Alexandria (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Robert William Marshall, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Split: 16 June 1986
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Louisiana
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 27,810 (10,741 Square Miles)
Description: Rapides, Avoyelles, Concordia, Catahoula, LaSalle, Grant, Natchitoches, Vernon, Tensas, Caldwell, Winn, Franklin, and Madison Parishes (counties).
Conference Region: V (AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: ALX
Official Web Site: http://www.diocesealex.org/
Mailing Address: 4400 Coliseum Boulevard, Alexandria, LA 71303-3513, USA
Telephone: (318) 445-6424
Fax: 448-6121

Historical Details

Diocese of Natchitoches
- Latin Name: Natchitochensis
- Erected: 29 July 1853
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Louisiana
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Alexandria
- Latin Name: Alexandrina
- Name Changed: 6 August 1910
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Louisiana
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport
- Latin Name: Alexandrina-Sreveportuensis
- Name Changed: 18 October 1976
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Louisiana
- Country: United States of America
- Square Kilometers: 57,507 (22,212 Square Miles)

Past and Present Ordinaries

Auguste Marie Martin † (29 Jul 1853 Appointed - 29 Sep 1875 Died)
Francis Xavier Leray † (19 Dec 1876 Appointed - 26 Sep 1879 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana)
Anthony Durier † (19 Dec 1884 Appointed - 28 Feb 1904 Died)
Cornelius Van de Ven † (10 Aug 1904 Appointed - 8 May 1932 Died)
Daniel Francis Desmond † (16 Dec 1932 Appointed - 11 Sep 1945 Died)
Charles Pasquale Greco † (15 Jan 1946 Appointed - 10 May 1973 Retired)
Lawrence Preston Joseph Graves † (10 May 1973 Appointed - 20 Jul 1982 Resigned)
William Benedict Friend † (17 Nov 1982 Appointed - 16 Jun 1986 Appointed, Bishop of Shreveport, Louisiana)
John Clement Favalora (16 Jun 1986 Appointed - 14 Mar 1989 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Petersburg, Florida)
Sam Joseph Galip Jacobs (1 Jul 1989 Appointed - 1 Aug 2003 Appointed, Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana)
Ronald Paul Herzog † (4 Nov 2004 Appointed - 2 Feb 2017 Retired)
David Prescott Talley (2 Feb 2017 Succeeded - 5 Mar 2019 Appointed, Bishop of Memphis, Tennessee)
Robert William Marshall (21 Apr 2020 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Natchitoches
29 July 1853	Erected	Archdiocese of New Orleans	Diocese of Natchitoches (erected) (Between 32° and 33° lattitude, from the Mississippi River to the boundaries of Texas)
Diocese of Alexandria
6 August 1910	Name Changed	Diocese of Natchitoches	Diocese of Alexandria
Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport
18 October 1976	Name Changed	Diocese of Alexandria	Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport
Diocese of Alexandria
16 June 1986	Split	Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport	Diocese of Alexandria Diocese of Shreveport (Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, Union, Morehouse, West Carroll, DeSoto, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Richland, Red River, and Sabine)

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 Alexandria

1950 52,481 900,000 5.8% 65 60 125 419 52 305 95 ap1951

1959 76,920 906,736 8.5% 121 57 178 432 57 413 78 ap1960

1966 91,859 1,009,860 9.1% 130 56 186 493 27 352 87 ap1967

1970 43,451 1,015,891 4.3% 112 53 165 263 71 279 84 ap1971

Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport

1976 73,500 1,083,132 6.8% 98 42 140 525 53 221 85 ap1977

1980 83,432 1,130,000 7.4% 101 42 143 583 1 55 226 82 ap1981

Diocese of Alexandria

1990 48,050 423,400 11.3% 54 15 69 696 10 19 67 48 ap1991

1999 48,050 401,211 12.0% 66 16 82 585 6 3 64 48 ap2000

2000 48,050 401,211 12.0% 59 15 74 649 18 56 49 ap2001

2001 49,050 401,211 12.2% 57 14 71 690 5 17 49 47 ap2002

2002 47,321 392,639 12.1% 61 12 73 648 5 16 49 48 ap2003

2003 48,050 389,970 12.3% 57 12 69 696 5 16 48 48 ap2004

2004 48,050 392,639 12.2% 60 14 74 649 5 18 39 48 ap2005

2006 48,050 388,903 12.4% 58 14 72 667 6 18 39 48 ap2007

2012 44,600 395,600 11.3% 71 13 84 530 6 17 31 50 ap2013

2015 36,669 383,421 9.6% 61 13 74 495 18 17 23 50 ap2016

2018 35,199 367,579 9.6% 71 7 78 451 15 10 20 50 ap2019

2020 35,968 389,675 9.2% 64 5 69 521 23 8 16 50 ap2021

2022 36,804 370,861 9.9% 65 3 68 541 22 5 15 50 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 Alexandria
1950	52,481	900,000	5.8%	65	60	125	419		52	305	95	ap1951
1959	76,920	906,736	8.5%	121	57	178	432		57	413	78	ap1960
1966	91,859	1,009,860	9.1%	130	56	186	493		27	352	87	ap1967
1970	43,451	1,015,891	4.3%	112	53	165	263		71	279	84	ap1971
Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport
1976	73,500	1,083,132	6.8%	98	42	140	525		53	221	85	ap1977
1980	83,432	1,130,000	7.4%	101	42	143	583	1	55	226	82	ap1981
Diocese of Alexandria
1990	48,050	423,400	11.3%	54	15	69	696	10	19	67	48	ap1991
1999	48,050	401,211	12.0%	66	16	82	585	6	3	64	48	ap2000
2000	48,050	401,211	12.0%	59	15	74	649		18	56	49	ap2001
2001	49,050	401,211	12.2%	57	14	71	690	5	17	49	47	ap2002
2002	47,321	392,639	12.1%	61	12	73	648	5	16	49	48	ap2003
2003	48,050	389,970	12.3%	57	12	69	696	5	16	48	48	ap2004
2004	48,050	392,639	12.2%	60	14	74	649	5	18	39	48	ap2005
2006	48,050	388,903	12.4%	58	14	72	667	6	18	39	48	ap2007
2012	44,600	395,600	11.3%	71	13	84	530	6	17	31	50	ap2013
2015	36,669	383,421	9.6%	61	13	74	495	18	17	23	50	ap2016
2018	35,199	367,579	9.6%	71	7	78	451	15	10	20	50	ap2019
2020	35,968	389,675	9.2%	64	5	69	521	23	8	16	50	ap2021
2022	36,804	370,861	9.9%	65	3	68	541	22	5	15	50	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Daniel Francis Desmond † (Bishop: 16 Dec 1932 to 11 Sep 1945)
Anthony Durier † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1884 to 28 Feb 1904)
William Benedict Friend † (Auxiliary Bishop: 31 Aug 1979; Bishop: 17 Nov 1982 to 16 Jun 1986)
Lawrence Preston Joseph Graves † (Bishop: 10 May 1973 to 20 Jul 1982)
Charles Pasquale Greco † (Bishop: 15 Jan 1946 to 10 May 1973)
Ronald Paul Herzog † (Bishop: 4 Nov 2004 to 2 Feb 2017)
Francis Xavier Leray † (Bishop: 19 Dec 1876 to 26 Sep 1879)
Auguste Marie Martin † (Bishop: 29 Jul 1853 to 29 Sep 1875)
Cornelius Van de Ven † (Bishop: 10 Aug 1904 to 8 May 1932)

Source(s)

Diocese of Natchitoches
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 175
Diocese of Alexandria
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 9, Page 266
Diocese of Alexandria-Shreveport
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 68, Page 681, and Page 682

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Diocese of Alexandria

Dioecesis Alexandrina