catholics of Cahokia and the surrounding territory, including St. Louis across the river, were attended to by Father De Saintpierre. When in 1843 the Diocese of Chicago was erected, Cahokia, Prairie du Long, Belleville, Shoal Creek (now Germantown), Kaskaskia, Prairie du Rocher, and Shawneetown were the only parishes in the territory new comprised by the Diocese of Belleville.

Its territory was formerly a part of the Diocese of Alton, but upon the demise of Bishop Baltes, of that see, a new diocese was erected, 7 January, 1887, with the episcopal see at Belleville, St. Clair Co. The Rev. John Janssen (1888-1913), who had held the office vicar-general successively under Bishop Juncker and Bishop Baltes of Alton, was appointed first bishop of the newly erected diocese on 28 February, 1888, and consecrated on 25 April, 1888. The standing of the new diocese at that time is shown by the following statistics: secular priests fifty-six; regular four; churches with resident priests fifty-three; missions with churches twenty-nine; academies three; parochial schools fifty-three; children attending 5,395; orphan asylum 1; orphans 30; hospitals 3. The Catholic population was about 50,000 and remained almost stationary for a number of years.

H. E. Henry J. Althoff (1913-1947) was named the second Bishop of Belleville and was succeded by H. E. Albert Rudolph Zuroweste (1947-1976), as third bishop.

Pope Paul VI named H. E. William Michael Cosgrove (1976-1981) as forth bishop of Diocese of Belleville.

Father John Nicholas Wurm (1981-1984) was appointed Titular Bishop of Plestia and Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis on June 25, 1976, and ordained bishop on August 17, 1976, byJohn Cardinal Carberry. On September 19, 1981, Bishop Wurm was appointed as the fifth Bishop of Belleville, Illinois. Bishop Wurm died on April 27,1984, of cancer. He was succeded by H. E. James Patrick Keleher (1984-1993), the sixth Bishop of Belleville.

H. E. Wilton Daniel Gregory (1993-2004) was appointed the seventh Bishop of Belleville; he was installed on February 10, 1994. From 2001 to 2004, Gregory served as the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the first African American ever to head an episcopal conference, having previously served as Vice President and also Chairman of several committees. During his presidency, the American bishops issued the "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" in response to sexual abuse cases. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America. Pope John Paul II, in one of his last episcopal appointments before his death, named Bishop Gregory the seventh Archbishop of Atlanta onDecember 9, 2004.

On 22 June, 2005 H. E. Edward Kenneth Braxton (2005-present) was installed as eighth Bishop of Belleville in the Cathedral of Saint Peter. Braxton is a member of USCCB's Committees on Education, Science and Human Values, and also of the committee on Scripture Translation. He serves as the convenor of the African American Catholic Bishops.  Braxton, a native of Chicago, has long been involved in interracial and intercultural dialogue. He has lectured in major cities and townships of South Africa during their annual “winter school”.

DIOCESE OF ROCKFORD (1907)

The Diocese of Rockford was erected on September 27, 1907 and established on September 23, 1908. Its territory of 12 counties was taken from the Archdiocese of Chicago. In 1948 Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Joliet and transferred Kendall County from Rockford to Joliet.

Pope Saint Pius X named H. E. Peter James Muldoon (1908-1927) as first Bishop of Rockford. He was succeded by H. E. Edward Francis Hoban (1928-1942), named second bishop by Pope Pius XI, and later he was ppointed Coadjutor Bishop of Cleveland.

Pope Pius XII named H. E John Joseph Boylan (1942-1953) third Bishop of Rockford. Later, the same Pope named H. E Raymond Peter Hillinger (1953-1956) forth bishop.

In 1956 Pope Pius XII named H. E. Donald Martin Carroll (1956), fifth bishop but he resigned before consecration due to health problems. Pius XII then named as fifth Bishop of Rochford H. E. Loras Thomas Lane (1956-1968).

Pope Paul VI named H. E. Arthur Joseph O'Neill (1968-1994) as the sixth bishop of Rockford.

Bishop Thomas George Doran (1994-present) is the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Rockford. A native of Rockford, Illinois, Doran attended St. Pius X Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. He was ordained as a priest on December 20, 1961, and was Prelate Auditor of the Roman Rota from April 1986 until becoming Bishop of Rockford. He was appointed Bishop of Rockford in April 1994, and was ordained on June 24, 1994 by Pope John Paul II.

DIOCESE OF JOLIET IN ILLINOIS (1948)

The story of our faith in relationship to this place now known as the Joliet Diocese reaches back to 1672, when the French missionary-explorers Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet (from the French spelled "Jolliet") began their journey through what is now Wisconsin to the Mississippi River.  They then traveled back up through the Illinois and Des Plaines rivers to Lake Michigan in their return to Quebec. Because we share a common name, we have a special interest in Louis Joliet who was born in 1645 at Quebec.  At 17 he entered the society of Jesus, but after three years decided to seek the life of a prosperous trader and "voyageur."   At age 27, together with Marquette and five other companions, he made this journey of discovery.  Joliet brought not only a fur trader's stamina and skill with Native American language, but also a missionary spirit. We know of Joliet's journey only through recollection.  Hurrying toward Montreal on his return in 1673, Joliet's canoe capsized and the story is told that all his journals and maps were lost.  We can be grateful that Father Marquette was, in the Jesuit missionary tradition, a great keeper of the journal. Joliet gave his name to a mound along the Des Plaines River which would be quarried away even as the city of Joliet grew.

Father Marquette and Joliet brought with them a strong desire to share the Gospel, and a great respect for the people they encountered.  In a time when missionary efforts were often associated with the abuses of colonialism, the first stories of evangelization in the Diocese of Joliet offer another perspective.

While many different Native American Cultures were encountered in this area, the tribe known as the Illinois was the dominant group.  The explorers found the Illinois to be handsome, lively, intelligent; Father Marquette compared their dances with the beauty of the ballet in Paris.  Most important, Father Marquette and Joliet found the Illinois to be open to the one gift of real value that they had to offer - the proclamation of the Gospel. In 1673, this place, long the home of many Native American cultures, was claimed for France.  Cartographers showed this area to be among the farthest outposts of the Diocese of Quebec. Joliet and Father Marquette were followed by Jesuit Father Hennepin and other priests of the Society of Jesus who developed missions in this area, as well as missionaries from other religious communities and soldiers.  Among those of note were French explorer LaSalle and his lieutenant, Henri de Tonti.  Then trappers and settlers came in great numbers, as forts were established by the military.

While there were no resident pastors, the faith was celebrated in chapels and homes.  Visiting missionaries nourished the sacramental life of the people.  The Illinois became allies of the French, and many embraced the Catholic faith.  The Illinois were a peace-loving people, and no match for the aggressive Iroquois.  In spite of heavy losses during the French and Indian war, the Illinois remained faithful to their French allies.

In 1717, as fur trade diminished in this region and French growth in the New World caused a redefinition of spheres of influence, this region came under the jurisdiction of New Orleans. This situation would continue until the Treaty of Paris in 1763, when this area came under English control. Native American migration again brought great change to this region in the Three Fires Confederacy of 1743.  Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa tribes fought a successful war for these rich hunting, trapping, and gathering lands, pushing the Illinois both west and south.

Bishop Simon Brute of Vincennes was the first bishop having responsibility for the pastoral care of what is today the Joliet Diocese.  He sent Father John Plunkett to be our first resident pastor at St. Patrick Parish, Joliet, in 1838.  By 1845, St. Patrick's served missions in Will, Kankakee, Grundy and DuPage counties.

Another period of reorganization for the expanding American Catholic community led to the transfer of administration over Joliet to the now-defunct Diocese of Vincennes, present-day Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

With the industrialization of Illinois and the emergence of Chicago as an important center of commerce for the nation, the new churches and missions in the Joliet area flourished. Its congregants were mostly newly arrived immigrant laborers from Europe and several generations of local farmers.

In 1948, the Diocese of Joliet was formally established to meet the demands of the exponential growth of Catholicism in the region, resulting from local post-World War II housing developments and commercial modernization.

Pope Pius XII named H. E. Martin Dewey McNamara (1948-1966) as first bishop of the newly created diocese.

In 1966 Pope Paul VI named H. E. Romeo Roy Blanchette (1966-1979) as the second bishop.

On Aug. 28, 1979, H. E. Joseph Leopold Imesch (1979-2006) was installed as the third bishop of the Joliet Diocese. Bishop Imesch currently serves on the board for Catholic Relief Services. He is also a member of the committee for Stewardship; is a member of the National Council of Catholic Bishops' Committee for Pastoral Practices; is a member of the board of trustees of Archdiocese of Chicago Seminaries and is a member of the retired religious grant review board. He has also served as chairman of the NCCB Committee for Pastoral Practices; served as a member of the Ad Hoc Committee for Hispanic Affairs; served as a member of the board of directors at Sacred Heart School of Theology, Hales Corners, Wisc.; served as chairman of the NCCB Committee on Women in Society and the Church; as chairman of NCCB Committee Writing the Pastoral on the Concerns of Women; was a member of the Marriage and Family Life Committee and served on the Ad Hoc Committee for Catholic Telecommunication Network of America.

On Tuesday, May 16, 2006, the Apostolic Nuncio announced the appointment of 
Bishop James Peter Sartain (2006-present) as the Fourth Bishop of Joliet. Bishop Sartain was born on June 6, 1952 in Memphis, Tennessee. Bishop Sartain attended St. Meinrad College in Indiana, studied at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome, and earned a licentiate of sacred theology from the Pontifical Athenaeum San Anselmo in Rome in 1979. On July 15, 1978 he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Memphis. He was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock on January 4, 2000 and was ordained on March 6, 2000. In addition to his pastoral experience as a parochial vicar and as a pastor, Bishop Sartain also has considerable administrative experience, having served as Director of Vocations, Chancellor, Moderator of the Curia, Vicar for Clergy, and Vicar General. He has also been a chaplain, academic dean for the permanent diaconate formation program, and a member of the Advisory Council for the Institute for Priestly Formation. He currently is a member of the Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, as well as the Chair of the USCCB Committee on the Home Missions.

EPARCHY OF SAINT NICHOLAS OF CHICAGO OF THE UKRAINIANS (1961)

Catholics of the Byzantine ritual tradition in the Austro-Hungarian Empire were known in church terminology as Ruthenians. Large numbers of them began to immigrate to the United States in the late 1870s. A priest of their own arrived in 1884 and blessed their first church building in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania that same year.

These Catholics were placed under the jurisdiction of the Latin ordinaries of the places of residence by virtue of the Apostolic Letter of Leo XIII Orientalium Dignitas (1895). In 1907 Bishop Soter Stephen Ortynsky was appointed their ecclesiastical superior, but he had to procure actual jurisdiction as vicar general from the Latin ordinary of each community where his faithful had settled. In 1913 Bishop Ortynsky was accorded full ordinary jurisdiction and independence from the Latin ordinaries (Cum Episcopo, Aug. 17, 1914), under the vigilance of the apostolic delegate in Washington, DC.  Bishop Ortynsky died prematurely on March 24, 1916. World War I had severed communications with the dioceses of origin in Austro-Hungary.

The Holy See did not then appoint another bishop but ordered the Apostolic Delegate to assign two priests as temporary administrators, one for the faithful who came from the ecclesiastical province of Lviv-Halych (Galicia and Bukovina), and another for those whose origin was in some part of the kingdoms then called Hungary and Croatia. This division implied the permission for either group of the faithful to detach themselves from an existing parish and found one of their own, defined either according to the criterion of regional origin or of language, which was to be decided by the majority of the faithful in each parish. Smaller groups chose sometimes not to separate themselves and to stay with the majority in the local parish.

This separation was made permanent when in 1924 bishop ordinaries were appointed for each group. For the faithful and parishes who traced their origin to the province of Lviv, the seat of the Ordinary (soon to be termed Apostolic Exarch), Bishop Constantine Bohachevsky, was established on May 20, 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pope Pius XII created on July 20, 1956, the Apostolic Exarchy of Stamford, Connecticut, assigning to it the parishes situated in the State of New York and in all of New England, and appointed as it first titular Bishop Ambrose Senyshyn, previously auxiliary in Philadelphia. The same Roman Pontiff erected on July 12, 1958 the Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia, consisting of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia of the Ukrainians, and the Eparchy of Stamford, CT.

Pope John XXIII separated the western part of the Archeparchy of Philadelphia on July 14, 1961, comprising all the states of the U.S.A. west of the western boundary of Ohio and on the West of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, and established it as the Eparchy of St. Nicholas of Chicago for the Ukrainians. Bishop Jaroslav Gabro (1961-1980) was installed at the time of the canonical erection of the Eparchy on December 12, 1961, as its first Eparch.

Bishop Gabro was succeded by Bishop Innocent Hilarion Lotocky (1980-1993) as the second Eparch of the Ukrainians in Illinois.

In 1993 Bishop Michael Wiwchar (1993-2000) was elected as third Eparch. He was later transferred to the Eparchy of Saskatoon of the Ukrainians.

The forth Eparch of Saint Nicholas of Chicago of the Ukrainians is Bishop Richard Stephen Seminack (2003-present).

EPARCHY OF SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE OF CHICAGO OF THE SYRO-MALABARS (2001)

The Syro-Malabar Church is the second largest Church among the Eastern Catholic Churches. St. Thomas the Apostle founded the Syro-Malabar Church, otherwise called the Church of St. Thomas Christians, in South India. The present Kerala State is the home of this Church. For centuries, St. Thomas Christians lived in the kingdoms of Travancore and Cochin.

The third step of migration of the Syro-Malabars was to Europe and United States of America. In late nineteen sixties and seventies there were large flow of people to United States in search of better opportunities. Professionals of our Church found better prospects in this new world. Among the professionals, nurses outranked every other group. They came in great numbers, as there was shortage of nurses in USA. They settled in major metropolitan cities and they brought their family members. Wherever our faithful settled they were eager to have Syro-Malabar liturgy whenever it was possible with the help of visiting priests or student priests from our Church. Small communities were formed in this fashion.

Since Malayalam was the language of people from Kerala, at first it was called “Malayalam Qurbana” (Mass) for all the Catholics from Kerala. The people in various cities, comprising of Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankera, and Latin Church members from Kerala and Knanaya Catholics, organized several Kerala Catholic Associations. Kerala Catholic fellowship of Chicago, and India Catholic Association of New York were such organizations. These Associations arranged Holy Qurbana (Mass) once a month in various locations and special celebrations were arranged for Christmas and Easter.

The Syro-Malabar community of Chicago under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Antony Kurialacherry, approached His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, the Archbishop of Chicago and requested for St. Chrysostom Church, 5000 St. Charles Road, Bellwood, for the use of our Syro-Malabar Community. In 1987 this Church was given to our community freely and formally the Syro-Malabar Mission was inaugurated at the new Church. Mar Joseph Pallikaparampil, Bishop of Palai, who was in charge of the overseas Syro-Malabar faithful at that time, officially announced the change of name of St. Chrysostom Catholic Church into Mar Thoma Sleeha Syro-Malabar Church. Rev. Antony Kurialacherry returned to Kerala and Rev. Fr. Zacharias Elappunkal was appointed to Chicago to serve the Mission. As the community was growing Rev. Fr. Mathew Panthalany from the diocese of Palai, was sent here to minister to the community. He came in 1989 and had his residence at St. John Vianney Church, Northlake. In 1990 he moved to the Rectory of the Church and thus with the resident priest, full-time ministry was initiated.

The growth of the Syro-Malabar Community under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Mathew Panthalany was remarkable. Regular Holy Qurbana on Sundays and weekdays, Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Holy Hour every Friday, Catechism for Children, Malayalam language school, prayer meetings, and various organizations for people of different interests were organized and guided by him. Thus a parish structure in every respect was given to this community in Chicago. The Knanaya Catholic Community in Chicago had their own Spiritual Director and they were meeting regularly at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Chicago as a separate mission.

The Syro-Malabar Mission in Dallas was growing steadily. In 1992 they were able to purchase a Baptist Church and it was consecrated on July 25, 1992 and St. Thomas Indian Catholic Church – a new Syro-Malabar parish was established. With limited facility, catechism was started for children. The growth of the community was very surprising and so arrangement had to be made for one Holy Qurbana in Malayalam and another in English. To make the parish self-sufficient, a house was purchased for the purpose of Rectory for the priest. In Detroit, Rev. Fr. John Melepuram replaced Rev. Fr. Joseph Nagaroor. Rev. Fr. James Parappally was ministering to our faithful in Miami, Florida. In Toronto, Canada, the CMI Congregation was looking after the Syro-Malabar faithful.

In 1996 His Excellency Mar Gregory Karotemprel, CMI, the chairman of the Commission for the pastoral care for the migrants and apostolic visitor to USA and Canada, came here and made personal effort to visit as many places as possible to meet with the priests and people of Syro-Malabar Church. This formal visit enabled him to make a thorough study of the spiritual care of the faithful and formulate a detailed report to be submitted to the Holy Father and the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. In his report, he requested for the establishment of a diocese for the Syro-Malabar faithful in USA and Canada. Enormous work done by Mar Gregory Karotemprel, CMI, for the formation of a diocese of the Syro-Malabar Church in USA/Canada has to be acknowledged and appreciated.

Again, His Beatitude Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil, present Major Archbishop but then Administrator of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church, in 1998 made an extensive visit to main cities of USA/Canada where the Syro-Malabar faithful were in considerable numbers. Having visited the people and realizing the need for better spiritual care for our people, the Major Archbishop also recommended to Rome the need of a hierarchical arrangement here.

In 1999 August a North American Syro-Malabar Catholic Convention was held in Philadelphia. The initial step was taken by lay-leaders of our Church in consultation with the then Directors of Syro-Malabar Missions in different places. The organizers worked hard to make this first Syro-Malabar Convention a great success. The presence of His Beatitude Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil and other dignitaries of our Church made the Convention successful and it enhanced the need of hierarchical setting here in USA/Canada.

Through a transfer of priests, new leadership was given to the formal Syro-Malabar Missions: Fr. Jacob Angadiath in Chicago; Fr. John Melepuram in Dallas; Fr. Joy Chakian in Detroit; For the Knanaya community Fr. Jos Kandathikudy in New York and New Jersey; and Fr. Antony Nirappel in Houston. Fr. Philip Thodukayil in Chicago and Fr. Michael Nedumthuruthil in Brooklyn, New York, Fr. Joseph Manappuram in Houston were in charge of the ministry.

The announcement of the establishment of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago was a surprise to everyone. Rev. Fr. Jacob Angadiath (2001-present), the Director of Syro-Malabar Mission in Chicago was appointed as the first bishop of this newly formed diocese. The area of this diocese (Eparchy) comprised the whole USA and Bishop Jacob Angadiath was appointed as the Permanent Apostolic Visitator to Canada also. The Episcopal consecration of Mar Jacob Angadiath and the inauguration of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Diocese of Chicago took place here in Chicago on July 1, 2001 at Hyatt Regency Hotel, during the Second North American Syro-Malabar Convention.

Chicago and Dallas were the two parishes at the beginning. Existing Syro-Malabar and Knanaya Missions with formally appointed priests were acknowledged as formal missions. Then a list of other places where Syro-Malabar Holy Qurbana used to be celebrated at least once a month was formulated and all of them were recognized as missions of the diocese. Rev. Fr. Antony Thundathil, MST was the first priest to work in the diocese and then came Rev. Fr. Zacharias Thottuvelil from the diocese of Palai to serve in this diocese.

 

O Estado de Illinois (The Prairie State) é o mais populoso estado do meio-oeste americano. Sua capital é Springfield. A cidade mais populosa é Chicago.

Há oito jurisdições eclesiásticas no estado: 1 Arquidiocese, 5 dioceses e 2 eparquias. A população católica chega a  4.003.812 (31%) de um total de 12.852.521.

OBLATVS agradece aos leitores de Berkeley; Chicago; Elmhurst; North Chicago; Smithton; Springfield e Woodstock.

ESTATÍSTICAS

Arquidiocese de Chicago

População: 6.021.000; Católicos: 2.348.000 (39%); Sacerdotes: 1682; Paróquias: 366

Diocese de Joliet em Illinois

População: 1.808.308; Católicos: 655.051 (36,2%); Sacerdotes: 293; Paróquias: 121

Diocese de Rockford

População: 1.497.221; Católicos: 420.883 (28,1%); Sacerdotes: 243; Paróquias: 105

Diocese de Peoria

População: 1.562.868; Católicos: 195.553 (12,5%); Sacerdotes: 274; Paróquias: 165

Diocese de Springfield em Illinois

População: 1.106.124; Católicos: 161.325 (14,6%); Sacerdotes: 178; Paróquias: 156

Diocese de Belleville

População: 857.000; Católicos: 111.000 (13%); Sacerdotes: 152; Paróquias: 124

Eparquia de São Tomé Apóstolo de Chicago dos Siro-Malabares

Católicos: 100.000; Sacerdotes: 22; Paróquias: 7

Eparquia de São Nicolau de Chicago dos Ucranianos

Católicos: 12.000; Sacerdotes: 54; Paróquias: 40

Fontes: Catholic Encyclopedia; Archdiocese of Chicago; Diocese of Springfield in Illinois; Diocese of Peoria; Diocese of Belleville; Diocese of Rockford; Diocese of Joilet in Illinois; Eparchy of Saint Nicholas of the Ukrainians; Eparchy of Saint Thomas of the Syro-Malabars;  Catholic Hierarchy;