Diocese of Grand Island

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Bishop(s) William Joseph Dendinger, Bishop

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Name Changed: 11 April 1917 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Omaha Rite: Latin (or Roman) State: Nebraska Country: United States of America Square Kilometers: 103,560 (40,000 Square Miles) Conference Region: IX (IA, KS, MO, NE) Catholic Directory Abbreviation: GI Official Web Site: http://www.gidiocese.org/ Mailing Address: P.O. Box 996, 311 W. 17th St., Grand Island, NE 68802 Telephone: (308)382-6565 Fax: 382-6569

Historical Details

• Diocese of Kearney
  • Latin Name: Kearneyensis
  • Erected: 8 March 1912
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Omaha
  • State: Nebraska
  • Country: United States of America
  • Square Miles: 38,000
  • Description: Buffalo, Sherman, Valley, Garfield, Loup, Custer, Blaine, Brown, Keyapaha, Logan, Thomas, Hooker, Macpherson, Grant, Cherry, Rock, Garden, Deuel, Morrill, Cheyenne, Kimball, Banner, Box Butte, Scotts Bluffs, Sioux, Dawes, and Sheridan Counties plus parts of Dawson, Lincoln, and Keith Counties.
  • Catholic Directory Abbreviation: Kea

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• James Albert Duffy † (25 Jan 1913 Appointed - 7 May 1931 Resigned)
• Stanislaus Vincent Bona † (18 Dec 1931 Appointed - 2 Dec 1944 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Green Bay)
• Edward Joseph Hunkeler † (10 Mar 1945 Appointed - 31 Mar 1951 Appointed, Bishop of Kansas City in Kansas)
• John Linus Paschang † (28 Jul 1951 Appointed - 25 Jul 1972 Retired)
• John Joseph Sullivan † (25 Jul 1972 Appointed - 27 Jun 1977 Appointed, Bishop of Kansas City-Saint Joseph)
• Lawrence James McNamara † (10 Jan 1978 Appointed - 14 Oct 2004 Retired)
• William Joseph Dendinger (14 Oct 2004 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Kearney
8 March 1912	Erected	Diocese of Omaha	Diocese of Kearney (erected)
13 May 1916	Territory Added	Diocese of Omaha (Arthur, Wheeler, Greeley, and Howard Counties)	Diocese of Kearney
Diocese of Grand Island
11 April 1917	Name Changed	Diocese of Kearney	Diocese of Grand Island

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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
Diocese of Grand Island
1950	30,432	296,076	10.3%	84	3	87	349		2	239	53	ap1951
1966	48,766	290,000	16.8%	92	2	94	518		2	225	95	ap1967
1970	49,234	298,700	16.5%	83	2	85	579		2	176	59	ap1971
1976	52,150	297,485	17.5%	73	2	75	695		4		90	ap1977
1980	51,846	299,300	17.3%	73	2	75	691		2		90	ap1981
1990	51,953	316,000	16.4%	83		83	625		1	98	89	ap1991
1999	53,967	290,429	18.6%	80		80	674			98	43	ap2000
2000	55,447	298,027	18.6%	69		69	803			98	83	ap2001
2001	56,879	295,176	19.3%	66		66	861			98	83	ap2002
2002	55,206	295,176	18.7%	66		66	836			98	82	ap2003
2003	54,549	295,176	18.5%	65		65	839			98	82	ap2004
2004	57,460	295,176	19.5%	63		63	912			73	36	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops

• Stanislaus Vincent Bona † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1931 to 2 Dec 1944)
• William Joseph Dendinger (Bishop: 14 Oct 2004 - )
• James Albert Duffy † (Bishop: 25 Jan 1913 to 7 May 1931)
• Edward Joseph Hunkeler † (Bishop: 10 Mar 1945 to 31 Mar 1951)
• Lawrence James McNamara † (Bishop: 10 Jan 1978 to 14 Oct 2004)
• John Linus Paschang † (Bishop: 28 Jul 1951 to 25 Jul 1972)
• John Joseph Sullivan † (Bishop: 25 Jul 1972 to 27 Jun 1977)