Amarillo (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Patrick James Zurek, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 3 August 1926
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of San Antonio
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Texas
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 9,962 (25,800 Square Miles)
Description: Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher, and Wheeler Counties
Conference Region: X (AR, OK, TX)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: AMA
Official Web Site: https://amarillodiocese.org
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 4512 N.E. 24th Ave., Amarillo, TX 79107; P.O. Box 5644, Amarillo, TX 79117-5644, USA
Telephone: (806) 383-2243
Fax: 383-8452

Past and Present Ordinaries

Rudolph Aloysius Gerken † (25 Aug 1926 Appointed - 2 Jun 1933 Appointed, Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Robert Emmet Lucey † (10 Feb 1934 Appointed - 21 Jan 1941 Appointed, Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas)
Laurence Julius FitzSimon † (2 Aug 1941 Appointed - 2 Jul 1958 Died)
John Louis Morkovsky † (18 Aug 1958 Appointed - 16 Apr 1963 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Galveston-Houston, Texas)
Lawrence Michael De Falco † (16 Apr 1963 Appointed - 28 Aug 1979 Resigned)
Leroy Theodore Matthiesen † (18 Mar 1980 Appointed - 21 Jan 1997 Retired)
John Walter Yanta † (21 Jan 1997 Appointed - 3 Jan 2008 Retired)
Patrick James Zurek (3 Jan 2008 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
3 August 1926	Erected	Diocese of Dallas (Dollam, Sherman, Hansford, Ochiltree, Lipscomb, Hartley, Moore, Hutchison, Roberts, Hemphill, Oldham, Potter, Carson, Gray, Wheeler, Deaf Smith, Randall, Armstrong, Donley, Collingsworth, Parmer, Castro, Swisher, Briscoe, Hall, Childress, Bailey, Lamb,...) Diocese of El Paso (Gaines, Andrews, Ector, and Crane) Diocese of San Antonio (Martin, Howard, Midland, Glasscock, Sterling, Upton, Reagan, Irion, Tom Green, Concho, Crockett, Schleicher, Menard, Sutton, Kimble, one-half of Mitchell and Coke, and one-eighth of Runnels)	Diocese of Amarillo (erected)
16 October 1961	Territory Lost	Diocese of Amarillo (Counties of Kimble, Sutton, Crockett, Schleicher, Concho, Menard, Tom Green, Irion, Reagan, Upton, Crane, Ector, Midland, Glasscock, Sterling, Coke, Nolan, Mitchell, Howard, Martin, Andrews, Scurry, Fisher, and Stonewall) Diocese of Austin (Counties of McCulloch, Brown, and Coleman) Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth (Counties of Runnels, Callhan, Taylor, Jones, and Haskell) Diocese of El Paso (Counties of Pecos and Terrei)	Diocese of San Angelo (erected)
25 March 1983	Territory Lost	Diocese of Amarillo (Lubbock, Crosby, Dickens, King, Cottle, Motley, Floyd, Hale, Bailey, Cochran, Hockley, Yoakum, Terry, Lynn, Garza, Lamb, Kent, Gaines, Dawson, and Borden) Diocese of San Angelo (Scurry, Fisher, Stonewall, Jones, and Haskell)	Diocese of Lubbock (erected)

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

1949 40,048 700,000 5.7% 32 40 72 556 40 192 35 ap1951

1958 72,800 1,040,000 7.0% 62 35 97 750 36 220 58 ap1960

1966 80,000 777,339 10.3% 77 20 97 824 22 180 90 ap1967

1970 875,000 .0% 73 73 0 56 ap1971

1976 75,819 750,000 10.1% 62 17 79 959 17 150 59 ap1977

1980 89,051 812,000 11.0% 56 23 79 1,127 33 25 168 61 ap1981

1990 31,781 385,000 8.3% 45 8 53 599 34 8 126 33 ap1991

1999 46,356 393,822 11.8% 61 2 63 735 44 148 35 ap2000

2000 48,783 401,261 12.2% 49 3 52 938 46 3 138 35 ap2001

2001 54,208 413,067 13.1% 48 6 54 1,003 54 7 138 35 ap2002

2002 56,361 432,190 13.0% 49 10 59 955 54 11 144 35 ap2003

2003 49,361 436,422 11.3% 43 9 52 949 54 10 130 35 ap2004

2004 43,651 432,190 10.1% 34 11 45 970 54 12 106 35 ap2005

2006 39,609 422,448 9.4% 37 11 48 825 47 12 106 35 ap2007

2012 50,237 427,927 11.7% 37 16 53 947 57 16 105 38 ap2013

2015 48,678 448,525 10.9% 32 10 42 1,159 53 10 78 38 ap2016

2018 42,092 441,340 9.5% 34 6 40 1,052 48 6 96 38 ap2019

2020 45,586 475,780 9.6% 31 3 34 1,340 48 3 80 38 ap2021

2022 45,870 478,700 9.6% 32 2 34 1,349 46 2 87 38 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1949	40,048	700,000	5.7%	32	40	72	556		40	192	35	ap1951
1958	72,800	1,040,000	7.0%	62	35	97	750		36	220	58	ap1960
1966	80,000	777,339	10.3%	77	20	97	824		22	180	90	ap1967
1970		875,000	.0%	73		73	0				56	ap1971
1976	75,819	750,000	10.1%	62	17	79	959		17	150	59	ap1977
1980	89,051	812,000	11.0%	56	23	79	1,127	33	25	168	61	ap1981
1990	31,781	385,000	8.3%	45	8	53	599	34	8	126	33	ap1991
1999	46,356	393,822	11.8%	61	2	63	735	44		148	35	ap2000
2000	48,783	401,261	12.2%	49	3	52	938	46	3	138	35	ap2001
2001	54,208	413,067	13.1%	48	6	54	1,003	54	7	138	35	ap2002
2002	56,361	432,190	13.0%	49	10	59	955	54	11	144	35	ap2003
2003	49,361	436,422	11.3%	43	9	52	949	54	10	130	35	ap2004
2004	43,651	432,190	10.1%	34	11	45	970	54	12	106	35	ap2005
2006	39,609	422,448	9.4%	37	11	48	825	47	12	106	35	ap2007
2012	50,237	427,927	11.7%	37	16	53	947	57	16	105	38	ap2013
2015	48,678	448,525	10.9%	32	10	42	1,159	53	10	78	38	ap2016
2018	42,092	441,340	9.5%	34	6	40	1,052	48	6	96	38	ap2019
2020	45,586	475,780	9.6%	31	3	34	1,340	48	3	80	38	ap2021
2022	45,870	478,700	9.6%	32	2	34	1,349	46	2	87	38	ap2023

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Lawrence Michael De Falco † (Bishop: 16 Apr 1963 to 28 Aug 1979)
Thomas Joseph Drury † (Priest: 2 Jun 1935 to 30 Oct 1961)
Laurence Julius FitzSimon † (Bishop: 2 Aug 1941 to 2 Jul 1958)
Rudolph Aloysius Gerken † (Bishop: 25 Aug 1926 to 2 Jun 1933)
Robert Emmet Lucey † (Bishop: 10 Feb 1934 to 21 Jan 1941)
Leroy Theodore Matthiesen † (Priest: 10 Mar 1946; Bishop: 18 Mar 1980 to 21 Jan 1997)
John Louis Morkovsky † (Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Dec 1955; Bishop: 18 Aug 1958 to 16 Apr 1963)
John Walter Yanta † (Bishop: 21 Jan 1997 to 3 Jan 2008)

Diocese of Amarillo

Dioecesis Amarillensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)