Helena (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Austin Anthony Vetter, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 7 March 1884
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Montana
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 134,478 (51,942 Square Miles)
Description: Lewis and Clark, Teton, Flathead, Lincoln, Missoula, Sanders, Powell, Granite, Ravalli, Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, Jefferson, Broadwater, Gallatin, Madison, Lake, and Beaverhead Counties plus parts of Meagher, Musselshell, and Toole Counties.
Conference Region: XII (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: HEL
Official Web Site: http://www.diocesehelena.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 515 North Ewing St., P.O. Box 1729, Helena, MT 59624-1729, USA
Telephone: (406)442-5820
Fax: 442-5191

Past and Present Ordinaries

Augustin-Henri-Jules Ravoux † (3 Mar 1868 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
Jean-Baptiste Brondel † (17 Apr 1883 Appointed - 3 Nov 1903 Died)
John Patrick Carroll † (12 Sep 1904 Appointed - 4 Nov 1925 Died)
George Joseph Finnigan, C.S.C. † (20 May 1927 Appointed - 14 Aug 1932 Died)
Ralph Leo Hayes † (23 Jun 1933 Appointed - 26 Oct 1935 Appointed, Rector of the Pontifical North American College)
Joseph Michael Gilmore † (16 Dec 1935 Appointed - 2 Apr 1962 Died)
Raymond Gerhardt Hunthausen † (8 Jul 1962 Appointed - 13 Feb 1975 Appointed, Archbishop of Seattle, Washington)
Elden Francis Curtiss (4 Mar 1976 Appointed - 4 May 1993 Appointed, Archbishop of Omaha, Nebraska)
Alexander Joseph Brunett † (19 Apr 1994 Appointed - 28 Oct 1997 Appointed, Archbishop of Seattle, Washington)
Robert Charles Morlino † (6 Jul 1999 Appointed - 23 May 2003 Appointed, Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin)
George Leo Thomas (23 Mar 2004 Appointed - 28 Feb 2018 Appointed, Bishop of Las Vegas, Nevada)
Austin Anthony Vetter (8 Oct 2019 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Montana
5 March 1883	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Idaho and Montana Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska	Vicariate Apostolic of Montana (erected)
11 March 1883	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Saint Louis	Vicariate Apostolic of Montana (Current part of the state of Montana East of the Rockies)
Diocese of Helena
7 March 1884	Erected	Vicariate Apostolic of Montana	Diocese of Helena (erected) (Name changed and Vicariate raised to a Diocese)
18 May 1904	Territory Lost	Diocese of Helena	Diocese of Great Falls (erected)

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 Helena

1950 65,000 242,000 26.9% 100 41 141 460 14 334 53 ap1951

1966 79,532 322,800 24.6% 137 16 153 519 26 200 57 ap1967

1970 75,500 322,800 23.4% 115 17 132 571 30 201 56 ap1971

1976 65,514 342,472 19.1% 118 16 134 488 3 26 102 61 ap1977

1980 64,500 385,000 16.8% 117 17 134 481 7 25 81 60 ap1981

1990 65,984 424,000 15.6% 90 11 101 653 16 11 79 53 ap1991

1999 66,500 424,372 15.7% 86 11 97 685 26 1 61 58 ap2000

2000 66,500 483,435 13.8% 77 11 88 755 28 12 58 58 ap2001

2001 67,500 483,435 14.0% 78 10 88 767 34 11 48 58 ap2002

2002 67,803 509,439 13.3% 78 6 84 807 35 9 46 58 ap2003

2003 67,693 509,439 13.3% 75 7 82 825 34 9 40 57 ap2004

2004 49,927 506,000 9.9% 70 6 76 656 33 8 35 58 ap2005

2006 58,780 525,000 11.2% 73 6 79 744 28 9 38 58 ap2007

2013 55,800 565,000 9.9% 70 5 75 744 42 7 33 57 ap2014

2016 44,413 595,114 7.5% 66 4 70 634 43 6 7 58 ap2017

2019 45,940 619,667 7.4% 64 6 70 656 40 8 18 58 ap2020

2021 45,960 634,591 7.2% 54 9 63 729 34 11 12 58 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 Helena
1950	65,000	242,000	26.9%	100	41	141	460		14	334	53	ap1951
1966	79,532	322,800	24.6%	137	16	153	519		26	200	57	ap1967
1970	75,500	322,800	23.4%	115	17	132	571		30	201	56	ap1971
1976	65,514	342,472	19.1%	118	16	134	488	3	26	102	61	ap1977
1980	64,500	385,000	16.8%	117	17	134	481	7	25	81	60	ap1981
1990	65,984	424,000	15.6%	90	11	101	653	16	11	79	53	ap1991
1999	66,500	424,372	15.7%	86	11	97	685	26	1	61	58	ap2000
2000	66,500	483,435	13.8%	77	11	88	755	28	12	58	58	ap2001
2001	67,500	483,435	14.0%	78	10	88	767	34	11	48	58	ap2002
2002	67,803	509,439	13.3%	78	6	84	807	35	9	46	58	ap2003
2003	67,693	509,439	13.3%	75	7	82	825	34	9	40	57	ap2004
2004	49,927	506,000	9.9%	70	6	76	656	33	8	35	58	ap2005
2006	58,780	525,000	11.2%	73	6	79	744	28	9	38	58	ap2007
2013	55,800	565,000	9.9%	70	5	75	744	42	7	33	57	ap2014
2016	44,413	595,114	7.5%	66	4	70	634	43	6	7	58	ap2017
2019	45,940	619,667	7.4%	64	6	70	656	40	8	18	58	ap2020
2021	45,960	634,591	7.2%	54	9	63	729	34	11	12	58	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

George Theodore Boileau, S.J. †
Jean-Baptiste Brondel † (Vicar Apostolic: 17 Apr 1883; Bishop: 7 Mar 1884 to 3 Nov 1903)
Alexander Joseph Brunett † (Bishop: 19 Apr 1994 to 28 Oct 1997)
John Patrick Carroll † (Bishop: 12 Sep 1904 to 4 Nov 1925)
David Frederick Cunningham †
George Joseph Finnigan, C.S.C. † (Bishop: 20 May 1927 to 14 Aug 1932)
Joseph Michael Gilmore † (Priest: 25 Jul 1915; Bishop: 16 Dec 1935 to 2 Apr 1962)
Ralph Leo Hayes † (Bishop: 23 Jun 1933 to 26 Oct 1935)
Raymond Gerhardt Hunthausen † (Priest: 1 Jun 1946; Bishop: 8 Jul 1962 to 13 Feb 1975)
Robert Charles Morlino † (Bishop: 6 Jul 1999 to 23 May 2003)
Augustin-Henri-Jules Ravoux † (Vicar Apostolic: 3 Mar 1868 - Did Not Take Effect)
Bernard Joseph Topel † (Priest: 7 Jun 1927 to 9 Aug 1955)

Source(s)

Vicariate Apostolic of Montana
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 176
Diocese of Helena
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 300

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Diocese of Helena

Dioecesis Helenensis

Bishop(s)

General Information

Historical Details

Past and Present Ordinaries

Historical Summary

Statistics

Affiliated Bishops, Living

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Source(s)