Archdiocese of Denver

Historical Details

• Vicariate Apostolic of Colorado and Utah
  • Latin Name: Territoria Colorado et Utah
  • Erected: 3 March 1868
  • Vicariate
  • State: Colorado
  • Country: United States of America

• Vicariate Apostolic of Colorado
  • Name Changed: 1871
  • Vicariate
  • State: Colorado
  • Country: United States of America

• Diocese of Denver
  • Latin Name: Denveriensis
  • Erected: 16 August 1887
  • Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Santa Fe
  • State: Colorado
  • Country: United States of America
  • Square Miles: 103,645
  • Description: The entire State of Colorado
  • Catholic Directory Abbreviation: Den

Past and Present Ordinaries

• Joseph Projectus Machebeuf (Macheboeuf) † (3 Mar 1868 Appointed - 10 Jul 1889 Died)
• Nicholas Chrysostom Matz † (10 Jul 1889 Succeeded - 9 Aug 1917 Died)
• John Henry Tihen † (21 Sep 1917 Appointed - 6 Jan 1931 Resigned)
• Urban John Vehr † (17 Apr 1931 Appointed - 18 Feb 1967 Retired)
• James Vincent Casey † (18 Feb 1967 Appointed - 14 Mar 1986 Died)
• James Francis Stafford (3 Jun 1986 Appointed - 20 Aug 1996 Appointed, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity)
• Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (18 Mar 1997 Appointed - 19 Jul 2011 Appointed, Archbishop of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
• Samuel Joseph Aquila (29 May 2012 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

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 Denver
1908	99,485			62	71	133	748			531	60	ce
1918	113,638			107	76	183	620				223	ocdk1919
1928	132,171			130	102	232	569				267	ocdk1929
Archdiocese of Denver
1950	100,299	850,000	11.8%	138	108	246	407		121	1,000	92	ap1951
1966	260,848	1,347,575	19.4%	176	152	328	795		172	1,117	109	ap1967
1970	288,598	1,642,400	17.6%	179	351	530	544		377	933	114	ap1971
1976	312,173	2,109,806	14.8%	215	202	417	748	24	249	937	128	ap1977
1980	309,839	2,321,400	13.3%	177	210	387	800	61	283	931	132	ap1981
1990	330,000	2,325,000	14.2%	165	162	327	1,009	114	231	574	111	ap1991
1999	346,144	2,644,004	13.1%	159	126	285	1,214	134	22	436	112	ap2000
2000	363,460	2,719,279	13.4%	165	132	297	1,223	139	140	477	106	ap2001
2001	373,500	2,719,300	13.7%	173	126	299	1,249	149	153	427	113	ap2002
2002	373,500	2,907,800	12.8%	180	127	307	1,216	149	154	404	113	ap2003
2003	367,996	2,907,800	12.7%	186	122	308	1,194	143	149	464	119	ap2004
2004	344,015	2,996,708	11.5%	190	119	309	1,113	195	130	332	120	ap2005
2006	398,250	3,074,315	13.0%	195	112	307	1,297	171	127	316	120	ap2007
2010	541,410	3,299,911	16.4%	198	108	306	1,769	184	131	261	119	ap2011
2013	563,441	3,472,884	16.2%	204	102	306	1,841	185	124	219	123	ap2014
2016	582,910	3,606,604	16.2%	216	117	333	1,750	197	141	182	123	ap2017
2019	604,800	3,776,083	16.0%	188	108	296	2,043	195	134	180	124	ap2020
2021	608,182	3,877,352	15.7%	185	101	286	2,126	192	204	172	124	ap2022
2023	620,000	3,807,037	16.3%	200	97	297	2,087	187	128	148	124	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Samuel Joseph Aquila (Priest: 5 Jun 1976 to 12 Jun 2001; Archbishop: 29 May 2012 - )
• Gordon Dunlap Bennett, S.J.
• Charles Joseph Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (Archbishop: 18 Mar 1997 to 19 Jul 2011)
• James Douglas Conley (Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Apr 2008 to 14 Sep 2012; Apostolic Administrator: 8 Sep 2011 to 18 Jul 2012)
• José Horacio Gómez Velasco (Auxiliary Bishop: 23 Jan 2001 to 29 Dec 2004)
• Richard Charles Patrick Hanifen (Priest: 6 Jun 1959; Auxiliary Bishop: 6 Jul 1974 to 10 Nov 1983)
• Ralph Walker Nickless (Priest: 4 Aug 1973 to 10 Nov 2005)
• Erik Thomas Pohlmeier
• Jorge Humberto Rodríguez-Novelo (Priest: 19 Nov 2008; Auxiliary Bishop: 25 Aug 2016)
• James Francis Stafford (Archbishop: 3 Jun 1986 to 20 Aug 1996)

  ---

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• James Vincent Casey † (Archbishop: 18 Feb 1967 to 14 Mar 1986)
• George Roche Evans † (Priest: 31 May 1947; Auxiliary Bishop: 24 Feb 1969 to 13 Sep 1985)
• Joseph Projectus Machebeuf (Macheboeuf) † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Mar 1868; Bishop: 16 Aug 1887 to 10 Jul 1889)
• David Monas Maloney † (Priest: 8 Dec 1936; Auxiliary Bishop: 5 Nov 1960 to 2 Dec 1967)
• Nicholas Chrysostom Matz † (Priest: 31 May 1874; Coadjutor Bishop: 19 Aug 1887; Bishop: 10 Jul 1889 to 9 Aug 1917)
• Hubert Michael Newell † (Priest: 15 Jun 1930 to 2 Aug 1947)
• John Baptist Pitaval † (Priest: 24 Dec 1881 to 14 May 1902)
• Bernard James Sullivan, S.J. †
• John Henry Tihen † (Bishop: 21 Sep 1917 to 6 Jan 1931)
• Urban John Vehr † (Bishop: 17 Apr 1931; Archbishop: 15 Nov 1941 to 18 Feb 1967)

Source(s)

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