- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
-
This article is about the diocese of Portland, Maine. For the diocese of Portland, Oregon, see Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.
Diocese of Portland
Dioecesis Portlandensis
Location Country United States Territory The state of Maine Ecclesiastical province Archdiocese of Boston Metropolitan Portland, Maine Coordinates 43°41′05″N 70°16′13″W / 43.68472°N 70.27028°WCoordinates: 43°41′05″N 70°16′13″W / 43.68472°N 70.27028°W Population
- Catholics
193,228Information Denomination Roman Catholic Rite Roman Rite Established July 29, 1853 Cathedral Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Current leadership Pope Benedict XVI Bishop Bishop of Portland Metropolitan Archbishop Archbishop of Boston Website portlanddiocese.net The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States comprising the entire state of Maine. It is led by a bishop, and its cathedral, or motherchurch, is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the city of Portland.
The Diocese of Portland was canonically erected on July 29, 1853, by Pope Pius IX. Its territories were taken from the present-day Archdiocese of Boston in the nearby state of Massachusetts.
Richard. J. Malone was installed March 31, 2004, as the eleventh and present bishop of the diocese.
Contents
Bishops
- David William Bacon (1855-1874, Died)
- James Augustine Healy (1875-1900, Died)
- William Henry O'Connell (1901-1906, Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Boston)
- Louis Sebastian Walsh (1906-1924, Died)
- John Gregory Murray (1925-1931, Appointed Archbishop of Saint Paul)
- Joseph Edward McCarthy (1932-1955, Died)
- Daniel Joseph Feeney (1955-1969, Died)
- Peter Leo Gerety (1969-1974, Appointed Archbishop of Newark)
- Edward Cornelius O'Leary (1974-1988, Retired)
- Joseph John Gerry, O.S.B. (1988-2004, Retired)
- Richard Joseph Malone (2004-present)
Parishes
The Diocese is currently divided into 29 Clusters/Parishes.[1]
High schools
- Catherine McAuley High School, Portland
- Cheverus High School, Portland
- St. Dominic Regional High School, Lewiston
Notable churches
Cathedral
Main article: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of Portland in MaineThe Diocese's Cathedral is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the City of Portland.
Basilica
Main article: Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul (Lewiston, Maine)Located in Lewiston, Maine is the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Due to a wave of late 19th century immigration by French Canadians, the church was built and expanded until 1936, by which time it was the second largest church in New England. In 1983, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2004, the church was named a minor basilica by the Holy See.
St. Chucks
St. Charles Borromeo is located in Brunswick, Maine [2] and is a member of All Saints Parish. [3]
Public affairs
In November 2009 it was reported that the Diocese of Portland had contributed $550,000, or 20% of the total cash contributed to Stand For Marriage Maine, a successful campaign to prevent then-impending legalization of same-sex marriage in Maine.[4][5] Roughly 55% of the funds donated by the Diocese came from other out-of-state dioceses who donated money to the Diocese of Portland's PAC.[6]
Resources
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
- Catholic Hierarchy Profile of the Diocese of Portland
"Portland". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.
References
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Boston Archdiocese of Boston · Diocese of Burlington · Diocese of Fall River · Diocese of Manchester · Diocese of Portland · Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts · Diocese of WorcesterCategories:- Religious organizations established in 1853
- Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 19th century
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland
- Maine stubs
- United States Roman Catholic diocese stubs
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
