Portland (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

James Thomas Ruggieri, Bishop
Robert Peter Deeley, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 29 July 1853
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Boston
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Maine
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 85,541 (33,040 Square Miles)
Description: Entire state of Maine
Conference Region: I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: PRT
Official Web Site: https://portlanddiocese.org
Mailing Address: 510 Ocean Ave., Portland, ME 04103-4936, USA
Telephone: (207)773-6471
Fax: 773-0182

Past and Present Ordinaries

Henry Benedict Coskery † (29 Jul 1853 Appointed - Did Not Take Effect)
David William Bacon † (23 Jan 1855 Appointed - 5 Nov 1874 Died)
James Augustine Healy † (12 Feb 1875 Appointed - 5 Aug 1900 Died)
William Henry O’Connell † (14 May 1901 Appointed - 7 Feb 1906 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Boston, Massachusetts)
Louis Sebastian Walsh † (22 Aug 1906 Appointed - 12 May 1924 Died)
John Gregory Murray † (29 May 1925 Appointed - 29 Oct 1931 Appointed, Archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Joseph Edward McCarthy † (13 May 1932 Appointed - 8 Sep 1955 Died)
Daniel Joseph Feeney † (8 Sep 1955 Succeeded - 15 Sep 1969 Died)
Peter Leo Gerety † (15 Sep 1969 Succeeded - 25 Mar 1974 Appointed, Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey)
Edward Cornelius O’Leary † (16 Oct 1974 Appointed - 27 Sep 1988 Retired)
Joseph John Gerry, O.S.B. † (21 Dec 1988 Appointed - 10 Feb 2004 Retired)
Richard Joseph Malone (10 Feb 2004 Appointed - 29 May 2012 Appointed, Bishop of Buffalo, New York)
Robert Peter Deeley (18 Dec 2013 Appointed - 13 Feb 2024 Retired)
James Thomas Ruggieri (13 Feb 2024 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
29 July 1853	Erected	Diocese of Boston	Diocese of Burlington (erected) (Vermont) Diocese of Portland (erected) (Maine and New Hampshire)
12 February 1875	Metropolitan Changed		Diocese of Burlington (from New York to Boston) Diocese of Hartford (from New York to Boston) Diocese of Portland (from New York to Boston) Diocese of Providence (from New York to Boston) Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts (from New York to Boston)
15 April 1884	Territory Lost	Diocese of Portland (New Hampshire)	Diocese of Manchester (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 226,186 876,213 25.8% 248 97 345 655 221 1,506 132 ap1951

1966 270,283 969,265 27.9% 248 105 353 765 184 1,062 133 ap1967

1970 273,392 976,000 28.0% 223 362 585 467 1 592 1,332 142 ap1971

1976 264,538 1,028,000 25.7% 192 89 281 941 136 1,035 144 ap1977

1980 275,376 1,028,000 26.8% 220 102 322 855 2 136 860 144 ap1981

1990 263,327 1,219,300 21.6% 209 76 285 923 5 105 648 146 ap1991

1999 227,183 1,227,927 18.5% 180 53 233 975 18 26 457 138 ap2000

2000 215,077 1,227,927 17.5% 187 47 234 919 19 72 436 138 ap2001

2001 212,253 1,227,927 17.3% 176 47 223 951 21 78 416 136 ap2002

2002 213,680 1,274,923 16.8% 165 46 211 1,012 23 74 397 136 ap2003

2003 217,705 1,274,923 17.1% 157 48 205 1,061 24 77 390 135 ap2004

2004 217,767 1,274,923 17.1% 158 45 203 1,072 23 71 371 135 ap2005

2010 203,000 1,358,000 14.9% 147 32 179 1,134 32 47 280 66 ap2011

2012 207,300 1,379,000 15.0% 139 29 168 1,233 42 43 304 57 ap2013

2013 208,500 1,389,000 15.0% 137 27 164 1,271 41 38 271 57 ap2014

2016 212,992 1,418,942 15.0% 125 32 157 1,356 40 46 210 55 ap2017

2019 200,700 1,338,404 15.0% 113 31 144 1,393 45 44 181 55 ap2020

2021 284,449 1,354,520 21.0% 108 34 142 2,003 47 42 169 50 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	226,186	876,213	25.8%	248	97	345	655		221	1,506	132	ap1951
1966	270,283	969,265	27.9%	248	105	353	765		184	1,062	133	ap1967
1970	273,392	976,000	28.0%	223	362	585	467	1	592	1,332	142	ap1971
1976	264,538	1,028,000	25.7%	192	89	281	941		136	1,035	144	ap1977
1980	275,376	1,028,000	26.8%	220	102	322	855	2	136	860	144	ap1981
1990	263,327	1,219,300	21.6%	209	76	285	923	5	105	648	146	ap1991
1999	227,183	1,227,927	18.5%	180	53	233	975	18	26	457	138	ap2000
2000	215,077	1,227,927	17.5%	187	47	234	919	19	72	436	138	ap2001
2001	212,253	1,227,927	17.3%	176	47	223	951	21	78	416	136	ap2002
2002	213,680	1,274,923	16.8%	165	46	211	1,012	23	74	397	136	ap2003
2003	217,705	1,274,923	17.1%	157	48	205	1,061	24	77	390	135	ap2004
2004	217,767	1,274,923	17.1%	158	45	203	1,072	23	71	371	135	ap2005
2010	203,000	1,358,000	14.9%	147	32	179	1,134	32	47	280	66	ap2011
2012	207,300	1,379,000	15.0%	139	29	168	1,233	42	43	304	57	ap2013
2013	208,500	1,389,000	15.0%	137	27	164	1,271	41	38	271	57	ap2014
2016	212,992	1,418,942	15.0%	125	32	157	1,356	40	46	210	55	ap2017
2019	200,700	1,338,404	15.0%	113	31	144	1,393	45	44	181	55	ap2020
2021	284,449	1,354,520	21.0%	108	34	142	2,003	47	42	169	50	ap2022