Green Bay (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

David Laurin Ricken, Bishop
Robert Joseph Banks, Bishop Emeritus
Robert Fealey Morneau, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 3 March 1868
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Wisconsin
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 27,775 (10,728 Square Miles)
Description: Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago Counties.
Conference Region: VII (IL, IN, WI)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: GB
Official Web Site: http://www.gbdioc.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery, P.O. Box 23825, 1825 Riverside Drive, Green Bay, WI 54305-3825, USA
Telephone: (920)272-8180
Fax: 435-1330

Past and Present Ordinaries

Joseph Melcher † (3 Mar 1868 Appointed - 20 Dec 1873 Died)
Francis Xavier Krautbauer † (12 Feb 1875 Appointed - 17 Dec 1885 Died)
Frederick Francis Xavier Katzer † (13 Jul 1886 Appointed - 30 Jan 1891 Appointed, Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Sebastian Gebhard Messmer † (14 Dec 1891 Appointed - 28 Nov 1903 Appointed, Archbishop of Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Joseph John Fox † (27 May 1904 Appointed - 7 Nov 1914 Resigned)
Paul Peter Rhode † (5 Jul 1915 Appointed - 3 Mar 1945 Died)
Stanislaus Vincent Bona † (3 Mar 1945 Succeeded - 1 Dec 1967 Died)
Aloysius John Wycislo † (4 Mar 1968 Appointed - 10 May 1983 Resigned)
Adam Joseph Maida (8 Nov 1983 Appointed - 28 Apr 1990 Appointed, Archbishop of Detroit, Michigan)
Robert Joseph Banks (16 Oct 1990 Appointed - 10 Oct 2003 Retired)
David Allen Zubik (10 Oct 2003 Appointed - 18 Jul 2007 Appointed, Bishop of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
David Laurin Ricken (9 Jul 2008 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
3 March 1868	Erected	Diocese of Milwaukee	Diocese of Green Bay (erected) Diocese of La Crosse (erected)
12 February 1875	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Green Bay (from Saint Louis to Milwaukee) Diocese of La Crosse (from Saint Louis to Milwaukee) Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie and Marquette (from Saint Louis to Milwaukee) Diocese of Saint Paul (from Saint Louis to Milwaukee)
3 May 1905	Territory Lost	Diocese of Green Bay Diocese of La Crosse	Diocese of Superior (erected)
22 December 1945	Territory Lost	Diocese of Green Bay (Portage) Diocese of La Crosse (Jowa, Grant, Lafayette, and Sauk) Archdiocese of Milwaukee (Dane, Jefferson, Green Rock, Columbia, Marquette, and Green Lake)	Diocese of Madison (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1918 149,675 185 50 235 636 241 ocdk1919

1928 175,000 202 69 271 645 242 ocdk1929

1950 213,953 535,377 40.0% 235 143 378 566 295 1,429 174 ap1951

1966 314,136 730,000 43.0% 351 191 542 579 374 1,599 192 ap1967

1970 309,945 726,890 42.6% 347 196 543 570 309 1,355 193 ap1971

1976 325,722 728,512 44.7% 304 192 496 656 7 290 1,091 193 ap1977

1980 337,139 746,000 45.2% 275 192 467 721 34 285 965 223 ap1981

1990 365,022 845,000 43.2% 247 138 385 948 73 207 865 214 ap1991

1999 388,150 898,050 43.2% 235 143 378 1,026 81 44 672 199 ap2000

2000 394,365 898,050 43.9% 206 136 342 1,153 86 179 646 198 ap2001

2001 388,093 924,032 42.0% 200 136 336 1,155 87 179 622 191 ap2002

2002 375,708 951,159 39.5% 198 135 333 1,128 92 179 621 188 ap2003

2003 381,472 930,419 41.0% 201 130 331 1,152 104 173 603 185 ap2004

2004 358,211 930,419 38.5% 192 115 307 1,166 108 156 653 185 ap2005

2006 369,556 998,800 37.0% 189 113 302 1,223 127 151 593 169 ap2007

2013 359,000 1,026,000 35.0% 173 103 276 1,300 133 135 475 157 ap2014

2016 345,870 1,017,267 34.0% 170 122 292 1,184 133 153 399 157 ap2017

2019 350,700 1,029,453 34.1% 168 92 260 1,348 144 114 343 156 ap2020

2021 354,280 1,040,000 34.1% 165 86 251 1,411 142 108 311 156 ap2022

2023 361,500 1,062,726 34.0% 161 91 252 1,434 158 104 307 156 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1918	149,675			185	50	235	636				241	ocdk1919
1928	175,000			202	69	271	645				242	ocdk1929
1950	213,953	535,377	40.0%	235	143	378	566		295	1,429	174	ap1951
1966	314,136	730,000	43.0%	351	191	542	579		374	1,599	192	ap1967
1970	309,945	726,890	42.6%	347	196	543	570		309	1,355	193	ap1971
1976	325,722	728,512	44.7%	304	192	496	656	7	290	1,091	193	ap1977
1980	337,139	746,000	45.2%	275	192	467	721	34	285	965	223	ap1981
1990	365,022	845,000	43.2%	247	138	385	948	73	207	865	214	ap1991
1999	388,150	898,050	43.2%	235	143	378	1,026	81	44	672	199	ap2000
2000	394,365	898,050	43.9%	206	136	342	1,153	86	179	646	198	ap2001
2001	388,093	924,032	42.0%	200	136	336	1,155	87	179	622	191	ap2002
2002	375,708	951,159	39.5%	198	135	333	1,128	92	179	621	188	ap2003
2003	381,472	930,419	41.0%	201	130	331	1,152	104	173	603	185	ap2004
2004	358,211	930,419	38.5%	192	115	307	1,166	108	156	653	185	ap2005
2006	369,556	998,800	37.0%	189	113	302	1,223	127	151	593	169	ap2007
2013	359,000	1,026,000	35.0%	173	103	276	1,300	133	135	475	157	ap2014
2016	345,870	1,017,267	34.0%	170	122	292	1,184	133	153	399	157	ap2017
2019	350,700	1,029,453	34.1%	168	92	260	1,348	144	114	343	156	ap2020
2021	354,280	1,040,000	34.1%	165	86	251	1,411	142	108	311	156	ap2022
2023	361,500	1,062,726	34.0%	161	91	252	1,434	158	104	307	156	ap2024