Charleston (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Jacques Eric Fabre-Jeune, C.S., Bishop
Robert Eric Guglielmone, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 11 July 1820
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Atlanta
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: South Carolina
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 80,779 (31,200 Square Miles)
Description: Comprises the State of South Carolina.
Conference Region: XIV (FL, GA, NC, SC)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: CHR
Official Web Site: https://charlestondiocese.org
Mailing Address: 901 Orange Grove Road, Charleston, SC 29407, USA
Telephone: (843)261-0527
Fax: 804-9408

Past and Present Ordinaries

John England † (11 Aug 1820 Appointed - 11 Apr 1842 Died)
Ignatius Aloysius Reynolds † (28 Nov 1843 Appointed - 6 Mar 1855 Died)
John McCaffrey † (9 Jan 1857 Appointed - May 1857 Resigned)
Patrick Neeson Lynch † (11 Dec 1857 Appointed - 26 Feb 1882 Died)
Henry Pinckney Northrop † (27 Jan 1883 Appointed - 7 Jun 1916 Died)
William Thomas B. Russell † (7 Dec 1916 Appointed - 18 Mar 1927 Died)
Emmet Michael Walsh † (20 Jun 1927 Appointed - 8 Sep 1949 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Youngstown, Ohio)
John Joyce Russell † (28 Jan 1950 Appointed - 3 Jul 1958 Appointed, Bishop of Richmond, Virginia)
Paul John Hallinan † (9 Sep 1958 Appointed - 19 Feb 1962 Appointed, Archbishop of Atlanta, Georgia)
Francis Frederick Reh † (4 Jun 1962 Appointed - 5 Sep 1964 Appointed, Rector of the Pontifical North American College)
Ernest Leo Unterkoefler † (12 Dec 1964 Appointed - 22 Feb 1990 Resigned)
David Bernard Thompson † (22 Feb 1990 Succeeded - 12 Jul 1999 Resigned)
Robert Joseph Baker (12 Jul 1999 Appointed - 14 Aug 2007 Appointed, Bishop of Birmingham, Alabama)
Robert Eric Guglielmone (24 Jan 2009 Appointed - 22 Feb 2022 Retired)
Jacques Eric Fabre-Jeune, C.S. (22 Feb 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
11 July 1820	Erected	Archdiocese of Baltimore	Diocese of Charleston (erected) (North and South Carolina and Georgia) Diocese of Richmond (erected) (Entire state of Virginia)
18 June 1834	Territory Added		Diocese of Charleston (NC, SC, and GA)
19 July 1850	Territory Lost	Diocese of Charleston Diocese of Mobile	Diocese of Savannah (erected) (State of Georgia and Florida to the Appalachicola River)
3 March 1868	Territory Lost	Diocese of Charleston	Vicariate Apostolic of North Carolina (erected)
10 February 1962	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Charleston (From Baltimore to Atlanta)

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

1950 17,508 1,899,804 .9% 60 41 101 173 41 230 42 ap1951

1959 31,018 2,370,000 1.3% 78 56 134 231 94 335 57 ap1960

1966 41,704 2,450,000 1.7% 85 65 150 278 104 344 63 ap1967

1970 44,751 2,669,000 1.7% 97 59 156 286 82 278 65 ap1971

1976 51,561 2,784,000 1.9% 75 54 129 399 2 77 248 95 ap1977

1980 59,027 2,876,000 2.1% 78 57 135 437 18 84 272 105 ap1981

1990 78,768 3,566,650 2.2% 76 57 133 592 28 86 214 112 ap1991

1999 121,637 3,760,000 3.2% 92 34 126 965 63 28 137 85 ap2000

2000 126,794 3,885,736 3.3% 101 34 135 939 69 61 154 85 ap2001

2001 130,255 4,012,012 3.2% 100 34 134 972 70 64 151 91 ap2002

2002 130,696 4,012,012 3.3% 89 34 123 1,062 70 70 152 117 ap2003

2003 148,116 4,027,012 3.7% 102 43 145 1,021 103 86 137 117 ap2004

2004 152,413 4,054,890 3.8% 108 45 153 996 100 69 143 93 ap2005

2006 157,358 4,229,990 3.7% 96 44 140 1,123 78 64 134 92 ap2007

2013 192,422 4,679,230 4.1% 115 47 162 1,187 127 72 110 95 ap2014

2016 196,245 4,832,482 4.1% 106 48 154 1,274 110 68 91 96 ap2017

2019 196,736 5,024,369 3.9% 113 43 156 1,261 178 57 82 94 ap2020

2021 192,764 5,148,714 3.7% 111 39 150 1,285 187 58 84 94 ap2022

2023 205,947 5,282,634 3.9% 114 48 162 1,271 210 61 96 94 ap2024

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	17,508	1,899,804	.9%	60	41	101	173		41	230	42	ap1951
1959	31,018	2,370,000	1.3%	78	56	134	231		94	335	57	ap1960
1966	41,704	2,450,000	1.7%	85	65	150	278		104	344	63	ap1967
1970	44,751	2,669,000	1.7%	97	59	156	286		82	278	65	ap1971
1976	51,561	2,784,000	1.9%	75	54	129	399	2	77	248	95	ap1977
1980	59,027	2,876,000	2.1%	78	57	135	437	18	84	272	105	ap1981
1990	78,768	3,566,650	2.2%	76	57	133	592	28	86	214	112	ap1991
1999	121,637	3,760,000	3.2%	92	34	126	965	63	28	137	85	ap2000
2000	126,794	3,885,736	3.3%	101	34	135	939	69	61	154	85	ap2001
2001	130,255	4,012,012	3.2%	100	34	134	972	70	64	151	91	ap2002
2002	130,696	4,012,012	3.3%	89	34	123	1,062	70	70	152	117	ap2003
2003	148,116	4,027,012	3.7%	102	43	145	1,021	103	86	137	117	ap2004
2004	152,413	4,054,890	3.8%	108	45	153	996	100	69	143	93	ap2005
2006	157,358	4,229,990	3.7%	96	44	140	1,123	78	64	134	92	ap2007
2013	192,422	4,679,230	4.1%	115	47	162	1,187	127	72	110	95	ap2014
2016	196,245	4,832,482	4.1%	106	48	154	1,274	110	68	91	96	ap2017
2019	196,736	5,024,369	3.9%	113	43	156	1,261	178	57	82	94	ap2020
2021	192,764	5,148,714	3.7%	111	39	150	1,285	187	58	84	94	ap2022
2023	205,947	5,282,634	3.9%	114	48	162	1,271	210	61	96	94	ap2024

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

John Barry † (Priest: 24 Sep 1825 to 9 Jan 1857)
Joseph Louis Bernardin † (Priest: 26 Apr 1952 to 9 Mar 1966)
Andrew Byrne † (Priest: 11 Nov 1827 to 28 Nov 1843)
William Clancy † (Coadjutor Bishop: 30 Oct 1834 to 12 Apr 1837)
John England † (Bishop: 11 Aug 1820 to 11 Apr 1842)
Thomas Langdon Grace, O.P. †
Paul John Hallinan † (Bishop: 9 Sep 1958 to 19 Feb 1962)
James Augustine Healy †
Patrick Neeson Lynch † (Priest: 5 Apr 1840; Bishop: 11 Dec 1857 to 26 Feb 1882)
Edmund Fairbanks McCaffrey † (Priest: 1 Oct 1993 to 13 Nov 2016)
John McCaffrey † (Bishop: 9 Jan 1857 to May 1857)
John James Joseph Monaghan † (Priest: 18 Dec 1880 to 26 Jan 1897)
John Moore † (Priest: 9 Apr 1860 to 16 Feb 1877)
Henry Pinckney Northrop † (Priest: 25 Jun 1865 to 16 Sep 1881; Bishop: 27 Jan 1883 to 7 Jun 1916)
Francis Frederick Reh † (Bishop: 4 Jun 1962 to 5 Sep 1964)
Ignatius Aloysius Reynolds † (Bishop: 28 Nov 1843 to 6 Mar 1855)
John Joyce Russell † (Bishop: 28 Jan 1950 to 3 Jul 1958)
William Thomas B. Russell † (Bishop: 7 Dec 1916 to 18 Mar 1927)
David Bernard Thompson † (Coadjutor Bishop: 22 Apr 1989; Bishop: 22 Feb 1990 to 12 Jul 1999)
Ernest Leo Unterkoefler † (Bishop: 12 Dec 1964 to 22 Feb 1990)
Emmet Michael Walsh † (Bishop: 20 Jun 1927 to 8 Sep 1949)

Diocese of Charleston

Dioecesis Carolopolitana

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)