Omaha (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

George Joseph Lucas, Archbishop
Elden Francis Curtiss, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 4 August 1945
Metropolitan See
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Nebraska
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 36,392 (14,056 Square Miles)
Description: Boyd, Holt, Merrick, Nance, Boone, Antelope, Knox, Pierce, Madison, Platte, Colfax, Stanton, Wayne, Cedar, Dixon, Dakota, Thurston, Cuming, Dodge, Burt, Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy Counties.
Conference Region: IX (IA, KS, MO, NE)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: OM
Official Web Site: http://www.archomaha.com/
Mailing Address: 2222 North 111th St., Omaha, NE 68164, USA
Telephone: (402)558-3100
Fax: 551-4212

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska
- Erected: 6 January 1857
- Vicariate
- State: Nebraska
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Omaha
- Latin Name: Omahensis
- Elevated: 2 October 1885
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Dubuque
- State: Nebraska
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 14,998
- Description: Boyd, Holt, Wheeler, Greeley, Howard, Merrick, Nance, Boone, Antelope, Know, Pierce, Madison, Platte, Colfax, Stanton, Wayne, Cedar, Dixon, Dakota, Thurston, Cuming, Dodge, Burt, Washington, Douglas, and Sarpy Counties plus parts of Hall County.

Past and Present Ordinaries

James Michael Myles O’Gorman, O.C.S.O. † (28 Jan 1859 Appointed - 4 Jul 1874 Died)
John Ireland † (12 Feb 1875 Appointed - 28 Jul 1875 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota)
James O’Connor † (30 Jun 1876 Appointed - 27 May 1890 Died)
Richard Scannell † (30 Jan 1891 Appointed - 8 Jan 1916 Died)
Jeremiah James Harty † (16 May 1916 Appointed - 29 Oct 1927 Died)
Joseph Francis Rummel † (30 Mar 1928 Appointed - 9 Mar 1935 Appointed, Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana)
James Hugh Ryan † (3 Aug 1935 Appointed - 23 Nov 1947 Died)
Gerald Thomas Bergan † (7 Feb 1948 Appointed - 11 Jun 1969 Retired)
Daniel Eugene Sheehan † (11 Jun 1969 Appointed - 4 May 1993 Retired)
Elden Francis Curtiss (4 May 1993 Appointed - 3 Jun 2009 Retired)
George Joseph Lucas (3 Jun 2009 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska
6 January 1857	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains	Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska (erected)
5 March 1883	Territory Lost	Vicariate Apostolic of Idaho and Montana Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska	Vicariate Apostolic of Montana (erected)
Diocese of Omaha
2 October 1885	Elevated	Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska	Diocese of Omaha (Name changed and Vicariate raised to a Diocese)
2 August 1887	Territory Lost	Diocese of Omaha	Diocese of Cheyenne (erected) Diocese of Lincoln (erected)
8 March 1912	Territory Lost	Diocese of Omaha (Keyapaha, Rock, Garfield, Valley, Sherman, Buffalo, Cheyenne, Kimball, Banner, Scotts Bluffs, Sioux, Barnes, Box Butte, Morrill, Garden, Sheridan, Cherry, Grani > Hooker, Thomas, Me Pherson, Logan, Custer, Blaine, Loup, and Brown; and part of Bawson, ...)	Diocese of Kearney (erected)
13 May 1916	Territory Lost	Diocese of Omaha (Wheeler, Greeley, Howard, and northern part of Hall Counties)	Diocese of Kearney
Archdiocese of Omaha
4 August 1945	Elevated	Diocese of Omaha	Archdiocese of Omaha

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

Archdiocese of Omaha

1950 125,842 543,856 23.1% 205 109 314 400 114 991 162 ap1951

1966 184,929 630,890 29.3% 226 169 395 468 223 1,295 144 ap1967

1970 192,415 630,890 30.5% 231 169 400 481 218 1,199 140 ap1971

1976 198,372 713,284 27.8% 235 153 388 511 28 205 1,034 155 ap1977

1980 216,779 758,125 28.6% 210 180 390 555 63 227 844 154 ap1981

1990 201,638 781,700 25.8% 209 151 360 560 119 204 530 159 ap1991

1999 214,574 822,892 26.1% 229 120 349 614 143 22 340 139 ap2000

2000 220,179 827,608 26.6% 217 121 338 651 157 147 373 157 ap2001

2001 214,046 830,522 25.8% 223 115 338 633 142 139 306 154 ap2002

2002 219,897 853,300 25.8% 231 99 330 666 155 122 361 138 ap2003

2003 222,938 853,300 26.1% 233 96 329 677 163 118 361 138 ap2004

2004 239,112 867,531 27.6% 221 100 321 744 176 123 337 138 ap2005

2013 238,800 930,000 25.7% 190 78 268 891 246 99 266 137 ap2014

2016 234,254 975,301 24.0% 180 63 243 964 239 84 242 125 ap2017

2019 240,184 1,002,959 23.9% 185 60 245 980 239 81 243 124 ap2020

2021 235,975 1,017,223 23.2% 179 63 242 975 223 82 195 123 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Omaha
1950	125,842	543,856	23.1%	205	109	314	400		114	991	162	ap1951
1966	184,929	630,890	29.3%	226	169	395	468		223	1,295	144	ap1967
1970	192,415	630,890	30.5%	231	169	400	481		218	1,199	140	ap1971
1976	198,372	713,284	27.8%	235	153	388	511	28	205	1,034	155	ap1977
1980	216,779	758,125	28.6%	210	180	390	555	63	227	844	154	ap1981
1990	201,638	781,700	25.8%	209	151	360	560	119	204	530	159	ap1991
1999	214,574	822,892	26.1%	229	120	349	614	143	22	340	139	ap2000
2000	220,179	827,608	26.6%	217	121	338	651	157	147	373	157	ap2001
2001	214,046	830,522	25.8%	223	115	338	633	142	139	306	154	ap2002
2002	219,897	853,300	25.8%	231	99	330	666	155	122	361	138	ap2003
2003	222,938	853,300	26.1%	233	96	329	677	163	118	361	138	ap2004
2004	239,112	867,531	27.6%	221	100	321	744	176	123	337	138	ap2005
2013	238,800	930,000	25.7%	190	78	268	891	246	99	266	137	ap2014
2016	234,254	975,301	24.0%	180	63	243	964	239	84	242	125	ap2017
2019	240,184	1,002,959	23.9%	185	60	245	980	239	81	243	124	ap2020
2021	235,975	1,017,223	23.2%	179	63	242	975	223	82	195	123	ap2022