Jackson (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Joseph Richard Kopacz, Bishop

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 1 March 1977
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Mobile
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Mississippi
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 97,495 (37,657 Square Miles)
Conference Region: V (AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: JKS
Official Web Site: https://jacksondiocese.org
Mailing Address: 237 E. Amite St., P.O. Box 2248, Jackson, MS 39225-2248, USA
Telephone: (601)969-1880
Fax: 960-8455

Historical Details

Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi
- Erected: 18 July 1826
- Vicariate
- State: Mississippi
- Country: United States of America
Diocese of Natchez
- Latin Name: Natchetensis
- Erected: 28 July 1837
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Mississippi
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 46,340
- Description: The entire state.
Diocese of Natchez-Jackson
- Latin Name: Natchetensis-Iacksoniensis
- Name Changed: 18 December 1956
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of New Orleans
- State: Mississippi
- Country: United States of America

Past and Present Ordinaries

Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, P.S.S. † (19 Aug 1825 Appointed - 2 Oct 1826 Confirmed, Bishop of Montauban)
Thomas Heyden † (28 Jul 1837 Appointed - 1838 Resigned)
John Joseph Mary Benedict Chanche, P.S.S. † (15 Dec 1840 Appointed - 22 Jul 1852 Died)
James Oliver Van de Velde, S.J. † (29 Jul 1853 Appointed - 13 Nov 1855 Died)
William Henry Elder † (9 Jan 1857 Appointed - 23 Jul 1878 Resigned)
Francis August Anthony Joseph Janssens † (18 Feb 1881 Appointed - 7 Aug 1888 Appointed, Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana)
Thomas Heslin † (29 Mar 1889 Appointed - 22 Feb 1911 Died)
John Edward Gunn, S.M. † (1 Jul 1911 Appointed - 19 Feb 1924 Died)
Richard Oliver Gerow † (23 Jun 1924 Appointed - 2 Dec 1967 Retired)
Joseph Bernard Brunini † (2 Dec 1967 Appointed - 24 Jan 1984 Retired)
William Russell Houck † (11 Apr 1984 Appointed - 3 Jan 2003 Retired)
Joseph Nunzio Latino † (3 Jan 2003 Appointed - 12 Dec 2013 Retired)
Joseph Richard Kopacz (12 Dec 2013 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi
18 July 1826	Erected	Diocese of Louisiana and the Two Floridas (Saint Louis of New Orleans)	Vicariate Apostolic of Mississippi (erected)
Diocese of Natchez
28 July 1837	Erected	Diocese of New Orleans	Diocese of Natchez (erected) (Name changed and Vicariate raised to a Diocese; State of Mississippi)
19 July 1850	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Galveston (from Baltimore to New Orleans) Diocese of Little Rock (from Baltimore to New Orleans) Diocese of Mobile (from Baltimore to New Orleans) Diocese of Natchez (from Baltimore to New Orleans)
Diocese of Natchez-Jackson
18 December 1956	Name Changed	Diocese of Natchez	Diocese of Natchez-Jackson
1 March 1977	Territory Lost	Diocese of Natchez-Jackson (Jackson, Harrison, Hancock, George, Stone, Pearl River, Greene, Perry, Forrest, Lamar, Marion, Walthall, Wayne, Jones, Covington, Jefferson Davis, and Lawrence)	Diocese of Biloxi (erected)
Diocese of Jackson
1 March 1977	Name Changed	Diocese of Natchez-Jackson	Diocese of Jackson
29 July 1980	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Jackson (from New Orleans)

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 Natchez

1950 50,559 2,183,796 2.3% 68 74 142 356 123 380 66 ap1951

Diocese of Natchez-Jackson

1966 74,343 2,178,241 3.4% 132 84 216 344 178 496 97 ap1967

1970 82,383 2,161,481 3.8% 111 80 191 431 1 138 425 106 ap1971

1976 86,773 2,324,000 3.7% 109 70 179 484 1 140 398 112 ap1977

Diocese of Jackson

1980 42,585 1,724,000 2.5% 74 43 117 363 9 54 299 73 ap1981

1990 46,410 1,920,000 2.4% 62 33 95 488 10 45 275 75 ap1991

1999 45,408 1,980,025 2.3% 67 32 99 458 7 12 289 74 ap2000

2000 47,334 1,994,011 2.4% 58 29 87 544 7 43 275 74 ap2001

2001 47,873 1,994,011 2.4% 58 30 88 544 8 42 240 74 ap2002

2002 48,808 1,994,946 2.4% 55 34 89 548 1 48 222 74 ap2003

2003 51,347 1,997,485 2.6% 52 28 80 641 7 43 228 74 ap2004

2004 51,992 1,998,130 2.6% 50 29 79 658 7 43 212 74 ap2005

2006 51,000 2,130,000 2.4% 49 30 79 645 7 44 218 74 ap2007

2012 52,500 2,203,000 2.4% 47 33 80 656 4 41 156 75 ap2013

2013 52,900 2,219,000 2.4% 48 36 84 629 5 43 154 74 ap2014

2016 45,845 2,167,132 2.1% 53 30 83 552 4 36 133 68 ap2017

2019 43,865 2,182,200 2.0% 56 25 81 541 10 32 100 72 ap2020

2021 42,746 2,303,753 1.9% 63 20 83 515 7 25 45 72 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 Natchez
1950	50,559	2,183,796	2.3%	68	74	142	356		123	380	66	ap1951
Diocese of Natchez-Jackson
1966	74,343	2,178,241	3.4%	132	84	216	344		178	496	97	ap1967
1970	82,383	2,161,481	3.8%	111	80	191	431	1	138	425	106	ap1971
1976	86,773	2,324,000	3.7%	109	70	179	484	1	140	398	112	ap1977
Diocese of Jackson
1980	42,585	1,724,000	2.5%	74	43	117	363	9	54	299	73	ap1981
1990	46,410	1,920,000	2.4%	62	33	95	488	10	45	275	75	ap1991
1999	45,408	1,980,025	2.3%	67	32	99	458	7	12	289	74	ap2000
2000	47,334	1,994,011	2.4%	58	29	87	544	7	43	275	74	ap2001
2001	47,873	1,994,011	2.4%	58	30	88	544	8	42	240	74	ap2002
2002	48,808	1,994,946	2.4%	55	34	89	548	1	48	222	74	ap2003
2003	51,347	1,997,485	2.6%	52	28	80	641	7	43	228	74	ap2004
2004	51,992	1,998,130	2.6%	50	29	79	658	7	43	212	74	ap2005
2006	51,000	2,130,000	2.4%	49	30	79	645	7	44	218	74	ap2007
2012	52,500	2,203,000	2.4%	47	33	80	656	4	41	156	75	ap2013
2013	52,900	2,219,000	2.4%	48	36	84	629	5	43	154	74	ap2014
2016	45,845	2,167,132	2.1%	53	30	83	552	4	36	133	68	ap2017
2019	43,865	2,182,200	2.0%	56	25	81	541	10	32	100	72	ap2020
2021	42,746	2,303,753	1.9%	63	20	83	515	7	25	45	72	ap2022

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

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Joseph Bernard Brunini † (Priest: 5 Dec 1933; Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Nov 1956; Bishop: 2 Dec 1967 to 24 Jan 1984)
John Joseph Mary Benedict Chanche, P.S.S. † (Bishop: 15 Dec 1840 to 22 Jul 1852)
Louis-Guillaume-Valentin Dubourg, P.S.S. † (Vicar Apostolic: 19 Aug 1825 to 2 Oct 1826)
William Henry Elder † (Bishop: 9 Jan 1857 to 23 Jul 1878)
Leo Fabian Fahey † (Priest: 29 May 1926 to 13 Mar 1948)
Carl Anthony Fisher, S.S.J. †
Richard Oliver Gerow † (Bishop: 23 Jun 1924 to 2 Dec 1967)
Charles Pasquale Greco †
John Edward Gunn, S.M. † (Bishop: 1 Jul 1911 to 19 Feb 1924)
Ronald Paul Herzog † (Priest: 1 Jun 1968 to 1 Mar 1977)
Thomas Heslin † (Bishop: 29 Mar 1889 to 22 Feb 1911)
Thomas Heyden † (Bishop: 28 Jul 1837 to 1838)
William Russell Houck † (Auxiliary Bishop: 28 Mar 1979; Bishop: 11 Apr 1984 to 3 Jan 2003)
Joseph Lawson Howze † (Auxiliary Bishop: 8 Nov 1972 to 8 Mar 1977)
Francis August Anthony Joseph Janssens † (Bishop: 18 Feb 1881 to 7 Aug 1888)
Joseph Nunzio Latino † (Bishop: 3 Jan 2003 to 12 Dec 2013)
Bernard Francis Law † (Priest: 21 May 1961 to 22 Oct 1973)
Francis Xavier Leray † (Priest: 19 Mar 1852 to 19 Dec 1876)
Eugene Antonio Marino, S.S.J. †
Theophile Meerschaert † (Priest: 23 Dec 1871 to 2 Jun 1891)
James Oliver Van de Velde, S.J. † (Bishop: 29 Jul 1853 to 13 Nov 1855)

Source(s)

Diocese of Natchez
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 175
Diocese of Natchez-Jackson
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 49, Page 218, and Page 219
Diocese of Jackson
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 72, Page 798, and Page 799

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Diocese of Jackson

Dioecesis Jacksoniensis