Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama explained

Jurisdiction:Diocese
Birmingham in Alabama
Latin:Dioecesis Birminghamiensis
Coat:Coat of arms of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama.svg
Coat Size:150px
Country: United States
Territory:Northern Alabama
Province:Mobile
Area Sqmi:28,091
Population:3,187,797
Population As Of:2023
Catholics:113,241
Catholics Percent:3.5
Parishes:54
Denomination:Roman Catholic
Rite:Roman Rite
Established:28 June 1969
(split from Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham)
Cathedral:Cathedral of Saint Paul
Patron:Saint Paul
Bishop:Steven John Raica
Metro Archbishop:Thomas John Rodi
Emeritus Bishops:Robert Joseph Baker
Map:Diocese of Birmingham.jpg
Map Size:150px
Website:bhmdiocese.org

The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory. or diocese, of the Catholic Church that encompasses the northern 39 counties of Alabama in the United States.[1] It was erected on December 9, 1969, with territory from what is now the Archdiocese of Mobile. The Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Mobile.

The Cathedral of Saint Paul, in Birmingham, Alabama serves as the Episcopal see of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama. EWTN, a major Catholic media enterprise, is located in the diocese.

History

1791 to 1969

After the American Revolution ended in 1791, the Birmingham area and most of Alabama was considered part of the State of Georgia. In 1793, the Vatican erected the Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas centered in New Orleans to administer most of the Deep South region of the new United States.[2]

In 1837, the Vatican created the Vicariate Apostolic of Alabama and the Florida, covering all of the new State of Alabama. The vicariate was succeeded in 1834 by the Diocese of Mobile. The Birmingham area would remain part of the Diocese of Mobile, succeeded by the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham, for the next 135 years.

In 1844, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, the first Catholic church in Tuscaloosa, was opened.[3] The first Catholic church in Birmingham was St. Paul's, opened in 1872.[4] St. Mary of the Visitation Church in Huntsville, dedicated in 1877, is the oldest Catholic church in North Alabama.[5]

1969 to 1993

Pope Paul VI erected the Diocese of Birmingham, with territory taken from the Diocese of Mobile-Birmingham, on June 28, 1969, simultaneously renaming the mother diocese to Diocese of Mobile. The pope named Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Vath as the first bishop of Birmingham.[6]

In 1980, Pope John Paul II elevated the Diocese of Mobile to a metropolitan archdiocese and designated the Diocese of Birmingham as one of its suffragans. Vath died in 1987.[7]

Reverend Raymond Boland from the Archdiocese of Washington became the next bishop of Birmingham, named by John Paul II in 1988.[8] The same pope appointed Boland as bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph in 1993.

1993 to present

To replace Boland, John Paul II named David Edward Foley of Washington as bishop of Birmingham.[9] In 1999, Foley prohibited priests in his diocese, under most circumstances, from celebrating Mass in the ad orientem position. Though the decree never specifically mentioned EWTN, observers agreed that it was directed at the influence of Mother Angelica's network on the practice.[10] Foley retired in 2005. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop Robert Baker from the Diocese of Charleston as bishop of Birmingham. Baker retired in 2020.

The current bishop of Birmingham is Steven J. Raica, formerly bishop of the Diocese of Gaylord. He was appointed by Pope Francis in 2020.[11] [12]

On February 8, 2024, the Diocese of Birmingham launched a major re-structuring program in which they temporarily passed any diocesan-level activities in the fields of religious education, evangelization, sacred music, and youth protection. As a result of the initial stage of this restructuring program, several lay employees were laid off permanently.[13]

Reports of sexual abuse

Bishop Vath in 1985 sent Reverend Charles V. Cross to the Servants of Paraclete Center in New Mexico for treatment after receiving complaints that Cross had sexually abused minors. When Cross returned to Birmingham, he was banned from any parish positions. In 1993, Robert W. Wilford accused Cross of sexual abuse during the 1960's when he was a teenager and sued the diocese in 1995. However, the case was dismissed due to the statute of limitations. In 2002, after receiving several more allegations against Cross, Bishop Foley permanently suspended him from ministry.[14]

In 2004, four priests accused of sexual abuse who served in the diocese agreed to pay a settlement of $45,000 to eleven of their victims.[15]

Reverend Francis Mary Stone (also known as David Stone) was arrested in 2013 on charges of sexually molesting his eight year-old son. He had fathered the boy with Christina Presnell, an EWTN employee, while he was serving as a host of the network's show Life on the Rock between 2001 and 2007. After the boy was born, the diocese removed Stone from public ministry. Stone was acquitted in 2016 of the sexual abuse charges.[16]

In 2018, Bishop Baker released a list of six clergy who were accused of committing acts of sex abuse while serving the diocese.[17] [18] Baker stated that "they committed these deplorable acts,” and apologized to the victims. He permanently removed the five living priests from ministry.

Bishops

Bishops of Birmingham

  1. Joseph Gregory Vath (1969–1987)
  2. Raymond James Boland (1988–1993), appointed Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph
  3. David Edward Foley (1994–2005)
  4. Robert Joseph Baker (2007–2020)
  5. Steven John Raica (2020–present)

Other diocesan priests who became bishops

Education

As of 2023, the Diocese of Birmingham operated 19 elementary and high schools. Four other schools in the diocese were operated independently.[20]

Elementary schools

High schools

See also

External links

33.6533°N -86.8089°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama - Interesting Facts . 2013-01-15 . 2013-12-30 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131230233158/http://www.bhmdiocese.org/content.asp?id=208778 . dead .
  2. Web site: New Orleans (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2023-04-06 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  3. Web site: Building on faith: The history . 2023-08-22 . The Tuscaloosa News . en-US.
  4. Web site: 2017-02-06 . History . 2023-08-22 . The Cathedral of Saint Paul . en.
  5. Web site: About . 2023-08-22 . SMVPARISH . en.
  6. Web site: Bishop Joseph Gregory Vath [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2022-12-15 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  7. Web site: Mobile (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2023-06-21 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  8. Web site: Bishop Raymond James Boland [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2022-11-08 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  9. Web site: Bishop David Edward Foley [Catholic-Hierarchy] ]. 2023-08-21 . www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
  10. Web site: Vatican May Step In on EWTN-Mass Case . National Catholic Register.
  11. Resignations and Appointments, 25.03.2020. Holy See Press Office . March 25, 2020 . March 25, 2020 .
  12. News: The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama Press Kit . March 25, 2020.
  13. https://www.alabamaevangelization.com/newsletter/51-diocese-of-birmingham-closes-major-ministry-offices
  14. Web site: Bishop Suspends Priest Several Men Allege Sexual Abuse in Decatur, Birmingham in 1960s, by Greg Garrison, Birmingham News (Alabama), May 10, 2002 . 2023-08-22 . www.bishop-accountability.org.
  15. Web site: Bishop Accountability. www.bishop-accountability.org. May 30, 2021.
  16. Web site: Ex-EWTN priest, TV host not guilty of child sexual abuse, jury says, by Greg Garrison, AL.com (May 31, 2016) . 2023-08-22 . www.bishop-accountability.org.
  17. Web site: WVTM 13 Digital . Dec 15, 2018 . Catholic Diocese of Birmingham releases names of 6 priests accused of child sex abuse . May 30, 2021 . WVTM.
  18. News: Garrison . Greg . December 14, 2018 . Birmingham bishop releases names of priests accused of abuse . The Birmingham News . September 18, 2020.
  19. Holy See Press Office . 11 October 2019 . Rinunce e Nomine, 11.10.2019 . it.
  20. Web site: School Finder . 2023-08-21 . Diocese of Birmingham . en.