Fall River (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V., Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 12 March 1904
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Boston
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Massachusetts
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 3,107 (1,200 Square Miles)
Description: Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket Counties plus parts of Plymouth County.
Conference Region: I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: FR
Official Web Site: http://www.fallriverdiocese.org/
Mailing Address: 47 Underwood St., Fall River, MA 02722, USA
Telephone: (508)675-1311
Fax: 679-9220

Past and Present Ordinaries

William Stang † (12 Mar 1904 Appointed - 2 Feb 1907 Died)
Daniel Francis Feehan † (3 Jul 1907 Appointed - 19 Jul 1934 Died)
James Edwin Cassidy † (28 Jul 1934 Succeeded - 17 May 1951 Died)
James Louis Connolly † (17 May 1951 Succeeded - 30 Oct 1970 Retired)
Daniel Anthony Cronin (30 Oct 1970 Appointed - 10 Dec 1991 Appointed, Archbishop of Hartford, Connecticut)
Seán Patrick O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap. (16 Jun 1992 Appointed - 3 Sep 2002 Appointed, Bishop of Palm Beach, Florida)
George William Coleman † (30 Apr 2003 Appointed - 3 Jul 2014 Retired)
Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V. (3 Jul 2014 Appointed - )

Date	Event	From	To
12 March 1904	Erected	Diocese of Providence	Diocese of Fall River (erected)

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

1950 214,515 440,729 48.7% 206 110 316 678 94 987 97 ap1951

1966 277,916 494,723 56.2% 244 166 410 677 290 1,020 109 ap1967

1970 297,418 493,723 60.2% 241 181 422 704 208 1,004 112 ap1971

1976 325,000 535,000 60.7% 225 178 403 806 231 812 113 ap1977

1980 335,000 553,000 60.6% 229 172 401 835 216 747 113 ap1981

1990 350,430 700,440 50.0% 193 154 347 1,009 36 194 512 111 ap1991

1999 341,482 721,500 47.3% 180 135 315 1,084 56 27 366 111 ap2000

2000 361,350 735,900 49.1% 159 137 296 1,220 62 168 326 110 ap2001

2001 348,549 787,876 44.2% 167 130 297 1,173 62 166 314 106 ap2002

2002 350,570 590,911 59.3% 172 122 294 1,192 62 158 303 103 ap2003

2003 346,054 824,235 42.0% 169 141 310 1,116 90 167 295 101 ap2004

2006 347,385 831,965 41.8% 153 121 274 1,267 85 131 212 96 ap2007

2013 315,000 834,000 37.8% 140 84 224 1,406 81 98 147 89 ap2014

2016 288,439 831,062 34.7% 131 69 200 1,442 94 80 99 82 ap2017

2019 278,863 836,255 33.3% 122 58 180 1,549 87 71 112 80 ap2020

2021 275,290 825,540 33.3% 123 63 186 1,480 89 73 105 78 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	214,515	440,729	48.7%	206	110	316	678		94	987	97	ap1951
1966	277,916	494,723	56.2%	244	166	410	677		290	1,020	109	ap1967
1970	297,418	493,723	60.2%	241	181	422	704		208	1,004	112	ap1971
1976	325,000	535,000	60.7%	225	178	403	806		231	812	113	ap1977
1980	335,000	553,000	60.6%	229	172	401	835		216	747	113	ap1981
1990	350,430	700,440	50.0%	193	154	347	1,009	36	194	512	111	ap1991
1999	341,482	721,500	47.3%	180	135	315	1,084	56	27	366	111	ap2000
2000	361,350	735,900	49.1%	159	137	296	1,220	62	168	326	110	ap2001
2001	348,549	787,876	44.2%	167	130	297	1,173	62	166	314	106	ap2002
2002	350,570	590,911	59.3%	172	122	294	1,192	62	158	303	103	ap2003
2003	346,054	824,235	42.0%	169	141	310	1,116	90	167	295	101	ap2004
2006	347,385	831,965	41.8%	153	121	274	1,267	85	131	212	96	ap2007
2013	315,000	834,000	37.8%	140	84	224	1,406	81	98	147	89	ap2014
2016	288,439	831,062	34.7%	131	69	200	1,442	94	80	99	82	ap2017
2019	278,863	836,255	33.3%	122	58	180	1,549	87	71	112	80	ap2020
2021	275,290	825,540	33.3%	123	63	186	1,480	89	73	105	78	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

William Otterwell Brady † (Priest: 21 Dec 1923 to 10 Jun 1939)
James Edwin Cassidy † (Auxiliary Bishop: 21 Mar 1930; Apostolic Administrator: 3 Oct 1930 to 13 Jul 1934; Coadjutor Bishop: 13 Jul 1934; Bishop: 28 Jul 1934 to 17 May 1951)
George William Coleman † (Priest: 16 Dec 1964; Administrator: Oct 2002 to 22 Jul 2003; Bishop: 30 Apr 2003 to 3 Jul 2014)
James Louis Connolly † (Priest: 21 Dec 1923 to 1924; Coadjutor Bishop: 7 Apr 1945; Bishop: 17 May 1951 to 30 Oct 1970)
Joseph Patrick Delaney † (Priest: 18 Dec 1960 to 1971)
Frederick Anthony Donaghy, M.M. †
Daniel Francis Feehan † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1907 to 19 Jul 1934)
James Joseph Gerrard † (Priest: 26 May 1923; Auxiliary Bishop: 2 Feb 1959 to 12 Jan 1976)
Roland Alexander Huot, S.S.S. †
Humberto Sousa Medeiros † (Priest: 15 Jun 1946 to 14 Apr 1966)
John Edward Morris, M.M. † (Priest: 13 Jun 1914 to 31 Jan 1921)
Joseph William Regan, M.M. †
William Stang † (Bishop: 12 Mar 1904 to 2 Feb 1907)

Diocese of Fall River

Dioecesis Riverormensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased