Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona–Rochester

Diocese of Winona–Rochester Dioecesis Vinonaënsis–Roffensis
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Coat of arms
Location
Country	United States
Territory	20 counties across southern Minnesota
Ecclesiastical province	Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Statistics
Area	12,282 sq mi (31,810 km2)
Population - Total - Catholics (including non-members)	(as of 2010) 585,000 134,449 (23%)
Parishes	114
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	November 26, 1889 (132 years ago)
Cathedral	Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Winona)
Co-cathedral	Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Rochester)
Patron saint	Blessed Virgin Mary[citation needed]
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	John M. Quinn
Bishops emeritus	Bernard Joseph Harrington
Map
Website
dowr.org

The Diocese of Winona–Rochester (Latin: Dioecesis Vinonaënsis-Roffensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Southern Minnesota. The diocese's episcopal see is found in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, with the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist located in Rochester. The Diocese of Winona–Rochester is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

Territory[]

The Diocese of Winona–Rochester has jurisdiction over 17 counties in Minnesota: Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Martin, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Rock, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan, and Winona counties.^[1]

History[]

Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester

Pope Leo XIII erected the diocese on November 26, 1889.^[2] The episcopal see is located in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, Minnesota. John M. Quinn became its bishop in 2008. It is bordered to the north by the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, of which it is a suffragan see, and the Diocese of New Ulm. On March 27, 2018, the diocese announced that the Congregation for Bishops decided the diocese will be called the Diocese of Winona–Rochester. As part of this name change, St. John the Evangelist Church in Rochester was designated as co-cathedral.^[3][4]

Sex abuse cases and bankruptcy[]

In September 2018, the Minnesota Court of Appeals dismissed an appeal the diocese filed to block lawsuits for past cases of sex abuse.^[5] In November 2018, the Diocese of Winona–Rochester released a statement claiming that the diocese would file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy due to the financial burden caused by the sex abuse lawsuits;^[6] it did so in December 2018.^[7] As part of its bankruptcy filing,^[7] the diocese agreed to not file an objection to having more plaintiffs added to the lawsuits so long as they could come forward by April 8, 2019.^[7][8]

Bishops[]

This is a list of the bishops who have served the diocese through its history.

Bishops of Winona[]

1. Joseph Bernard Cotter (1889–1909)
2. Patrick Richard Heffron (1910–1927)
3. Francis Martin Kelly (1928–1949)
4. Edward Aloysius Fitzgerald (1949–1969)
5. Loras Joseph Watters (1969–1986)
6. John George Vlazny (1987–1997), appointed Archbishop of Portland in Oregon
7. Bernard Joseph Harrington (1998–2009)
8. John M. Quinn (2009–)

Bishops of Winona–Rochester[]

• John M. Quinn (2018–present)

Coadjutor bishops[]

• Leo Binz (1942–1949), did not succeed to see; appointed coadjutor archbishop and Archbishop of Dubuque and later Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Auxiliary bishops[]

• George Henry Speltz (1963–1966), appointed coadjutor bishop and later Bishop of Saint Cloud

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops[]

• Robert Henry Brom, appointed Bishop of Duluth in 1983 and later Bishop of San Diego
• Frederick William Freking, appointed Bishop of Salina in 1957 and later Bishop of La Crosse
• Michael Joseph Hoeppner, appointed Bishop of Crookston in 2007
• John Hubert Peschges, appointed Bishop of Crookston in 1938

Schools[]

Superintendents of schools[]

High schools[]

• Cotter High School, Winona
• Lourdes High School, Rochester
• Loyola Catholic School, Mankato
• Pacelli High School, Austin

Colleges[]

• St. Mary's University of Minnesota

Seminaries[]

• Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona

Arms[]

Coat of arms of Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona–Rochester

Notes Arms was designed and adopted when the diocese was erected Adopted 1889 Escutcheon The arms of the diocese are composed of a rose on a diamond, supported by a cross Symbolism The Indian name "Winona" can be translated "fairest daughter of the tribe" -- a name which for Catholics describes Mary. Her "mystical rose" thus appears on a diamond (symbol of virgins), supported by the cross

See also[]

References[]

External links[]

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona–Rochester Official Site

Coordinates: 44°02′52″N 91°38′25″W / 44.04778°N 91.64028°W / 44.04778; -91.64028