Nashville (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Joseph Mark Spalding, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 28 July 1837
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Louisville
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Tennessee
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 42,222 (16,308 Square Miles)
Conference Region: V (AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: NSH
Official Web Site: http://www.dioceseofnashville.com/
Mailing Address: 2800 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214, USA
Telephone: (615)383-6393
Fax: 292-8411

Past and Present Ordinaries

Richard Pius Miles, O.P. † (28 Jul 1837 Appointed - 21 Feb 1860 Died)
James Whelan, O.P. † (21 Feb 1860 Succeeded - 23 Sep 1863 Resigned)
Patrick Augustine Feehan † (7 Jul 1865 Appointed - 10 Sep 1880 Appointed, Archbishop of Chicago, Illinois)
Joseph (James) Rademacher † (3 Apr 1883 Appointed - 14 Jul 1893 Appointed, Bishop of Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Thomas Sebastian Byrne † (10 May 1894 Appointed - 4 Sep 1923 Died)
Alphonse John Smith † (23 Dec 1923 Appointed - 16 Dec 1935 Died)
William Lawrence Adrian † (6 Feb 1936 Appointed - 4 Sep 1969 Retired)
Joseph Aloysius Durick † (4 Sep 1969 Succeeded - 2 Apr 1975 Resigned)
James Daniel Niedergeses † (8 Apr 1975 Appointed - 13 Oct 1992 Retired)
Edward Urban Kmiec † (13 Oct 1992 Appointed - 12 Aug 2004 Appointed, Bishop of Buffalo, New York)
David Raymond Choby † (20 Dec 2005 Appointed - 3 Jun 2017 Died)
Joseph Mark Spalding (21 Nov 2017 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
28 July 1837	Erected	Diocese of Bardstown	Diocese of Nashville (erected) (State of Tennessee)
19 July 1850	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Chicago (from Baltimore to Saint Louis) Diocese of Dubuque (from Baltimore to Saint Louis) Diocese of Milwaukee (from Baltimore to Saint Louis) Diocese of Nashville (from Baltimore to Saint Louis)
10 December 1937	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Nashville (from Cincinnati)
20 June 1970	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nashville (Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, and Weakley)	Diocese of Memphis (erected)
27 May 1988	Territory Lost	Diocese of Nashville (Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancook, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Picket, Polh, Rhea, Roane, ...)	Diocese of Knoxville (erected)

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

1950 37,501 3,250,000 1.2% 89 30 119 315 68 455 55 ap1951

1966 85,710 3,883,000 2.2% 124 36 160 535 98 494 75 ap1967

1970 90,595 4,015,760 2.3% 122 45 167 542 123 498 81 ap1971

1976 57,609 2,840,000 2.0% 79 23 102 564 25 44 248 56 ap1977

1980 65,981 2,879,000 2.3% 74 39 113 583 26 61 163 61 ap1981

1990 47,395 1,493,281 3.2% 51 19 70 677 34 20 191 50 ap1991

1999 63,363 1,824,375 3.5% 53 21 74 856 27 4 153 50 ap2000

2000 70,587 1,959,257 3.6% 48 21 69 1,023 53 25 151 50 ap2001

2001 73,652 1,985,023 3.7% 44 24 68 1,083 54 26 149 50 ap2002

2002 69,480 2,106,868 3.3% 48 25 73 951 55 27 176 51 ap2003

2003 70,623 2,097,905 3.4% 49 25 74 954 53 26 191 51 ap2004

2004 71,188 2,105,161 3.4% 47 28 75 949 52 29 183 51 ap2005

2013 78,700 2,444,050 3.2% 62 27 89 884 69 30 265 53 ap2014

2016 79,521 2,563,058 3.1% 64 22 86 924 97 24 250 52 ap2017

2019 85,600 2,693,600 3.2% 76 19 95 901 93 19 303 52 ap2020

2021 84,637 2,793,550 3.0% 80 16 96 881 89 17 335 52 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	37,501	3,250,000	1.2%	89	30	119	315		68	455	55	ap1951
1966	85,710	3,883,000	2.2%	124	36	160	535		98	494	75	ap1967
1970	90,595	4,015,760	2.3%	122	45	167	542		123	498	81	ap1971
1976	57,609	2,840,000	2.0%	79	23	102	564	25	44	248	56	ap1977
1980	65,981	2,879,000	2.3%	74	39	113	583	26	61	163	61	ap1981
1990	47,395	1,493,281	3.2%	51	19	70	677	34	20	191	50	ap1991
1999	63,363	1,824,375	3.5%	53	21	74	856	27	4	153	50	ap2000
2000	70,587	1,959,257	3.6%	48	21	69	1,023	53	25	151	50	ap2001
2001	73,652	1,985,023	3.7%	44	24	68	1,083	54	26	149	50	ap2002
2002	69,480	2,106,868	3.3%	48	25	73	951	55	27	176	51	ap2003
2003	70,623	2,097,905	3.4%	49	25	74	954	53	26	191	51	ap2004
2004	71,188	2,105,161	3.4%	47	28	75	949	52	29	183	51	ap2005
2013	78,700	2,444,050	3.2%	62	27	89	884	69	30	265	53	ap2014
2016	79,521	2,563,058	3.1%	64	22	86	924	97	24	250	52	ap2017
2019	85,600	2,693,600	3.2%	76	19	95	901	93	19	303	52	ap2020
2021	84,637	2,793,550	3.0%	80	16	96	881	89	17	335	52	ap2022