Diocese of Providence

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Bishop(s) Thomas Joseph Tobin, Bishop Louis Edward Gelineau, Bishop Emeritus Robert Edward Mulvee, Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Erected: 16 February 1872 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Hartford Rite: Latin (or Roman) State: Rhode Island Country: United States of America Square Kilometers: 3,143 (1,085 Square Miles) Description: Comprises the State of Rhode Island. Conference Region: I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) Catholic Directory Abbreviation: PRO Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofprovidence.org/ Mailing Address: 1 Cathedral Square, Providence, RI 02903-3695 Telephone: (401)278-4500 Fax: 278-4548

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Thomas Francis Hendricken † (16 Feb 1872 Appointed - 11 Jun 1886 Died)
• Matthew A. Harkins † (11 Feb 1887 Appointed - 25 May 1921 Died)
• William Augustine Hickey † (25 May 1921 Succeeded - 4 Oct 1933 Died)
• Francis Patrick Keough † (10 Feb 1934 Appointed - 29 Nov 1947 Appointed, Archbishop of Baltimore)
• Russell Joseph McVinney † (29 May 1948 Appointed - 10 Aug 1971 Died)
• Louis Edward Gelineau (6 Dec 1971 Appointed - 11 Jun 1997 Resigned)
• Robert Edward Mulvee (11 Jun 1997 Succeeded - 31 Mar 2005 Retired)
• Thomas Joseph Tobin (31 Mar 2005 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
16 February 1872	Erected	Diocese of Boston Diocese of Hartford	Diocese of Providence (erected)
12 March 1904	Territory Lost	Diocese of Providence	Diocese of Fall River (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	431,240	786,850	54.8%	338	186	524	822		361	1,824	133	ap1951
1966	548,141	859,488	63.8%	410	207	617	888		406	2,058	156	ap1967
1970	587,685	892,709	65.8%	383	219	602	976		479	1,513	154	ap1971
1976	602,467	927,000	65.0%	309	192	501	1,202		368	1,318	155	ap1977
1980	610,000	943,000	64.7%	384	179	563	1,083	63	352	1,256	156	ap1981
1990	631,223	1,004,100	62.9%	331	141	472	1,337	71	286	953	159	ap1991
1999	629,891	987,429	63.8%	308	150	458	1,375	92	124	769	158	ap2000
2000	635,590	987,429	64.4%	306	133	439	1,447	96	266	688	157	ap2001
2001	623,752	1,048,319	59.5%	292	116	408	1,528	96	238	682	157	ap2002
2002	639,962	1,048,319	61.0%	304	125	429	1,491	96	254	655	157	ap2003
2003	649,188	1,063,200	61.1%	281	126	407	1,595	107	241	654	157	ap2004
2004	679,275	1,069,725	63.5%	279	121	400	1,698	108	195	605	152	ap2005

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

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Affiliated Bishops

• Kenneth Anthony Angell (Priest: 26 May 1956; Auxiliary Bishop: 9 Aug 1974 to 6 Oct 1992)
• Thomas Francis Doran † (Priest: 4 Jul 1880; Auxiliary Bishop: 26 Feb 1915 to 3 Jan 1916)
• Austin Dowling † (Priest: 24 Jun 1891 to 31 Jan 1912)
• Louis Edward Gelineau (Bishop: 6 Dec 1971 to 11 Jun 1997)
• Matthew A. Harkins † (Bishop: 11 Feb 1887 to 25 May 1921)
• Thomas Francis Hendricken † (Bishop: 16 Feb 1872 to 11 Jun 1886)
• William Augustine Hickey † (Coadjutor Bishop: 16 Jan 1919; Bishop: 25 May 1921 to 4 Oct 1933)
• Bernard Matthew Kelly † (Priest: 3 Jun 1944; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Nov 1963 to 14 Jun 1971)
• Francis Patrick Keough † (Bishop: 10 Feb 1934 to 29 Nov 1947)
• Denis Matthew Lowney † (Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Aug 1917 to 13 Aug 1918)
• Thomas Francis Maloney † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Jan 1960 to 10 Sep 1962)
• Salvatore Ronald Matano (Priest: 17 Dec 1971 to 3 Mar 2005)
• Robert Joseph McManus (Priest: 27 May 1978; Auxiliary Bishop: 1 Dec 1998 to 9 Mar 2004)
• Russell Joseph McVinney † (Priest: 18 Jul 1924; Bishop: 29 May 1948 to 10 Aug 1971)
• Robert Edward Mulvee (Coadjutor Bishop: 9 Feb 1995; Bishop: 11 Jun 1997 to 31 Mar 2005)
• Daniel Patrick Reilly (Priest: 30 May 1953 to 5 Jun 1975)
• Francis Xavier Roque (Priest: 19 Sep 1953 to 29 Mar 1983)
• William Stang † (Priest: 15 Jun 1878 to 12 Mar 1904)
• Thomas Joseph Tobin (Bishop: 31 Mar 2005 - )