Fort Wayne-South Bend (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Kevin Carl Rhoades, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 28 May 1960
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Indianapolis
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Indiana
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 15,200 (5,871 Square Miles)
Conference Region: VII (IL, IN, WI)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: FTW
Official Web Site: https://diocesefwsb.org
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 915 South Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802; P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801, USA
Telephone: (260)422-4611
Fax: 969-9145

Historical Details

Diocese of Fort Wayne
- Latin Name: Wayne Castrensis
- Erected: 8 January 1857
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Indianapolis
- State: Indiana
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 17,431

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Henry Luers † (22 Sep 1857 Appointed - 29 Jun 1871 Died)
Joseph Gregory Dwenger, C.Pp.S. † (15 Feb 1872 Appointed - 22 Jan 1893 Died)
Joseph (James) Rademacher † (14 Jul 1893 Appointed - 12 Jun 1900 Died)
Herman Joseph Alerding † (30 Aug 1900 Appointed - 6 Dec 1924 Died)
John Francis Noll † (12 May 1925 Appointed - 31 Jul 1956 Died)
Leo Aloysius Pursley † (29 Dec 1956 Appointed - 24 Aug 1976 Resigned)
William Edward McManus † (24 Aug 1976 Appointed - 18 Feb 1985 Retired)
John Michael D’Arcy † (18 Feb 1985 Appointed - 14 Nov 2009 Retired)
Kevin Carl Rhoades (14 Nov 2009 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Fort Wayne
8 January 1857	Erected	Diocese of Vincennes	Diocese of Fort Wayne (erected) (Counties of Fountain, Montgomery, Boone, Hamilton, Madison, Delaware, Randolph, and Warren)
29 March 1912	Territory Added	Diocese of Indianapolis (Adjusted Boundaries)	Diocese of Fort Wayne (Adjusted Boundaries)
21 October 1944	Territory Lost	Diocese of Fort Wayne (Newton, Fulton, Jasper, Pulaski, Benton, Warren, Fountain, White, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Cass, Carroll, Clinton, Boone, Miami, Howard, Tipton, Hamilton, Grant, Madison, Blackford, Delaware, Jay, and Randolph)	Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana (erected)
21 October 1944	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Fort Wayne (from Cincinnati)
10 December 1956	Territory Lost	Diocese of Fort Wayne (Counties of Lake, Porter, La Porte, and Starke)	Diocese of Gary (erected)
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
28 May 1960	Name Changed	Diocese of Fort Wayne	Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

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 Fort Wayne

1950 192,252 1,031,496 18.6% 229 258 487 394 89 3,145 152 ap1951

Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

1966 150,224 892,649 16.8% 139 347 486 309 574 1,184 86 ap1967

1970 146,605 919,695 15.9% 119 288 407 360 507 1,020 89 ap1971

1976 151,087 973,764 15.5% 148 227 375 402 16 436 922 82 ap1977

1980 147,438 993,000 14.8% 109 214 323 456 16 410 887 89 ap1981

1990 151,427 1,086,046 13.9% 107 170 277 546 32 342 889 90 ap1991

1999 156,621 1,156,129 13.5% 101 175 276 567 32 105 682 87 ap2000

2000 163,319 1,170,337 14.0% 91 91 1,794 24 113 656 87 ap2001*

2001 166,108 1,170,337 14.2% 88 171 259 641 24 331 656 87 ap2002

2002 165,744 1,178,520 14.1% 110 167 277 598 25 321 617 87 ap2003

2003 166,816 1,178,520 14.2% 109 165 274 608 22 330 622 87 ap2004

2004 162,043 1,217,932 13.3% 104 166 270 600 19 326 581 84 ap2005

2006 159,888 1,247,850 12.8% 101 148 249 642 18 289 558 84 ap2007

2013 165,000 1,311,000 12.6% 99 172 271 608 20 316 455 81 ap2014

2016 159,825 1,265,972 12.6% 101 191 292 547 22 319 400 81 ap2017

2019 161,200 1,303,133 12.4% 107 173 280 575 30 270 376 81 ap2020

2021 162,200 1,311,570 12.4% 93 156 249 651 30 263 322 81 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 Fort Wayne
1950	192,252	1,031,496	18.6%	229	258	487	394		89	3,145	152	ap1951
Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
1966	150,224	892,649	16.8%	139	347	486	309		574	1,184	86	ap1967
1970	146,605	919,695	15.9%	119	288	407	360		507	1,020	89	ap1971
1976	151,087	973,764	15.5%	148	227	375	402	16	436	922	82	ap1977
1980	147,438	993,000	14.8%	109	214	323	456	16	410	887	89	ap1981
1990	151,427	1,086,046	13.9%	107	170	277	546	32	342	889	90	ap1991
1999	156,621	1,156,129	13.5%	101	175	276	567	32	105	682	87	ap2000
2000	163,319	1,170,337	14.0%	91		91	1,794	24	113	656	87	ap2001*
2001	166,108	1,170,337	14.2%	88	171	259	641	24	331	656	87	ap2002
2002	165,744	1,178,520	14.1%	110	167	277	598	25	321	617	87	ap2003
2003	166,816	1,178,520	14.2%	109	165	274	608	22	330	622	87	ap2004
2004	162,043	1,217,932	13.3%	104	166	270	600	19	326	581	84	ap2005
2006	159,888	1,247,850	12.8%	101	148	249	642	18	289	558	84	ap2007
2013	165,000	1,311,000	12.6%	99	172	271	608	20	316	455	81	ap2014
2016	159,825	1,265,972	12.6%	101	191	292	547	22	319	400	81	ap2017
2019	161,200	1,303,133	12.4%	107	173	280	575	30	270	376	81	ap2020
2021	162,200	1,311,570	12.4%	93	156	249	651	30	263	322	81	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Herman Joseph Alerding † (Bishop: 30 Aug 1900 to 6 Dec 1924)
William Richard Arnold † (Priest: 13 Jun 1908 to 5 May 1945)
John George Bennett † (Priest: 27 Jun 1914 to 11 Nov 1944)
Joseph Robert Crowley † (Priest: 1 May 1953; Auxiliary Bishop: 16 Jun 1971 to 8 May 1990)
Thomas Joseph Danehy, M.M. †
John Michael D’Arcy † (Bishop: 18 Feb 1985 to 14 Nov 2009)
Joseph Gregory Dwenger, C.Pp.S. † (Bishop: 15 Feb 1872 to 22 Jan 1893)
John Paul Elford † (Auxiliary Bishop: 15 Jul 1968 to Oct 1968)
Andrew Gregory Grutka † (Priest: 5 Dec 1933 to 29 Dec 1956)
John Henry Luers † (Bishop: 22 Sep 1857 to 29 Jun 1871)
William Edward McManus † (Bishop: 24 Aug 1976 to 18 Feb 1985)
John Francis Noll † (Priest: 4 Jun 1898; Bishop: 12 May 1925; Archbishop (Personal Title): 2 Sep 1953 to 31 Jul 1956)
Leo Aloysius Pursley † (Priest: 11 Jun 1927; Auxiliary Bishop: 18 Jul 1950; Apostolic Administrator: 21 Feb 1955; Bishop: 29 Dec 1956 to 24 Aug 1976)
Joseph (James) Rademacher † (Priest: 2 Aug 1863 to 3 Apr 1883; Bishop: 14 Jul 1893 to 12 Jun 1900)
Victor Joseph Reed †
John Richard Sheets, S.J. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 14 May 1991 to 23 Sep 1997)
David Albin Zywiec Sidor, O.F.M. Cap. †

Source(s)

Diocese of Fort Wayne
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 173
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 4, Page 338
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 37, Page 101, to Page 103

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Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

Dioecesis Wayne Castrensis-South Bendensis