Diocese of

Richmond

USA

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Richmond / Richmondien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Baltimore

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Richmond, Virginia
Former Cathedral: Pro-Cathedral of St. Peter, Richmond, Virginia
Minor Basilica: Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Norfolk, Virginia
National Shrine: National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Williamsburg, Virginia

Churches by City (153)

Charlotte (↙), Knoxville (↙), Lexington (↖), Wheeling–Charleston (↖), Arlington (↑), Wilmington (↗), Raleigh (↘)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2017.12.05 – ...):

Bishop Barry Christopher Knestout (60)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Richmond (Roman Rite)

Bishop Barry Christopher Knestout (60)
(2017.12.05 – ...)

Bishop of Richmond (USA)

Christ our hope

Born:	1962.06.11 (Cheverly, MD, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1989.06.24
Consecrated Bishop:	2008.12.29

Titular Bishop of Leavenworth (2008.11.18 – 2017.12.05)

Auxiliary Bishop of Washington (USA) (2008.11.18 – 2017.12.05)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (2017.12.05 – ...)

Bishop Francis Xavier DiLorenzo
(2004.03.31 – 2017.08.17)

Christ our hope

Born:	1942.04.15 (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1968.05.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.03.08
Died:	2017.08.17 († 75)

Titular Bishop of Tigias (1988.01.26 – 1994.11.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton (USA) (1988.01.26 – 1994.11.29)

Apostolic Administrator of Honolulu (USA) (1993.10.12 – 1994.11.29)

Bishop of Honolulu (USA) (1994.11.29 – 2004.03.31)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (2004.03.31 – 2017.08.17)

Cardinal William Henry Keeler
(Apostolic Administrator 2003.09.16 – 2004.03.31)

Bishop Walter Francis Sullivan
(1974.06.04 – 2003.09.16)

To unite all in Christ

Born:	1928.06.10 (Washington, DC, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1953.05.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.12.01
Died:	2012.12.11 († 84)

Titular Bishop of Selsey (1970.10.15 – 1974.06.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1970.10.15 – 1974.06.04)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1974.06.04 – 2003.09.16)

Bishop John Joyce Russell
(1958.07.03 – 1973.04.28)

Born:	1897.12.01 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1923.07.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.03.14
Died:	1993.03.17 († 95)

Bishop of Charleston (USA) (1950.01.28 – 1958.07.03)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1958.07.03 – 1973.04.28)

Bishop Peter Leo Ireton
(1945.04.14 – 1958.04.27)

Born:	1882.09.21 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1906.06.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1935.10.23
Died:	1958.04.27 († 75)

Titular Bishop of Cyme (1935.08.03 – 1945.04.14)

Auxiliary Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1935.08.03 – 1945.04.14)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1945.04.14 – 1958.04.27)

Bishop Andrew James Louis Brennan
(1926.05.28 – 1945.04.14)

Born:	1877.12.14 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1904.12.17
Consecrated Bishop:	1923.04.15
Died:	1956.05.23 († 78)

Titular Bishop of Thapsus (1923.02.23 – 1926.05.28)

Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton (USA) (1923.02.23 – 1926.05.28)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1926.05.28 – 1945.04.14)

Titular Bishop of Telmissus (1945.04.14 – 1956.05.23)

Bishop Denis Joseph O’Connell (later Archbishop)
(1912.01.19 – 1926.01.15)

Et juste et vray

Born:	1849.01.28 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1877.05.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1908.05.03
Died:	1927.01.01 († 77)

Rector of Pontifical North American College (1885 – 1895)

Titular Bishop of Sebaste (1907.12.16 – 1912.01.19)

Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco (USA) (1907.12.16 – 1912.01.19)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1912.01.19 – 1926.01.15)

Titular Archbishop of Mariamme (1926.01.15 – 1927.01.01)

Bishop Augustine Van de Vyver
(1889.07.16 – 1911.10.16)

Monstra te esse matrem

Born:	1844.12.01 (Belgium)
Ordained Priest:	1870.07.24
Consecrated Bishop:	1889.10.20
Died:	1911.10.16 († 66)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1889.07.16 – 1911.10.16)

Bishop John Joseph Keane (later Archbishop)
(1878.03.28 – 1888.08.12)

In spiritu et veritate

Born:	1839.09.12 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1866.07.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1878.08.25
Died:	1918.06.22 († 78)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1878.03.28 – 1888.08.12)

Titular Bishop of Iassus (1888.08.12 – 1897.01.29)

Titular Archbishop of Damascus (1897.01.29 – 1900.07.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Dubuque (USA) (1900.07.24 – 1911.04.28)

Titular Archbishop of Cius (1911.04.28 – 1918.06.22)

Bishop James Gibbons (later Cardinal)
(1872.07.30 – 1877.05.29)

Emitte spiritum tuum

Born:	1834.07.23 (Baltimore, MD, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1861.06.30
Consecrated Bishop:	1868.08.16
Created Cardinal:	1886.06.07
Died:	1921.03.24 (Baltimore, MD, USA † 86)

Titular Bishop of Adramyttium (1868.03.03 – 1872.07.30)

Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina (USA) (1868.03.03 – 1877.05.20)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1872.07.30 – 1877.05.29)

Titular Archbishop of Ionopolis (1877.05.29 – 1877.10.03)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Baltimore (USA) (1877.05.29 – 1877.10.03)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Baltimore (USA) (1877.10.03 – 1921.03.24)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria in Trastevere (1887.03.17 – 1921.03.24)

Protopriest of Sacred College of Cardinals (1920.12.07 – 1921.03.24)

Bishop John McGill
(1850.07.23 – 1872.01.14)

Born:	1809.11.04 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1835.06.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1850.11.10
Died:	1872.01.14 († 62)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1850.07.23 – 1872.01.14)

Bishop Richard Vincent Whelan
(1840.12.19 – 1850.07.23)

Born:	1809.01.28 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1831.05.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1841.03.21
Died:	1874.07.07 († 65)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1840.12.19 – 1850.07.23)

Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1850.07.23 – 1874.07.07)

Archbishop Samuel Eccleston, P.S.S.
(Apostolic Administrator 1834.10.19 – 1840.11.22)

Bishop Patrick Kelly
(1820.07.19 – 1822.02.09)

Born:	1779.04.16 (Ireland)
Ordained Priest:	1802.07.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1820.08.24
Died:	1829.10.08 († 50)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1820.07.19 – 1822.02.09)

Bishop of Waterford and Lismore (Ireland) (1822.02.09 – 1829.10.08)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop David Edward Foley (1986.05.03 – 1994.03.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Walter Francis Sullivan (1970.10.15 – 1974.06.04)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop James Louis Flaherty (1966.08.08 – 1975.08.09)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Ernest Leo Unterkoefler (1961.12.13 – 1964.12.12)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Joseph Howard Hodges (1952.08.08 – 1961.05.31)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Peter Leo Ireton (1935.08.03 – 1945.04.14)

Contact Info

Address: Pastoral Center, 7800 Carousel Lane, Richmond, VA 23294-4201, USA

Phone: +1 (804) 359-5661

Websites:

Statistics

Area: 86,071 km²

Population: 254,800 Catholics (5.0% of 5,137,966 total) (2020)

Statistics: 138 parishes, 1 mission, 221 priests (204 diocesan, 17 religious), 163 deacons, 185 lay religious (21 brothers, 164 sisters), 23 seminarians (2020)

Celebrations

Patron Saint: Saint Vincent de Paul (September 27)

Cathedral Dedication Anniversary: November 29

History

1820.07.11: Established as Diocese of Richmond / Richmondien(sis) (Latin) (from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore and became suffragan of Baltimore)
1850.07.19: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Wheeling
1858.08.15: Gained territory from Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore
1874.05.28: Gained territory from Diocese of Wilmington
1974.05.28: Lost territory to establish Diocese of Arlington

Last updated on 2023.01.27

© 2023 GCatholic.org