Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester

Infobox Roman Catholic diocese
Roman Catholic Diocese of=Diocese of Worcester
Latin name of diocese=Dioecesis Wigorniensis


caption=
location=Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
territory=County of Worcester, Massachusetts
population=350,000 Catholics
rite=Roman Rite
patron=St. Paul
province=Archdiocese of Boston
established=January 14, 1950
cathedral=St. Paul's Cathedral
co-cathedral=
leadership=Bishop of Worcester
website=http://www.worcesterdiocese.org
pope=Benedict XVI
metropolitan=Sean Patrick O'MalleyArchbishop of Boston
ordinary=Robert J. McManusBishop of Worcester
auxiliary=The Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. The geographic boundaries of the diocese are the same as those of Worcester County, Massachusetts, the geographically largest county of the state of Massachusetts. It is led by a prelate bishop which is pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of Saint Paul in the City of Worcester.

The diocese was canonically erected on January 14, 1950 by Pope Pius XII. Its territories were taken from the neighboring Diocese of Springfield. The current and fifth bishop is Robert Joseph McManus.

List of Bishops

#John Joseph Wright, DD (1950-1959) appointed Bishop of Pittsburgh, later elevated to Cardinal in 1969 and appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy (1969-1979)
#Bernard Joseph Flanagan, DD (1959-1983) retired
#Timothy Joseph Harrington, DD (1983-1994) retired
#Daniel Patrick Reilly, DD (1994-2004) retired
#Robert Joseph McManus, STD (2004-present)

Auxiliary Bishops:
#Timothy Joseph Harrington, DD (1968-1983) appointed Bishop
#George Edward Rueger, DD (1988-2005) retired

Organization of Parishes

In 2004, Bishop Reilly grouped parishes into "clusters" [http://www.worcesterdiocese.org/bishopsoffice/Pastoral_Planning/Cluster%201Cluster%20%202.pdf] [http://www.catholicfreepress.org/parishes.html] . The purpose of this system is to allow communities to come together for a regional event. Also, priests may substitute for one another at a particular parish.

High schools

* Holy Name Central Catholic High School, Worcester
* Magnificat Academy, Warren
* Notre Dame Academy, Worcester
* Notre Dame Preparatory School, Fitchburg
* St. Bernard's High School, Fitchburg
* St. John's High School, Shrewsbury
* St. Mary's Central Catholic High School, Worcester
* Saint Peter-Marian High School, Worcester

Administators

*Most Rev. Robert Joseph McManus, STD, Bishop
*Most Rev. Daniel P. Reilly, DD, Bishop Emertus
*Most Rev. George E. Rueger, DD, Auxiliary Emertus
*Rev. Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone, JCL, Judicial Vicar
*Rev. Paul T. O'Connell, JCD, Associate Judicial Vicar
*Rev. Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan, Chancellor and Director of Fiscal Affairs
*Rev. Rocco Piccolomini, Director of Priest Personal
*Sister Paula Kelleher, SSJ, Vicar for Religious

Resources

* [http://www.worcesterdiocese.org/ Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dworc.html Catholic Hierarchy Profile of the Diocese of Worcester]

References