Diocese of Grand Rapids

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Bishop(s) Walter Allison Hurley, Bishop Robert John Rose, Bishop Emeritus Joseph Crescent McKinney, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 19 May 1882 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Detroit Rite: Latin (or Roman) State: Michigan Country: United States of America Square Kilometers: 17,592 (6,795 Square Miles) Description: Mason, Lake, Osceola, Oceana, Mecosta, Muskegon, Newaygo, Montcalm, Ottawa, Kent, and Ionia Counties. Conference Region: VI (OH, MI) Catholic Directory Abbreviation: GR Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofgrandrapids.org/ Mailing Address: 660 Burton St., S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49507-3290 Telephone: (616)243-0491 Fax: 243-4910

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Henry Joseph Richter † (30 Jan 1883 Appointed - 26 Dec 1916 Died)
• Michael James Gallagher † (26 Dec 1916 Succeeded - 18 Jul 1918 Appointed, Bishop of Detroit)
• Edward Denis Kelly † (16 Jan 1919 Appointed - 26 Mar 1926 Died)
• Joseph Gabriel Pinten † (25 Jun 1926 Appointed - 1 Nov 1940 Resigned)
• Joseph Casimir Plagens † (16 Dec 1940 Appointed - 31 Mar 1943 Died)
• Francis Joseph Haas † (26 Sep 1943 Appointed - 29 Aug 1953 Died)
• Allen James Babcock † (23 Mar 1954 Appointed - 27 Jun 1969 Died)
• Joseph Matthew Breitenbeck † (15 Oct 1969 Appointed - 24 Jun 1989 Retired)
• Robert John Rose (24 Jun 1989 Appointed - 13 Oct 2003 Resigned)
• Kevin Michael Britt † (13 Oct 2003 Succeeded - 16 May 2004 Died)
• Walter Allison Hurley (21 Jun 2005 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
19 May 1882	Erected	Diocese of Detroit	Diocese of Grand Rapids (erected)
26 February 1938	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Detroit Diocese of Grand Rapids	Diocese of Saginaw (erected)
19 December 1970	Territory Lost	Diocese of Grand Rapids Diocese of Saginaw	Diocese of Gaylord (erected)
19 December 1970	Territory Lost	Diocese of Grand Rapids Diocese of Lansing	Diocese of Kalamazoo (erected)

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Statistics

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	111,759	1,000,000	11.2%	159	35	194	576		41	760	162	ap1951
1966	189,461	1,121,343	16.9%	223	52	275	688		40	1,098	130	ap1967
1970	212,605	1,598,044	13.3%	205	60	265	802		67	1,021	130	ap1971
1976	142,555	899,128	15.9%	124	40	164	869	22	50	623	88	ap1977
1980	152,000	923,000	16.5%	144	32	176	863	17	34	609	92	ap1981
1990	150,373	966,060	15.6%	119	28	147	1,022	18	31	416	90	ap1991
1999	153,601	1,167,900	13.2%	123	21	144	1,066	20	1	296	90	ap2000
2000	154,219	1,167,900	13.2%	121	18	139	1,109	20	20	295	91	ap2001
2001	158,050	1,167,900	13.5%	124	22	146	1,082	18	24	294	91	ap2002
2002	161,525	1,283,717	12.6%	122	21	143	1,129	18	23	283	90	ap2003
2003	162,670	1,283,717	12.7%	126	21	147	1,106	26	22	279	90	ap2004
2004	162,670	1,283,717	12.7%	121	15	136	1,196	29	16	273	91	ap2005

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

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Affiliated Bishops

• Allen James Babcock † (Bishop: 23 Mar 1954 to 27 Jun 1969)
• Joseph Matthew Breitenbeck † (Bishop: 15 Oct 1969 to 24 Jun 1989)
• Kevin Michael Britt † (Coadjutor Bishop: 10 Dec 2002; Bishop: 13 Oct 2003 to 16 May 2004)
• Michael James Gallagher † (Priest: 19 Mar 1893; Coadjutor Bishop: 5 Jul 1915; Bishop: 26 Dec 1916 to 18 Jul 1918)
• Francis Joseph Haas † (Bishop: 26 Sep 1943 to 29 Aug 1953)
• Walter Allison Hurley (Bishop: 21 Jun 2005 - )
• Edward Denis Kelly † (Bishop: 16 Jan 1919 to 26 Mar 1926)
• Joseph Crescent McKinney (Priest: 20 Dec 1953; Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Jul 1968 to 3 Oct 2001)
• Joseph Gabriel Pinten † (Bishop: 25 Jun 1926 to 1 Nov 1940)
• Joseph Casimir Plagens † (Bishop: 16 Dec 1940 to 31 Mar 1943)
• Henry Joseph Richter † (Bishop: 30 Jan 1883 to 26 Dec 1916)
• Robert John Rose (Priest: 21 Dec 1955 to 13 Oct 1981; Bishop: 24 Jun 1989 to 13 Oct 2003)
• Charles Alexander K. Salatka † (Priest: 24 Feb 1945; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Dec 1961 to 10 Jan 1968)
• Joseph Schrembs † (Priest: 29 Jun 1889; Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Jan 1911 to 11 Aug 1911)