The Archdiocese of Chicago ( la, Archidiœcesis Chicagiensis) is a

Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...

ecclesiastical jurisdiction or

archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

located in

Northeastern Illinois Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois. NEIU serves approximately 9,000 students in the region and is a Hispanic-serving institution. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park wi ...

, in the United States. It was established as a

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

in 1843 and elevated to an archdiocese in 1880. It serves the more than 2.2 million Catholics in

Cook Cook or The Cook may refer to: Food preparation * Cooking, the preparation of food * Cook (domestic worker), a household staff member who prepares food * Cook (professional), an individual who prepares food for consumption in the food industry * ...

and

Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

counties in the state of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, an area of . The archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries.

Blase Joseph Cupich Blase Joseph Cupich ( ; March 19, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, a cardinal who serves as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Cupich was ordained a priest there in 1975. He was named ...

was appointed Archbishop of Chicago in 2014 (and

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

in 2016) by

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

, and is assisted by six episcopal vicars, who are each responsible for a vicariate (region). The

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

parish for the archdiocese, Holy Name Cathedral, is in the Near North Side area of the

see city See or SEE may refer to: * Sight - seeing Arts, entertainment, and media * Music: ** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals *** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See'' ** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho * Television * ...

for the diocese,

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. The Archdiocese of Chicago is the

metropolitan see Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a t ...

of the Province of Chicago. Its

suffragan diocese A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ...

s are the other Catholic dioceses in

: Belleville, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford, and Springfield. Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 to 1996, was arguably one of the most prominent figures in the Church in the United States in the post-

Vatican II The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, commonly known as the , or , was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church. The council met in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome for four periods (or sessions), each lasting between 8 and 1 ...

era, rallying progressives with his "seamless garment ethic" and his ecumenical initiatives.

Diocesan history

Arrival of missionaries

A French

Jesuit , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

, the Rev.

Jacques Marquette Jacques Marquette S.J. (June 1, 1637 – May 18, 1675), sometimes known as Père Marquette or James Marquette, was a French Jesuit missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement, Sault Sainte Marie, and later founded Saint Igna ...

, SJ, first explored the area that is now Chicago in the mid-17th century. On December 4, 1674, Father Marquette arrived at the mouth of the

Chicago River The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). Though not especially long, the river is notable because it is one of the reasons for ...

where he built a cabin to recuperate from his travels. His cabin became the first European settlement in the area now known as Chicago. Marquette published his survey of the new territories and soon more French missionaries and settlers arrived.

First priest

In 1795, the

Potawatomi The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...

tribe signed the

Treaty of Greenville The Treaty of Greenville, formally titled Treaty with the Wyandots, etc., was a 1795 treaty between the United States and indigenous nations of the Northwest Territory (now Midwestern United States), including the Wyandot and Delaware peoples, ...

that ceded to the United States a tract of land at the mouth of the Chicago River. There in 1804,

Fort Dearborn Fort Dearborn was a United States fort built in 1803 beside the Chicago River, in what is now Chicago, Illinois. It was constructed by troops under Captain John Whistler and named in honor of Henry Dearborn, then United States Secretary of War. ...

was erected and protected newly arrived Catholic pioneers. In 1822, Alexander Beaubien became the first person to be baptized in Chicago. In 1833, Jesuit missionaries wrote a letter to the Most Rev.

Joseph Rosati Joseph Rosati (30 January 1789 – 25 September 1843) was an Italian-born Catholic missionary to the United States who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Saint Louis between 1826 and 1843. A member of the Congregation of the Mission, ...

, Bishop of Saint Louis and Vicar General of Bardstown, pleading for the appointment of a resident pastor to serve over one hundred professing Roman Catholics living in Chicago. Rosati appointed a diocesan priest, the Rev. John Mary Irenaeus Saint Cyr. Fr. Saint Cyr celebrated his first Mass in a log cabin owned by the Beaubien family on Lake Street, near Market Street, in 1833.

First parish

At the cost of four hundred dollars, Father Saint Cyr purchased a plot of land at what is now the intersection of

and State Streets and constructed a church building of . It was dedicated in October 1833. The following year, Bishop

Simon Bruté Simon William Gabriel Bruté de Rémur (March 20, 1779 – June 26, 1839) was a French missionary in the United States and the first bishop of the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana. President John Quincy Adams called Bruté "the most learned man of h ...

Vincennes Vincennes (, ) is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is next to but does not include the Château de Vincennes and Bois de Vincennes, which are attached ...

visited Chicago, where he found over 400 Catholics with only one priest to serve them. The bishop asked permission from Bishop Rosati to send Fathers Fischer, Shaefer, Saint Palais, Dupontavice, and Joliet from

to tend to the needs of the Chicago region. In 1837, Fr. Saint Cyr was allowed to retire and was replaced by Chicago's first English-speaking priest, the Rev. James Timothy O'Meara. Father O'Meara moved the church built by Fr. Saint Cyr to what is now the intersection of Wabash Avenue and Madison Street. When Fr. O'Meara left Chicago, Saint Palais demolished the church and replaced it with a new brick structure.

Diocesan establishment

The

First Plenary Council of Baltimore The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Catholic bishops in the United States in 1852, 1866 and 1884 in Baltimore, Maryland. During the early history of the History of Roman Catholicism in the United States, Roman Cath ...

concluded that the Roman Catholic population of Chicago was growing exponentially and was in dire need of an

episcopal see An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...

of its own. With the consent of

Pope Gregory XVI Pope Gregory XVI ( la, Gregorius XVI; it, Gregorio XVI; born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari; 18 September 1765 – 1 June 1846) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1831 to his death in 1 June 1846. He h ...

, the Diocese of Chicago was canonically erected on November 28, 1843. In 1844,

William Quarter William J. Quarter (January 21, 1806 – April 10, 1848) was an Irish American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Chicago (1844–1848). Biography Early years William Quarter was born in Killurin, King's County, Ireland ...

of Ireland was appointed as the first Bishop of Chicago. Upon his arrival, Quarter summoned a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

of 32 Chicago priests to begin the organization of the diocese. One of Quarter's most important achievements was his successful petitioning for the passage of an Illinois law in 1845 that declared the Bishop of Chicago an incorporated entity, a

corporation sole A corporation sole is a legal entity consisting of a single ("sole") incorporated office, occupied by a single ("sole") natural person.

, with power to hold real and other property in trust for religious purposes. This allowed the bishop to pursue large-scale construction of new churches, colleges, and universities to serve the needs of Chicago's Roman Catholic faithful. After four years of service as Bishop of Chicago, Bishop Quarter died on April 10, 1848.

Fire of 1871

The church lost nearly a million dollars in church property in the

Chicago fire of 1871 The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned in the American city of Chicago during October 8–10, 1871. The fire killed approximately 300 people, destroyed roughly of the city including over 17,000 structures, and left more than 10 ...

, leading to administrative instability for decades.

Archdiocese establishment

The southern section of the state of Illinois split from Chicago diocese in 1853, becoming the Diocese of Quincy. The Quincy diocese was renamed the Diocese of Alton in 1857, and eventually became the Diocese of Springfield. The

Diocese of Peoria The Diocese of Peoria ( la, Diœcesis Peoriensis, Peoria, Illinois) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States. The Diocese of Peoria is a suffragan diocese w ...

was established in 1877 from another territorial split from the Chicago diocese. From 1844 to 1879, the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Chicago held the title Bishop of Chicago. With the elevation of the diocese to an archdiocese in 1880, the diocesan bishop held the title Archbishop of Chicago. Since 1915, all Archbishops of Chicago have been honored in

consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church *Consistory ...

with the title of

Cardinal Priest A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

and membership in the

College of Cardinals The College of Cardinals, or more formally the Sacred College of Cardinals, is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church. its current membership is , of whom are eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope. Cardinals are appoi ...

. The archbishops also have responsibilities in the

dicasteries A dicastery (from gr, δικαστήριον, dikastērion, law-court, from δικαστής, 'judge, juror') is the name of some departments of the Roman Curia. ''Pastor bonus'' ''Pastor bonus'' (1988), includes this definition: ''Praed ...

of the Roman Curia. All but two diocesan bishops were diocesan priests before assuming the

episcopacy A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

in Chicago. Two came from

religious institute A religious institute is a type of institute of consecrated life in the Catholic Church whose members take religious vows and lead a life in community with fellow members. Religious institutes are one of the two types of institutes of consecrate ...

s: the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

(James Van de Velde) and the

Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) is a missionary religious congregation in the Catholic Church. It was founded on January 25, 1816, by Eugène de Mazenod, a French priest born in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France on August 1, ...

(Francis George).

28th International Eucharistic Congress

In 1926, the archdiocese hosted the

28th International Eucharistic Congress The 28th International Eucharistic Congress was held in Chicago, Illinois, United States from June 20 to 24, 1926. The event, held by the Catholic Church, was a eucharistic congress, which is a large scale gathering of Catholics that focuses ...

Our Lady of the Angels fire

A fire occurred at Our Lady of Angels School on December 1, 1958, in the Humboldt Park area of western Chicago. The school, operated by the Archdiocese, lost 92 students and three nuns in five classrooms on the second floor. In 1959 the National Fire Protection Association's report on the blaze blamed civic authorities and the Archdiocese of Chicago for "housing their children in fire traps" – their words – such as Our Lady of the Angels School. The report noted that both the Chicago School Board and the Archdiocese continued to allow some schools to be legally operated despite having inadequate fire safety standards.

Churches

Archbishop's Residence

The Archbishop's Residence at 1555 North State Parkway is the official home of the

Archbishop of Chicago The Archdiocese of Chicago ( la, Archidiœcesis Chicagiensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in Northeastern Illinois, in the United States. It was established as a diocese in 1843 and ...

and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1885 by the Most Rev. Patrick Feehan, first Archbishop of Chicago, it is a three-story, red brick building and is one of the oldest structures in the Astor Street District, according to the Landmarks Preservation Council. When

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

visited Chicago in 1979, he became the first Pontiff to stay at the residence, though two previous popes had stayed there as cardinals: Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli, who became

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...

; and Giovanni Cardinal Montini, who became

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

. Before the establishment of the Archbishop's Residence, the Bishops of Chicago were in residence at a home on LaSalle Street and North Avenue. All archbishops of Chicago lived at the mansion until the appointment of the ninth and current archbishop, Blase Cupich, who chose to live at the Holy Name Cathedral rectory.

Bishops

Bishops of Chicago

# William J. Quarter (1844–1848) #

James Oliver Van de Velde James Oliver Van de Velde (April 3, 1795 – November 13, 1855) was a U.S. Catholic bishop born in Belgium. He served as the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Chicago between 1849 and 1853. He traveled to Rome in 1852 and petitioned the Pope for a ...

, S.J. (1848–1853), appointed Bishop of Natchez # Anthony O'Regan (1854–1858) #

James Duggan James Duggan (May 22, 1825 – March 27, 1899) was an Irish-American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Chicago from 1859 to 1869, officially resigning in 1880. Biography Early years James D ...

(1859–1880) Our-Lady-Queen-of-Heaven

Archbishops of Chicago

# Patrick Augustine Feehan (1880–1902) #

James Edward Quigley James Edward Quigley (October 15, 1854 – July 10, 1915) was a Canadian-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo in New York (1897–1903) and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois (1903� ...

(1903–1915) # Cardinal

George Mundelein George William Mundelein (July 2, 1872 – October 2, 1939) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Chicago from 1915 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1924. Early life and ministry ...

(1915–1939) # Cardinal

Samuel Stritch Samuel Alphonsius Stritch (August 17, 1887 – May 27, 1958) was an American Cardinal prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1940 to 1958 and as pro-prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Pro ...

(1939–1958), appointed

Pro-Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...

of the

Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

# Cardinal

Albert Gregory Meyer Albert Gregory Meyer (March 9, 1903 – April 9, 1965) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 1958 until his death in 1965, and was appointed a cardinal in 195 ...

(1958–1965) # Cardinal

John Cody John Patrick Cody (December 24, 1907 – April 25, 1982) was an American bishop and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. A native of St. Louis, he served as Bishop of Kansas City–Saint Joseph (1956–1961), Archbishop of New Orleans (1964� ...

(1965–1982) # Cardinal

Joseph Bernardin Joseph Louis Bernardin (April 2, 1928 – November 14, 1996) was an American Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Cincinnati from 1972 until 1982, and as Archbishop of Chicago from 1982 until his death in 1996 from ...

(1982–1996) # Cardinal

Francis George Francis Eugene George (January 16, 1937 – April 17, 2015) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the eighth Archbishop of Chicago in Illinois (1997–2014) and previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Yakima and ...

, OMI (1997–2014) # Cardinal

Blase J. Cupich Blase Joseph Cupich ( ; March 19, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, a cardinal who serves as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Cupich was ordained a priest there in 1975. He was named ...

(2014–present)

Current auxiliary bishops

Joseph N. Perry Joseph Nathaniel Perry (born April 18, 1948) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago since 1998 Perry is a past vice-president of the board of the Natio ...

(1998–present) *

Andrew Peter Wypych Andrew Peter Wypych (born December 5, 1954) is a Polish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has served as an auxiliary bishop and episcopal vicar of the Archdiocese of Chicago since 2011. Biography Early life and education Wypych wa ...

(2011–present) * Mark Andrew Bartosic (2018–present) *

Robert Gerald Casey Robert Gerald Casey (born September 23, 1967) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago since 2018. Biography Early life Robert Casey was born in 1967 in Ev ...

(2018–present) *

Jeffrey S. Grob Jeffrey Scott Grob (born March 19, 1961) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago since 2020. Biography Early life Jeffrey Grob was born on March 19, 19 ...

(2020–present) *

Kevin M. Birmingham Kevin Michael Birmingham (October 7, 1971 – October 2, 2023) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who was named auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 2020. Biography Early life Kevin Birmingham was born on Oc ...

(2020–present) * Robert J. Lombardo (2020–present)

Former auxiliary bishops

Gerald Farinas Our Lady of Mount Carmel Chicago

* Alexander Joseph McGavick (1899–1921), appointed Bishop of La Crosse *

Peter Muldoon Peter J. Muldoon (October 10, 1863 – October 8, 1927) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Rockford in Illinois from 1908 until his death in 1927. He previously served as a ...

(1901–1908), appointed Bishop of Rockford *

Paul Peter Rhode Paul Peter Rhode ( csb, Paweł Pioter Rhode; September 18, 1871 – March 3, 1945) was a German-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay in Wisconsin from 1915 until his death in 1945. Rhode wa ...

(1908–1915), appointed Bishop of Green Bay *

Edward Francis Hoban Edward Francis Hoban (June 27, 1878 – September 22, 1966) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1945 to 1966. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Rock ...

(1922–1928), appointed Bishop of Rockford and later

Bishop of Cleveland The Diocese of Cleveland ( la, Dioecesis Clevelandensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Pope Pius IX erected the diocese April 23, 1847, in ter ...

Bernard James Sheil Bernard James Sheil (February 18, 1888 – September 13, 1969) was an Auxiliary Roman Catholic Bishop of Chicago. Biography Born and raised in Chicago, Sheil was ordained a priest on May 3, 1910. He was named auxiliary Bishop of Chicago in 1 ...

(1928–1969), appointed Archbishop ''ad personam'' in 1959 *

William David O'Brien William David O'Brien (August 3, 1878 – February 19, 1962) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, Archdiocese of Chicago from 1934 until his death ...

(1934–1962) *

William Edward Cousins William Edward Cousins (August 20, 1902 – September 14, 1988) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois (1948 - 1952), as bi ...

(1948–1952), appointed Bishop of Peoria and later Archbishop of Milwaukee * Raymond Peter Hillinger (1956–1971), appointed Bishop of Rockford *

Cletus F. O'Donnell Cletus Francis O'Donnell (August 22, 1917 – August 31, 1992) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin from 1967 to 1992. He previously served as an auxilia ...

(1960–1967), appointed Bishop of Madison *

Aloysius John Wycislo Aloysius ( ) is a given name. Etymology It is a Latinisation of the names Alois, Louis, Lewis, Luis, Luigi, Ludwig, and other cognates (traditionally in Medieval Latin as ''Ludovicus'' or ''Chlodovechus''), ultimately from Frankish ''*Hlūdaw ...

(1960–1968), appointed Bishop of Green Bay *

Romeo Roy Blanchette Romeo Roy Blanchette (January 6, 1913 – January 10, 1982) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1966 to 1979. Biography Early life Romeo Blanchette was born ...

(1965–1966), appointed Bishop of Joliet *

John L. May John Lawrence May (March 31, 1922 – March 24, 1994) was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Mobile (1969–1980) and Archbishop of St. Louis (1980–1992). Early life and education John May was born in E ...

(1967–1969), appointed Bishop of Mobile and later Archbishop of St. Louis *

Thomas Joseph Grady Thomas Joseph Grady (October 9, 1914April 21, 2002) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the second bishop of the Diocese of Orlando in Florida from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archd ...

(1967–1974), appointed Bishop of Orlando *

William Edward McManus William Edward McManus (January 27, 1914 – March 3, 1997) was a 20th-century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 1967 to 1976 and bishop of the Di ...

(1967–1976), appointed Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend *

Michael Dempsey Michael Stephen Dempsey (born 29 November 1958) is an English musician and composer, who has played bass as a member of several post-punk and new wave bands, including the Cure and the Associates. History Early years Dempsey was born on 29 ...

(1968–1974) *

Alfred Leo Abramowicz Alfred Leo Abramowicz (January 27, 1919 – September 12, 1999) was an American prelate in the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 1968 to 1995. Abramowicz was a strong ad ...

(1968–1995) *

Nevin William Hayes Nevin William Hayes, O.Carm. (February 17, 1922 - July 12, 1988) was an American Bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as the prelate of the Territorial Prelature of Sicuani in Peru from 1959 to 1970 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdioc ...

O. Carm. , image = , caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites , abbreviation = OCarm , formation = Late 12th century , founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel , founding_location = Mount Ca ...

(1971–1988) *

Plácido Rodriguez Plácido Rodríguez C.M.F. (born October 11, 1940) is a Mexican-born American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Lubbock in Texas from 1994 to 2015 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of San Anton ...

, C.M.F. (1983–1994), appointed Bishop of Lubbock * Wilton D. Gregory (1983–1994), appointed Bishop of Belleville and later

Archbishop of Atlanta In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdioc ...

and

Archbishop of Washington The Archdiocese of Washington is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the United States. Its territorial remit encompasses the District of Columbia and the counties of Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, ...

* Timothy Joseph Lyne (1983–2013) * John R. Gorman (1988–2003) * Thad J. Jakubowski (1988–2003) * Raymond E. Goedert (1991–2003) *

Gerald Frederick Kicanas Gerald Frederick Kicanas (born August 18, 1941) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Tucson in Arizona from 2002 to 2017. He served as the apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Las Cruc ...

(1995–2002), appointed Bishop of Tucson *

Edwin Michael Conway Edwin Michael Conway (March 6, 1934 - August 9, 2004) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago in Illinois from 1995 to 2004. Early life and education Edwin Conway was b ...

(1995–2004) * George V. Murry, SJ (1995–1998), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of St. Thomas and subsequently succeeded to that see * John R. Manz (1996–2021) *

Jerome Edward Listecki Jerome Edward Listecki (born March 12, 1949) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has served as Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, since 2010. Previously Listecki served as an auxiliary bishop of the Arc ...

(2000–2004), appointed Bishop of La Crosse and later Archbishop of Milwaukee *

Thomas J. Paprocki Thomas John Joseph Paprocki (born August 5, 1952) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois since 2010. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Arc ...

(2003–2010), appointed Bishop of Springfield in Illinois * Francis J. Kane (2003–2018) * George J. Rassas (2006–2018) *

Alberto Rojas Alberto Rojas (born January 5, 1965) is a Mexican prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of San Bernardino in Southern California since 2020. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archd ...

(2011–2019), appointed Coadjutor Bishop of San Bernardino and subsequently succeeded to that see *

Ronald Aldon Hicks Ronald Aldon Hicks (born August 4, 1967) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as bishop for the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois since 2020. Hicks previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of ...

(2018–2020), appointed Bishop of Joliet

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

Peter Joseph Baltes Peter Joseph Baltes (April 7, 1827 – February 15, 1886) was a German-born American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Alton in Illinois from 1870 until his death in 1886. Biography Early life P ...

, appointed Bishop of Alton in 1869 * John McMullen, appointed Bishop of Davenport in 1881 *

Maurice Francis Burke Maurice Francis Burke (May 5, 1845 – March 17, 1923) was an Ireland, Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne, Diocese of Cheyenne in Wyoming (1887–1893) and as bishop o ...

, appointed Bishop of Cheyenne in 1887 * Edward Joseph Dunne, appointed Bishop of Dallas in 1893 * Thaddeus Joseph Butler, appointed Bishop of Concordia in 1897 (died before consecration) *

Edmund Michael Dunne Edmund Michael Dunne (February 2, 1864 – October 17, 1929) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Peoria in Illinois from 1909 until his death in 1929. Biography Early life Edmund Dunn ...

, appointed Bishop of Peoria in 1909 * Stanislaus Vincent Bona, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1931 * Moses Elias Kiley, appointed Bishop of Trenton in 1934 *

Francis Joseph Magner Francis Joseph Magner (March 18, 1887 – June 13, 1947) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Marquette in Michigan from 1941 to 1947. Biography Early life Francis Magner was born on Ma ...

, appointed Bishop of Marquette in 1940 *

Patrick Thomas Brennan Monsignor Patrick Brennan (1901–1950), was an American born, Catholic missionary priest, killed by North Korean forces in 1950. Patrick Brennan, was born March 13, 1901, in Chicago, Illinois, to Irish parents. He was educated in St Rita's High S ...

, S.S.C.M.E. (priest here, 1928–1936), appointed Prefect of Kwoszu, Korea (South) in 1948 *

Martin Dewey McNamara Martin Dewey McNamara (May 12, 1896 – May 23, 1966) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the new Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1949 until his death in 1966. Biography Early life McN ...

, appointed Bishop of Joliet in Illinois in 1948 * William Aloysius O'Connor, appointed Bishop of Springfield in Illinois in 1948 * Donald Martin Carroll, appointed Bishop of Rockford in 1956 (did not take effect) * Ernest John Primeau, appointed Bishop of Manchester in 1959 *

, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet in Illinois in 1965 *

Raymond James Vonesh Raymond James Vonesh (January 25, 1916 – August 16, 1991) was an American Bishop of the Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 1968–1991. Early life and education Born in Cicero, Illinois, ...

, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Joliet in Illinois in 1968 *

Paul Casimir Marcinkus Paul Casimir Marcinkus (; January 15, 1922 – February 20, 2006) was an American archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church and president of the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly known as the Vatican Bank, from 1971 to 1989. Early ...

, appointed titular Archbishop in 1968 *

Thomas Joseph Murphy Thomas Joseph Murphy (October 3, 1932 – June 26, 1997) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings in Montana from 1978 to 1987, as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of ...

, appointed Bishop of Great Falls in 1978 * John Richard Keating, appointed Bishop of Arlington in 1983 *

James Patrick Keleher James Patrick Keleher (born July 31, 1931) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Belleville in Illinois from 1984 to 1993 and as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas from 1 ...

, appointed Bishop of Belleville in 1984 * Edward Michael Egan, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of New York in 1985; future Cardinal *

Edward James Slattery Edward James Slattery (born August 11, 1940) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa in Oklahoma from 1993 to 2016. Biography Early life The second of seven children, Edward Slatter ...

, appointed Bishop of Tulsa in 1993 * Edward Kenneth Braxton. appointed Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis in 1995 * Robert Barron (bishop), Robert Emmet Barron, appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles in 2015 * Michael G. McGovern, appointed Bishop of Belleville in 2020 *Louis Tylka, appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Peoria in 2020

Structure of the archdiocese

Administration The Archdiocese Pastoral Centers are Archbishop Quigley Center, 835 North Rush Street and Cardinal Meyer Center, 3525 South Lake Park Avenue, both in Chicago. Administrative Council to the Archbishop Most Reverend Robert Casey, Vicar General
Stephen Kanonik, Moderator of the Curia
Daniel Welter, Chancellor
Jeffrey S. Grob, Auxiliary Bishop, Episcopal Vicar, Vicariate I
Mark A. Bartosic, Auxiliary Bishop, Episcopal Vicar, Vicariate II
Robert J. Lombardo, CFR, Auxiliary Bishop, Episcopal Vicar, Vicariate III
Kevin M. Birmingham, Auxiliary Bishop, Episcopal Vicar, Vicariate IV
Andrew P. Wypych, Auxiliary Bishop, Episcopal Vicar, Vicariate V
Joseph N. Perry, Auxiliary Bishop, Episcopal Vicar, Vicariate VI
Thomas A. Baima, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary
Michael M. Boland, Director, Catholic Charities
Betsy Bohlen, Chief Financial Officer
George Puszka, Director, Finance
Christopher J. Cannova, Department of Personnel Services
Peter de Keartry, Interim-Director, Department of Human Services
Peter Wojik, Director, Department of Parish Vitality and Mission
Jim Rigg, Superintendent, Archdiocesan Board of Catholic Education

Departments

Departments, agencies and offices include: *Amate House *Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women *Archives and Records, Assistance Ministry *Catechism, Catechesis *Catholic Cemeteries *Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago *O'Hare International Airport, Catholic Chaplaincy at O'Hare *Catholic Schools *Chancellor *Communications and Public Relations *Conciliation *Deacon, Diaconate *worship, Divine Worship *Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs *Family Ministries *Financial Services *Food Service Professionals *Formation, Lay Ecclesial Ministry *Legal Services *Catholic liturgy, Liturgy Training Publications *Metropolitan Tribunal *Ministerial Evaluation *Ministry in Higher Education *Office of Catholic Schools
Office for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs
*Office for Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship *Office of Information Technology
Office for Peace and Justice
*Office for Persons with Disabilities *Office of Professional Responsibility *Ongoing Formation in Ministry *Parish Life and Formation *The Protection of Children and Youth *Racial Justice *Research and Planning *Respect Life *Stewardship and Development *Vocations *Young Adult Ministry *Youth Ministry Office.

Office of Catholic Schools

Gerald Farinas Archbishop Quigley Seminary Chicago

The Office of Catholic Schools operates, manages, and supports diocesan and Catholic primary and secondary schools. Catholic education in the Chicago area began on June 3, 1844 with the opening of a boys' school. Chicago parochial schools served various ethnic groups, including Irish, Germany, Germans, Poland, Poles, Czech Republic, Czechs and Bohemians, French, Slovakia, Slovaks, Lithuanians, Puerto Rican Americans, African Americans, Italy, Italians, and Mexicans. Many local nuns living in convents established and operated Catholic schools. The school construction boom ended when Cardinal

, archbishop at the time, decided to limit construction of Catholic schools in Lake County and suburban areas in Cook County. Due to changes in demographics, the archdiocese has since closed more than half of its urban schools since 1966. Between 1984 and 2004, the Office of Catholic Schools closed 148 schools and 10 school sites. An August 27, 2015, article in the ''Chicago Tribune'' refers to the Archdiocese of Chicago Office of Catholic Schools as the largest private school system in the United States. At the outset of the 2020/21 academic year, the archdiocese ran 160 elementary schools and three high schools. An additional eight Catholic elementary schools and 28 Catholic high schools that are not archdiocesan-run are located within the Archdiocese of Chicago. , the Superintendent of Catholic Schools is Jim Rigg, Ph.D. In January 2018, the Archdiocese announced the closure of five of its schools. In January 2020, the Archdiocese announced the permanent closure of five of its other schools. As of 2022, there are 33 Catholic high schools currently operating in Cook and Lake counties, seven all-girl high schools, seven all-boys high schools and 19 co-ed high schools.

Respect Life Office

Cardinal

established the Respect Life Office within the archdiocese. "It promotes the cause of life through advocacy and prayer. It has available educational resources, a speakers bureau and sponsors annual conferences, retreats and rallies for adults and youth. The Office also maintains Project Rachel, a program of reconciliation for those who participated in an abortion; and the Chastity Education Initiative, which serves youth and young adults of the Archdiocese, inspiring them to make positive choices about the gift of human sexuality." The Respect Life Office has coordinated several anti-abortion initiatives in the Chicago area. These include the local 40 Days for Life campaign, annual trip to the March for Life in both March for Life Chicago, Chicago and March for Life (Washington, D.C.), Washington, DC, for college and high school students.

Seminaries

*University of Saint Mary of the Lake, University of Saint Mary of the Lake (Mundelein Seminary) – major seminary *St. Joseph College Seminary – undergraduate seminary program of the Archdiocese of Chicago (affiliated with Loyola University Chicago) ((closed 2019)) *Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary – high-school seminary (closed 2007)

Province of Chicago

*Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville, Diocese of Belleville *Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois, Diocese of Joliet in Illinois *

*Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford, Diocese of Rockford *Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

References

External links

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago Official Site
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic Archdiocese Of Chicago Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States, Chicago Christianity in Chicago Religious organizations established in 1843 Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 19th century, Chicago Religious organizations based in Chicago 1843 establishments in Illinois