Diocese of Savannah

Dioecesis Savannensis

Bishop(s)

John Kevin Boland, Bishop
Raymond William Lessard, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Split: 2 July 1956
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Atlanta
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Georgia
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 95,891 (37,038 Square Miles)
Conference Region: XIV (FL, GA, NC, SC)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SAV
Official Web Site: http://www.diosav.org/
Mailing Address: 601 East Liberty St., Savannah, GA 31401-5196
Telephone: (912)201-4100
Fax: 201-4101

Historical Details

Diocese of Savannah
- Latin Name: Savannensis
- Erected: 3 July 1850
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Baltimore
- State: Georgia
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 58,980
- Description: The entire state.
Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta
- Latin Name: Savannensis-Atlantensis
- Name Changed: 5 January 1937
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Baltimore
- State: Georgia
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 58,980
- Description: The entire state.

Past and Present Ordinaries

Francis Xavier Gartland † (23 Jul 1850 Appointed - 20 Sep 1854 Died)
John Barry † (9 Jan 1857 Appointed - 19 Nov 1859 Died)
John Marcellus Peter Augustine Verot, P.S.S. † (14 Jul 1861 Appointed - 11 Mar 1870 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Augustine)
Ignatius Camillus William Mary Peter Persico, O.F.M. Cap. † (11 Mar 1870 Appointed - 20 Jun 1874 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Aquino, Sora, e Pontecorvo)
William Hickley Gross, C.SS.R. † (14 Feb 1873 Appointed - 1 Feb 1885 Appointed, Archbishop of Oregon City)
Thomas Albert Andrew Becker † (26 Mar 1886 Appointed - 29 Jul 1899 Died)
Benjamin Joseph Keiley † (2 Apr 1900 Appointed - 18 Mar 1922 Retired)
Michael Joseph Keyes, S.M. † (27 Jun 1922 Appointed - 23 Sep 1935 Resigned)
Gerald Patrick Aloysius O'Hara † (26 Nov 1935 Appointed - 12 Nov 1959 Resigned)
Thomas Joseph McDonough † (2 Mar 1960 Appointed - 1 Mar 1967 Appointed, Archbishop of Louisville)
Gerard Louis Frey † (31 May 1967 Appointed - 7 Nov 1972 Appointed, Bishop of Lafayette)
Raymond William Lessard (5 Mar 1973 Appointed - 7 Feb 1995 Retired)
John Kevin Boland (7 Feb 1995 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Savannah
3 July 1850	Erected	Diocese of Charleston Diocese of Mobile	Diocese of Savannah (erected)
9 January 1857	Territory Lost	Diocese of Savannah	Vicariate Apostolic of Florida (erected)
Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta
5 January 1937	Name Changed	Diocese of Savannah	Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta
2 July 1956	Split	Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta	Diocese of Atlanta Diocese of Savannah
Diocese of Savannah
2 July 1956	Split	Diocese of Savannah-Atlanta	Diocese of Atlanta Diocese of Savannah
10 February 1962	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Savannah (From Baltimore to Atlanta)

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 Savannah-Atlanta

1950 30,922 3,140,620 1.0% 38 91 129 239 122 295 63 ap1951

Diocese of Savannah

1966 33,317 1,790,463 1.9% 38 46 84 396 52 219 38 ap1967

1970 34,960 1,800,000 1.9% 71 39 110 317 47 235 44 ap1971

1976 38,024 1,600,000 2.4% 61 34 95 400 47 211 43 ap1977

1980 49,546 1,640,000 3.0% 64 37 101 490 18 45 210 45 ap1981

1990 59,730 2,347,285 2.5% 49 39 88 678 35 56 181 49 ap1991

1999 74,800 2,465,277 3.0% 65 28 93 804 37 14 130 53 ap2000

2000 75,400 2,500,000 3.0% 66 30 96 785 34 45 119 52 ap2001

2001 77,500 2,500,000 3.1% 66 29 95 815 32 45 127 51 ap2002

2002 76,000 2,610,432 2.9% 68 26 94 808 48 35 120 53 ap2003

2003 78,533 2,630,062 3.0% 86 25 111 707 46 38 113 53 ap2004

2004 75,987 2,630,062 2.9% 71 24 95 799 44 35 98 52 ap2005

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 Savannah-Atlanta
1950	30,922	3,140,620	1.0%	38	91	129	239		122	295	63	ap1951
Diocese of Savannah
1966	33,317	1,790,463	1.9%	38	46	84	396		52	219	38	ap1967
1970	34,960	1,800,000	1.9%	71	39	110	317		47	235	44	ap1971
1976	38,024	1,600,000	2.4%	61	34	95	400		47	211	43	ap1977
1980	49,546	1,640,000	3.0%	64	37	101	490	18	45	210	45	ap1981
1990	59,730	2,347,285	2.5%	49	39	88	678	35	56	181	49	ap1991
1999	74,800	2,465,277	3.0%	65	28	93	804	37	14	130	53	ap2000
2000	75,400	2,500,000	3.0%	66	30	96	785	34	45	119	52	ap2001
2001	77,500	2,500,000	3.1%	66	29	95	815	32	45	127	51	ap2002
2002	76,000	2,610,432	2.9%	68	26	94	808	48	35	120	53	ap2003
2003	78,533	2,630,062	3.0%	86	25	111	707	46	38	113	53	ap2004
2004	75,987	2,630,062	2.9%	71	24	95	799	44	35	98	52	ap2005

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

Affiliated Bishops

John Barry † (Bishop: 9 Jan 1857 to 19 Nov 1859)
Thomas Albert Andrew Becker † (Bishop: 26 Mar 1886 to 29 Jul 1899)
John Kevin Boland (Priest: 14 Jun 1959; Bishop: 7 Feb 1995 - )
Gerard Louis Frey † (Bishop: 31 May 1967 to 7 Nov 1972)
Francis Xavier Gartland † (Bishop: 23 Jul 1850 to 20 Sep 1854)
William Hickley Gross, C.SS.R. † (Bishop: 14 Feb 1873 to 1 Feb 1885)
Francis Edward Hyland † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Oct 1949 to 17 Jul 1956)
Benjamin Joseph Keiley † (Bishop: 2 Apr 1900 to 18 Mar 1922)
Michael Joseph Keyes, S.M. † (Bishop: 27 Jun 1922 to 23 Sep 1935)
Raymond William Lessard (Bishop: 5 Mar 1973 to 7 Feb 1995)
Andrew Joseph McDonald (Priest: 8 May 1948 to 4 Jul 1972)
Thomas Joseph McDonough † (Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Jan 1957; Bishop: 2 Mar 1960 to 1 Mar 1967)
Gerald Patrick Aloysius O'Hara † (Bishop: 26 Nov 1935; Archbishop (Personal Title): 12 Jul 1950 to 12 Nov 1959)
Ignatius Camillus William Mary Peter Persico, O.F.M. Cap. † (Bishop: 11 Mar 1870 to 20 Jun 1874)
John Marcellus Peter Augustine Verot, P.S.S. † (Bishop: 14 Jul 1861 to 11 Mar 1870)
Emmet Michael Walsh † (Priest: 15 Jan 1916 to 20 Jun 1927)

About Catholic-Hierarchy

Terminology/Site Help