Fargo (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

John Thomas Folda, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 6 April 1897
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: North Dakota
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 91,030 (35,160 Square Miles)
Description: Cass, Richland, Sargent, Ransom, Dickey, La Moure, Barnes, McIntosh, Logan, Kidder, Stutsman, Sheridan, Wells, Foster, Griggs, Steele, Traill, Grand Forks, Nelson, Eddy, Benson, Pierce, Rolette, Towner, Ramsey, McHenry, Bottineau, Cavalier, Walsh, and Pembina Counties.
Conference Region: VIII (MN, ND, SD)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: FAR
Official Web Site: http://www.fargodiocese.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 5201 Bishops Blvd. S., Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104-7605, USA
Telephone: (701)356-7900
Fax: 356-7999

Historical Details

Diocese of Jamestown
- Latin Name: Jacobopolitana
- Erected: 10 November 1889
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Saint Paul
- State: North Dakota
- Country: United States of America

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Shanley † (29 Nov 1889 Appointed - 16 Jul 1909 Died)
James O’Reilly † (18 Dec 1909 Appointed - 19 Dec 1934 Died)
Aloisius Joseph Muench † (10 Aug 1935 Appointed - 5 Dec 1959 Resigned)
Leo Ferdinand Dworschak † (23 Feb 1960 Appointed - 8 Sep 1970 Resigned)
Justin Albert Driscoll † (8 Sep 1970 Appointed - 19 Nov 1984 Died)
James Stephen Sullivan † (29 Mar 1985 Appointed - 18 Mar 2002 Resigned)
Samuel Joseph Aquila (18 Mar 2002 Succeeded - 29 May 2012 Appointed, Archbishop of Denver, Colorado)
John Thomas Folda (8 Apr 2013 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Jamestown
10 November 1889	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Dakota	Diocese of Jamestown (erected)
Diocese of Fargo
6 April 1897	Name Changed	Diocese of Jamestown	Diocese of Fargo
31 December 1909	Territory Lost	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 Lost	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

Diocese of Fargo

1950 75,734 408,873 18.5% 145 22 167 453 4 368 185 ap1951

1966 100,168 386,748 25.9% 167 25 192 521 480 182 ap1967

1970 103,345 386,748 26.7% 140 21 161 641 26 568 118 ap1971

1976 97,727 372,983 26.2% 124 30 154 634 39 430 119 ap1977

1980 101,111 387,000 26.1% 120 26 146 692 11 31 345 116 ap1981

1990 101,823 398,520 25.6% 104 24 128 795 31 26 262 117 ap1991

1999 98,915 391,000 25.3% 153 9 162 610 32 8 153 159 ap2000

2000 98,915 391,000 25.3% 112 10 122 810 32 27 196 159 ap2001

2001 98,960 391,000 25.3% 110 10 120 824 32 22 153 159 ap2002

2002 99,868 391,000 25.5% 128 9 137 728 26 13 206 156 ap2003

2003 87,730 374,969 23.4% 122 9 131 669 31 9 213 158 ap2004

2004 84,190 374,256 22.5% 128 7 135 623 40 7 203 158 ap2005

2006 82,891 379,821 21.8% 118 9 127 652 42 10 160 138 ap2007

2013 73,657 402,000 18.3% 107 9 116 634 41 9 114 132 ap2014

2016 71,548 412,669 17.3% 111 8 119 601 46 8 85 131 ap2017

2019 73,434 421,288 17.4% 106 7 113 649 42 7 76 131 ap2020

2021 69,658 421,135 16.5% 100 7 107 651 52 7 68 129 ap2022

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 Fargo
1950	75,734	408,873	18.5%	145	22	167	453		4	368	185	ap1951
1966	100,168	386,748	25.9%	167	25	192	521			480	182	ap1967
1970	103,345	386,748	26.7%	140	21	161	641		26	568	118	ap1971
1976	97,727	372,983	26.2%	124	30	154	634		39	430	119	ap1977
1980	101,111	387,000	26.1%	120	26	146	692	11	31	345	116	ap1981
1990	101,823	398,520	25.6%	104	24	128	795	31	26	262	117	ap1991
1999	98,915	391,000	25.3%	153	9	162	610	32	8	153	159	ap2000
2000	98,915	391,000	25.3%	112	10	122	810	32	27	196	159	ap2001
2001	98,960	391,000	25.3%	110	10	120	824	32	22	153	159	ap2002
2002	99,868	391,000	25.5%	128	9	137	728	26	13	206	156	ap2003
2003	87,730	374,969	23.4%	122	9	131	669	31	9	213	158	ap2004
2004	84,190	374,256	22.5%	128	7	135	623	40	7	203	158	ap2005
2006	82,891	379,821	21.8%	118	9	127	652	42	10	160	138	ap2007
2013	73,657	402,000	18.3%	107	9	116	634	41	9	114	132	ap2014
2016	71,548	412,669	17.3%	111	8	119	601	46	8	85	131	ap2017
2019	73,434	421,288	17.4%	106	7	113	649	42	7	76	131	ap2020
2021	69,658	421,135	16.5%	100	7	107	651	52	7	68	129	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Justin Albert Driscoll † (Bishop: 8 Sep 1970 to 19 Nov 1984)
Leo Ferdinand Dworschak † (Priest: 29 May 1926 to 22 Jun 1946; Auxiliary Bishop: 10 Apr 1947; Bishop: 23 Feb 1960 to 8 Sep 1970)
Raymond William Lessard † (Priest: 16 Dec 1956 to 5 Mar 1973)
Aloisius Joseph Muench † (Bishop: 10 Aug 1935; Archbishop (Personal Title): 28 Oct 1950 to 5 Dec 1959)
William Theodore Mulloy † (Priest: 7 Jun 1916 to 11 Nov 1944)
James O’Reilly † (Bishop: 18 Dec 1909 to 19 Dec 1934)
Vincent James Ryan † (Priest: 7 Jun 1912 to 19 Mar 1940)
John Shanley † (Bishop: 29 Nov 1889 to 16 Jul 1909)
James Stephen Sullivan † (Bishop: 29 Mar 1985 to 18 Mar 2002)

Diocese of Fargo

Dioecesis Fargensis