Great Falls-Billings (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Jeffrey Michael Fleming, Bishop
Michael William Warfel, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 14 February 1980
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Montana
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 241,276 (93,192 Square Miles)
Description: Big Horn, Blaine, Carbon, Cascade, Chouteau, Custer, Dawson, Fallon, Fergus, Hill, Musselshell, Park, Rosebud, Sheridan, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, Valley, Wibaux, and Yellowstone Counties.
Conference Region: XII (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: GR
Official Web Site: http://diocesegfb.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 121 23rd Street South, Great Falls, MT 59401, USA
Telephone: (406)727-6683
Fax: 454-3480

Historical Details

Diocese of Great Falls
- Latin Name: Great-Ormensis
- Erected: 18 May 1904
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
- State: Montana
- Country: United States of America

Past and Present Ordinaries

Mathias Clement Lenihan † (20 May 1904 Appointed - 14 Feb 1930 Retired)
Edwin Vincent O’Hara † (1 Aug 1930 Appointed - 15 Apr 1939 Appointed, Bishop of Kansas City, Missouri)
William Joseph Condon † (5 Aug 1939 Appointed - 17 Aug 1967 Died)
Eldon Bernard Schuster † (2 Dec 1967 Appointed - 27 Dec 1977 Resigned)
Thomas Joseph Murphy † (5 Jul 1978 Appointed - 26 May 1987 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Seattle, Washington)
Anthony Michael Milone † (14 Dec 1987 Appointed - 12 Jul 2006 Resigned)
Michael William Warfel (20 Nov 2007 Appointed - 22 Aug 2023 Retired)
Jeffrey Michael Fleming (22 Aug 2023 Succeeded - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Great Falls
18 May 1904	Erected	Diocese of Helena	Diocese of Great Falls (erected)
Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
14 February 1980	Name Changed	Diocese of Great Falls	Diocese of Great Falls-Billings

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 Great Falls

1950 48,875 288,600 16.9% 84 24 108 452 24 275 58 ap1951

1966 75,000 360,000 20.8% 98 28 126 595 32 310 66 ap1967

1970 70,000 360,000 19.4% 85 31 116 603 35 265 71 ap1971

1976 66,000 352,000 18.8% 78 39 117 564 42 165 73 ap1977

Diocese of Great Falls-Billings

1980 67,000 358,000 18.7% 73 34 107 626 4 34 200 75 ap1981

1990 66,800 355,000 18.8% 66 26 92 726 3 29 133 56 ap1991

1999 55,117 392,900 14.0% 75 14 89 619 3 78 52 ap2000

2000 57,796 386,400 15.0% 60 14 74 781 3 14 76 67 ap2001

2001 59,902 394,450 15.2% 58 14 72 831 5 15 77 66 ap2002

2002 55,405 392,796 14.1% 59 13 72 769 5 14 77 66 ap2003

2003 57,144 391,360 14.6% 61 14 75 761 6 15 74 66 ap2004

2004 57,144 391,360 14.6% 60 14 74 772 8 15 71 65 ap2005

2006 51,629 391,360 13.2% 60 14 74 697 6 14 67 66 ap2007

2013 54,800 414,000 13.2% 70 12 82 668 10 12 46 51 ap2014

2016 38,927 422,964 9.2% 64 14 78 499 17 15 32 51 ap2017

2019 37,400 405,200 9.2% 58 16 74 505 14 17 37 49 ap2020

2021 37,780 409,340 9.2% 57 10 67 563 14 11 33 49 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 Great Falls
1950	48,875	288,600	16.9%	84	24	108	452		24	275	58	ap1951
1966	75,000	360,000	20.8%	98	28	126	595		32	310	66	ap1967
1970	70,000	360,000	19.4%	85	31	116	603		35	265	71	ap1971
1976	66,000	352,000	18.8%	78	39	117	564		42	165	73	ap1977
Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
1980	67,000	358,000	18.7%	73	34	107	626	4	34	200	75	ap1981
1990	66,800	355,000	18.8%	66	26	92	726	3	29	133	56	ap1991
1999	55,117	392,900	14.0%	75	14	89	619	3		78	52	ap2000
2000	57,796	386,400	15.0%	60	14	74	781	3	14	76	67	ap2001
2001	59,902	394,450	15.2%	58	14	72	831	5	15	77	66	ap2002
2002	55,405	392,796	14.1%	59	13	72	769	5	14	77	66	ap2003
2003	57,144	391,360	14.6%	61	14	75	761	6	15	74	66	ap2004
2004	57,144	391,360	14.6%	60	14	74	772	8	15	71	65	ap2005
2006	51,629	391,360	13.2%	60	14	74	697	6	14	67	66	ap2007
2013	54,800	414,000	13.2%	70	12	82	668	10	12	46	51	ap2014
2016	38,927	422,964	9.2%	64	14	78	499	17	15	32	51	ap2017
2019	37,400	405,200	9.2%	58	16	74	505	14	17	37	49	ap2020
2021	37,780	409,340	9.2%	57	10	67	563	14	11	33	49	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Stephen Jay Berg
Jeffrey Michael Fleming (Coadjutor Bishop: 19 Apr 2022; Bishop: 22 Aug 2023)
Michael William Warfel (Bishop: 20 Nov 2007 to 22 Aug 2023)

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

William Joseph Condon † (Bishop: 5 Aug 1939 to 17 Aug 1967)
Mathias Clement Lenihan † (Bishop: 20 May 1904 to 14 Feb 1930)
Anthony Michael Milone † (Bishop: 14 Dec 1987 to 12 Jul 2006)
Thomas Joseph Murphy † (Bishop: 5 Jul 1978 to 26 May 1987)
Edwin Vincent O’Hara † (Bishop: 1 Aug 1930 to 15 Apr 1939)
Eldon Bernard Schuster † (Priest: 27 May 1937; Auxiliary Bishop: 30 Oct 1961; Bishop: 2 Dec 1967 to 27 Dec 1977)

Source(s)

Diocese of Great Falls-Billings
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 72, Page 552, and Page 553

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Diocese of Great Falls-Billings

Dioecesis Magnocataractensis-Billingensis