Seattle (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Paul Dennis Etienne, Archbishop
Eusebio de la Luz Elizondo Almaguer, M.Sp.S., Auxiliary Bishop
Franklin Raymond Schuster, Auxiliary Bishop
James Peter Sartain, Archbishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Elevated: 23 June 1951
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Washington
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 64,269 (24,823 Square Miles)
Conference Region: XII (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: SEA
Official Web Site: https://archseattle.org
Mailing Address: 710 9th Ave., Seattle, WA 98104, USA
Telephone: (206)382-4560
Fax: 382-3495

Historical Details

Diocese of Nesqually
- Latin Name: Nesqualien
- Erected: 31 May 1850
- State: Washington
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Seattle
- Latin Name: Seattlensis
- Name Changed: 11 September 1907
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
- State: Washington
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 36,644
- Description: Chehalis, Chelan, Clallam, Clarke, Cowlitz, Island, Jefferson, King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Whatcom, and Yakima Counties.

Past and Present Ordinaries

Augustin-Magloire-Alexandre Blanchet † (31 May 1850 Appointed - 14 Jul 1879 Retired)
Egidius Jünger † (6 Aug 1879 Appointed - 26 Dec 1895 Died)
Edward John O’Dea † (13 Jun 1896 Appointed - 25 Dec 1932 Died)
Gerald Shaughnessy, S.M. † (1 Jul 1933 Appointed - 18 May 1950 Died)
Thomas Arthur Connolly † (18 May 1950 Succeeded - 13 Feb 1975 Retired)
Raymond Gerhardt Hunthausen † (13 Feb 1975 Appointed - 21 Aug 1991 Retired)
Thomas Joseph Murphy † (21 Aug 1991 Succeeded - 26 Jun 1997 Died)
Alexander Joseph Brunett † (28 Oct 1997 Appointed - 16 Sep 2010 Retired)
James Peter Sartain (16 Sep 2010 Appointed - 3 Sep 2019 Resigned)
Paul Dennis Etienne (3 Sep 2019 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Nesqually
31 May 1850	Erected	Archdiocese of Oregon City	Diocese of Nesqually (erected)
29 July 1853	Territory Added	Diocese of Walla Walla (suppressed)	Diocese of Nesqually Archdiocese of Oregon City
Diocese of Seattle
11 September 1907	Name Changed	Diocese of Nesqually	Diocese of Seattle
17 December 1913	Territory Lost	Diocese of Seattle (Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend'Oreille, Douglas, Grant, Lincoln, Spokane, Adams, Whitman, Benton, Franklin, Walla-Walla, Columbia, Garfield, and Asotin)	Diocese of Spokane (erected)
23 June 1951	Territory Lost	Diocese of Seattle (Chelan, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Yakima) Diocese of Spokane (Douglas, Grant, and Benton)	Diocese of Yakima (erected)
Archdiocese of Seattle
23 June 1951	Elevated	Diocese of Seattle	Archdiocese of Seattle

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 Seattle

1950 183,000 1,662,770 11.0% 127 176 303 603 232 1,008 113 ap1951

Archdiocese of Seattle

1966 292,675 2,189,800 13.4% 212 273 485 603 319 1,174 118 ap1967

1970 334,468 2,528,000 13.2% 202 235 437 765 281 1,072 125 ap1971

1976 340,221 2,628,190 12.9% 179 220 399 852 24 271 875 127 ap1977

1980 358,460 2,825,350 12.7% 221 232 453 791 48 267 895 130 ap1981

1990 320,814 3,598,800 8.9% 214 163 377 850 83 201 673 133 ap1991

1999 508,900 4,425,100 11.5% 199 135 334 1,523 86 33 650 138 ap2000

2000 852,302 4,485,800 19.0% 191 116 307 2,776 76 144 523 168 ap2001

2001 850,925 4,587,375 18.5% 184 117 301 2,826 73 146 492 168 ap2002

2002 861,200 4,655,100 18.5% 196 109 305 2,823 71 138 488 169 ap2003

2003 860,000 4,711,700 18.3% 207 105 312 2,756 71 134 471 169 ap2004

2004 904,000 4,755,500 19.0% 205 108 313 2,888 98 133 452 169 ap2005

2010 972,000 5,202,500 18.7% 214 103 317 3,066 113 122 409 144 ap2011

2013 990,000 5,299,770 18.7% 209 95 304 3,256 124 114 370 147 ap2014

2014 997,000 5,350,045 18.6% 204 94 298 3,345 116 109 367 147 ap2015

2016 863,000 5,501,540 15.7% 194 93 287 3,006 111 114 341 146 ap2017

2017 856,000 5,610,840 15.3% 196 96 292 2,931 117 115 322 145 ap2018

2020 873,000 5,851,525 14.9% 187 95 282 3,095 105 109 285 144 ap2021

2022 899,000 6,117,925 14.7% 191 79 270 3,329 113 92 234 143 ap2023

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 Seattle
1950	183,000	1,662,770	11.0%	127	176	303	603		232	1,008	113	ap1951
Archdiocese of Seattle
1966	292,675	2,189,800	13.4%	212	273	485	603		319	1,174	118	ap1967
1970	334,468	2,528,000	13.2%	202	235	437	765		281	1,072	125	ap1971
1976	340,221	2,628,190	12.9%	179	220	399	852	24	271	875	127	ap1977
1980	358,460	2,825,350	12.7%	221	232	453	791	48	267	895	130	ap1981
1990	320,814	3,598,800	8.9%	214	163	377	850	83	201	673	133	ap1991
1999	508,900	4,425,100	11.5%	199	135	334	1,523	86	33	650	138	ap2000
2000	852,302	4,485,800	19.0%	191	116	307	2,776	76	144	523	168	ap2001
2001	850,925	4,587,375	18.5%	184	117	301	2,826	73	146	492	168	ap2002
2002	861,200	4,655,100	18.5%	196	109	305	2,823	71	138	488	169	ap2003
2003	860,000	4,711,700	18.3%	207	105	312	2,756	71	134	471	169	ap2004
2004	904,000	4,755,500	19.0%	205	108	313	2,888	98	133	452	169	ap2005
2010	972,000	5,202,500	18.7%	214	103	317	3,066	113	122	409	144	ap2011
2013	990,000	5,299,770	18.7%	209	95	304	3,256	124	114	370	147	ap2014
2014	997,000	5,350,045	18.6%	204	94	298	3,345	116	109	367	147	ap2015
2016	863,000	5,501,540	15.7%	194	93	287	3,006	111	114	341	146	ap2017
2017	856,000	5,610,840	15.3%	196	96	292	2,931	117	115	322	145	ap2018
2020	873,000	5,851,525	14.9%	187	95	282	3,095	105	109	285	144	ap2021
2022	899,000	6,117,925	14.7%	191	79	270	3,329	113	92	234	143	ap2023