Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Diocese of Springfield in Illinois Diœcesis Campifontis in Illinois
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Coat of arms
Location
Country	United States
Territory	28 counties across south central Illinois
Ecclesiastical province	Chicago
Deaneries	5 Deaneries - Alton, Jerseyville, Mattoon, Quincy, Springfield
Statistics
Area	39,195 km2 (15,133 sq mi)
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members)	(as of 2010) 1,187,100 145,189[1] (13%)
Parishes	129
Schools	36 elementary, 7 secondary [1]
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	July 29, 1853 as the Diocese of Quincy; January 9, 1857 as the Diocese of Alton; October 26, 1923 as the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Patron saint	Mary, the Immaculate Conception
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop
Vicar General	Very Reverend David J. Hoefler
Map
Website
dio.org

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois (Latin: Diœcesis Campifontis in Illinois) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the south central Illinois region of the United States. The prelate is a bishop serving as pastor of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Chicago. The metropolitan bishop of Springfield in Illinois is the Archbishop of Chicago. On 20 April 2010, Pope Benedict named Thomas J. Paprocki as the ninth Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, replacing Archbishop Lucas. Bishop Paprocki had previously been an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago under Cardinal George since 2003.^[2]

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois comprises the Counties of Adams, Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Christian, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Jasper, Jersey, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Menard, Moultrie, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Sangamon, Scott, and Shelby. The counties are organized into five deaneries: Alton, Jerseyville, Mattoon, Quincy and Springfield.^[3]

History[]

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois was established on July 29, 1853 as the Diocese of Quincy. Its name was changed to the Diocese of Alton on January 9, 1857, and its current name came into being on October 26, 1923.^[4]

Statistics[]

As of 2012:^[5]

• 142,847 Catholics
• 130 parishes
• 106 Diocesan Priests (active and retired)
• 49 Religious Priests
• 27 Religious Brothers
• 667 Women Religious
• 37 Permanent Deacons
• 2,344 Baptisms
• 1,980 First Communions
• 2,041 Confirmations
• 667 Weddings
• 1,610 Funerals
• 294 Scheduled Weekend Masses

As of 2007:^[6]

• 151,601 Catholics
• 132 parishes
• 87 active priests; 62 religious institute priests
• 122 diocesan priests (including retired and serving outside the diocese)
• 6 Catholic hospitals

Bishops[]

Bishop Elect of Quincy[]

• Joseph Melcher (Appointed 1853; did not take effect); appointed Bishop of Green Bay

Bishops of Alton[]

1. Henry Damian Juncker (1857-1868)
2. Peter Joseph Baltes (1870-1886)
3. James Ryan (1888-1923)

Bishops of Springfield in Illinois[]

1. James Aloysius Griffin (1924-1948)
2. William Aloysius O'Connor (1949-1975)
3. Joseph Alphonse McNicholas (1975-1983)
4. Daniel L. Ryan (1984-1999)
5. George J. Lucas (1999-2009), appointed Archbishop of Omaha
6. Thomas J. Paprocki (2010–present)

Other priests of the diocese who became bishops[]

• John Janssen, appointed Bishop of Belleville in 1888
• John Baptist Franz, appointed Bishop of Dodge City in 1951 and later Bishop of Peoria in 1959
• Victor Hermann Balke, appointed Bishop of Crookston in 1976
• Kevin Vann, appointed Coadjutor Bishop and Bishop of Fort Worth in 2005 and later Bishop of Orange in 2012
• Carl A. Kemme, appointed Bishop of Wichita in 2014

Parishes[]

There are currently 128 parishes in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.^[5] The Diocese also operates campus ministry centers at 6 colleges and universities within its boundaries.

Notable parishes:

• St. Paul Catholic Church (Highland, Illinois)

Campus ministry[]

In addition to these parishes, the Diocese operates campus ministry centers at the following institutions:^[7]

• Blackburn College
• Eastern Illinois University
• Illinois College
• Millikin University
• Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• University of Illinois Springfield

Catholic schools[]

High schools[]

There are seven high schools in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.^[8]

• Marquette Catholic High School, Alton, Illinois
• St. Teresa High School, Decatur, Illinois
• St. Anthony High School, Effingham, Illinois
• Routt Catholic High School, Jacksonville, Illinois
• Father McGivney Catholic High School, Glen Carbon, Illinois
• Quincy Notre Dame High School, Quincy, Illinois
• Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield, Illinois

This does not count Ursuline Academy, closed in 2007.

Universities[]

There is one Catholic university in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.^[9]

• Quincy University

Religious houses[]

The Diocese is home to 14 religious houses.^[10]

Arms[]

Coat of arms of Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Notes Arms was designed and adopted when the diocese was erected Adopted 1923 Escutcheon These arms are composed of a gold (yellow) field on which is displayed a blue cross. Within each quarter that is formed by the cross is a roundel of alternating blue and silver (white) wavy bars. Each of these roundels is known heraldically as a "fountain." At the center of the cross is a silver (white) crescent. Symbolism A gold (yellow) field on which is displayed a blue cross denotes Faith. The fountain is used to represent a small body of water, such as a pond or a spring. So, canting the name of the See City, the background of the diocesan arms is a "field of springs," thus, Springfield. At the center crescent is to represent the moon, a classic symbolism for our Blessed Mother, in her title of the Immaculate Conception, titular of the Cathedral-church in Springfield.

See also[]

• Christian Hill Historic District

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois Official Site

Coordinates: 39°46′59″N 89°39′34″W / 39.78306°N 89.65944°W / 39.78306; -89.65944