Bismarck (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

David Dennis Kagan, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 31 December 1909
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: North Dakota
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 88,754 (34,281 Square Miles)
Description: Adams, Billings, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh, Divide, Dunn, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Oliver, Renville, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Ward, and Williams Counties.
Conference Region: VIII (MN, ND, SD)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: BIS
Official Web Site: https://www.bismarckdiocese.com
Mailing Address: 520 N. Washington St., Bismarck, ND 58501; P.O. Box 1575, Bismarck, ND 58502, USA
Telephone: (701)223-1347
Fax: 223-3693

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Baptist Vincent de Paul Wehrle, O.S.B. † (9 Apr 1910 Appointed - 11 Dec 1939 Retired)
Vincent James Ryan † (19 Mar 1940 Appointed - 10 Nov 1951 Died)
Lambert Anthony Hoch † (23 Jan 1952 Appointed - 27 Nov 1956 Appointed, Bishop of Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Hilary Baumann Hacker † (29 Dec 1956 Appointed - 28 Jun 1982 Resigned)
John Francis Kinney † (28 Jun 1982 Appointed - 9 May 1995 Appointed, Bishop of Saint Cloud, Minnesota)
Paul Albert Zipfel † (31 Dec 1996 Appointed - 19 Oct 2011 Retired)
David Dennis Kagan (19 Oct 2011 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
31 December 1909	Erected	Diocese of Fargo (Adams, Billings, Bowman, Burke, Burleigh, Divide, Dunn, Emmons, Golden Valley, Grant, Hettinger, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Northwest Bottineau, Oliver, Renville, Sioux, Slope, Stark, Ward, and Williams counties)	Diocese of Bismarck (erected)
13 January 2018	Territory Added	Diocese of Fargo (Saint John in Lansford)	Diocese of Bismarck

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

1950 50,321 233,062 21.6% 81 82 163 308 56 213 144 ap1951

1959 62,972 243,794 25.8% 93 62 155 406 71 248 136 ap1960

1966 75,838 245,698 30.9% 102 64 166 456 77 290 132 ap1967

1970 74,404 245,698 30.3% 92 60 152 489 79 420 87 ap1971

1976 73,744 244,777 30.1% 79 50 129 571 81 346 77 ap1977

1980 76,817 249,000 30.9% 75 62 137 560 87 298 73 ap1981

1990 71,328 273,278 26.1% 78 40 118 604 40 64 203 69 ap1991

1999 66,763 253,552 26.3% 67 28 95 702 56 21 153 62 ap2000

2000 67,559 253,552 26.6% 66 29 95 711 59 50 149 100 ap2001

2001 68,484 254,426 26.9% 70 27 97 706 59 53 142 100 ap2002

2002 67,416 254,426 26.5% 69 27 96 702 63 51 140 100 ap2003

2003 61,378 254,426 24.1% 70 28 98 626 66 56 138 100 ap2004

2004 64,245 259,479 24.8% 68 28 96 669 68 54 129 100 ap2005

2006 62,898 261,000 24.1% 70 27 97 648 72 50 122 62 ap2007

2010 65,284 270,000 24.2% 66 32 98 666 77 52 95 99 ap2011

2012 66,200 274,100 24.2% 73 22 95 696 79 42 78 98 ap2013

2015 59,130 315,292 18.8% 69 23 92 642 81 41 86 98 ap2016

2018 60,342 337,606 17.9% 64 19 83 727 78 38 75 97 ap2019

2020 60,192 336,520 17.9% 63 12 75 802 84 33 73 97 ap2021

2022 62,960 352,117 17.9% 67 9 76 828 88 28 60 97 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	50,321	233,062	21.6%	81	82	163	308		56	213	144	ap1951
1959	62,972	243,794	25.8%	93	62	155	406		71	248	136	ap1960
1966	75,838	245,698	30.9%	102	64	166	456		77	290	132	ap1967
1970	74,404	245,698	30.3%	92	60	152	489		79	420	87	ap1971
1976	73,744	244,777	30.1%	79	50	129	571		81	346	77	ap1977
1980	76,817	249,000	30.9%	75	62	137	560		87	298	73	ap1981
1990	71,328	273,278	26.1%	78	40	118	604	40	64	203	69	ap1991
1999	66,763	253,552	26.3%	67	28	95	702	56	21	153	62	ap2000
2000	67,559	253,552	26.6%	66	29	95	711	59	50	149	100	ap2001
2001	68,484	254,426	26.9%	70	27	97	706	59	53	142	100	ap2002
2002	67,416	254,426	26.5%	69	27	96	702	63	51	140	100	ap2003
2003	61,378	254,426	24.1%	70	28	98	626	66	56	138	100	ap2004
2004	64,245	259,479	24.8%	68	28	96	669	68	54	129	100	ap2005
2006	62,898	261,000	24.1%	70	27	97	648	72	50	122	62	ap2007
2010	65,284	270,000	24.2%	66	32	98	666	77	52	95	99	ap2011
2012	66,200	274,100	24.2%	73	22	95	696	79	42	78	98	ap2013
2015	59,130	315,292	18.8%	69	23	92	642	81	41	86	98	ap2016
2018	60,342	337,606	17.9%	64	19	83	727	78	38	75	97	ap2019
2020	60,192	336,520	17.9%	63	12	75	802	84	33	73	97	ap2021
2022	62,960	352,117	17.9%	67	9	76	828	88	28	60	97	ap2023