The Diocese of Orlando ( la, Dioecesis Orlandensis) 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 territory or
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 ...
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 ...
in
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. It encompasses about spanning
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
,
Osceola
Osceola (1804 – January 30, 1838, Asi-yahola in Muscogee language, Creek), named Billy Powell at birth in Alabama, became an influential leader of the Seminole people in Florida. His mother was Muscogee, and his great-grandfather was a S ...
,
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...
,
Marion Marion may refer to:
People
*Marion (given name)
*Marion (surname)
*Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion"
*Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992)
Places Antarctica
* Mari ...
,
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 ...
,
Volusia
Volusia County (, ) is located in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Florida, stretching between the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2020 census, the county was home to 553,543 people, an increase of 11.9% from the 20 ...
,
Brevard,
Polk
Polk may refer to:
People
* James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States
* Polk (name), other people with the name
Places
*Polk (CTA), a train station in Chicago, Illinois
* Polk, Illinois, an unincorporated community
* Polk, Missouri ...
, and
Sumter Sumter may refer to:
People Given name
* Sumter S. Arnim (1904–1990), American dentist
* Sumter de Leon Lowry Jr. (1893–1985), United States Army general
Surname
* Rowendy Sumter (born 1988), Curaçaoan footballer
* Shavonda E. Sumter ( ...
Counties in the state of
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. In 2010, the diocese contained 81 parishes, 10 missions, and 37 schools.
St. James Cathedral serves as the seat of the diocese. Within the diocese are two
minor basilica
In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...
s,
Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe is a basilica located in Orlando, Florida at 8300 Vineland Avenue. It was built to service the large number of Catholic tourists who visit the attractions in the Greater Orlando ar ...
, a basilica which ministers to Catholic tourists, and St. Paul's in Daytona Beach.
In 2011, the estimated population was about 400,923 Catholics.
There are 208 priests, 87 religious nuns, and 181 permanent deacons. Twenty-six men are studying for the priesthood.
The current
bishop
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 ...
is
John Gerard Noonan
John Gerard Noonan (born February 26, 1951) is an Irish-born American prelate in the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Orlando in Florida since 2010. Noonan previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the A ...
. He took over effective October 24, 2010, having served previously as an Auxiliary Bishop of Miami, after the previous Bishop of Orlando,
Thomas Wenski
Thomas Gerard Wenski (born October 18, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was appointed Archbishop of Miami by Pope Benedict XVI on April 20, 2010 and was installed on June 1, 2010. He previously served as Bishop of ...
, was ordained to
Archbishop of Miami
The Archdiocese of Miami ( la, Archidioecesis Miamiensis, es, Arquidiócesis de Miami, ht, Achidyosèz Miami) is a particular church of the Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastical territory consists of Broward County, ...
. The Diocese of Orlando is a
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 ...
in the
ecclesiastical province
An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction
Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...
of the
metropolitan
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 typ ...
Archdiocese of Miami.
History
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 ...
erected the Diocese of Orlando on June 18, 1968, taking its present territory from the
Diocese of St. Augustine
The Diocese of St. Augustine is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church, located in the U.S. state of Florida. It is a suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Miami, covering much of North Florida, including t ...
and making it a suffragan of the
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Miami.
In the 1970's, it became apparent that there was a need for ministerial outreach to tourists visiting
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
and the
Lake Buena Vista Resort. The diocese responded first by establishing a parish in the Lake Buena Vista area, and subsequently by building the
Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe, located off of International Drive in the heart of the tourist and convention area to the southwest of the Orlando's urban center, which has seen subsequent development of many additional convention centers and attractions. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the present shrine church, dedicated in 1993, as a national shrine in 2004 and Pope Benedict XVI designated it as a minor
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
on 22 August 2009.
Bishops
Bishops of Orlando
#
William Donald Borders
William Donald Borders (October 9, 1913 – April 19, 2010) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the 13th Archbishop of Baltimore from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as the first Bishop of Orlando from 1968 to ...
(1968-1974), appointed
Archbishop of Baltimore
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore ( la, link=no, Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis) is the premier (or first) see of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore and nine of Mar ...
#
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 ...
(1974-1989)
#
Norbert Dorsey
Norbert Mary Leonard James Dorsey, C.P. (December 13, 1929 – February 21, 2013) was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an Auxiliary Bishop, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami in Florida (1986–1990) and as the thir ...
(1990-2004)
#
Thomas Wenski
Thomas Gerard Wenski (born October 18, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was appointed Archbishop of Miami by Pope Benedict XVI on April 20, 2010 and was installed on June 1, 2010. He previously served as Bishop of ...
(2004-2010), appointed
Archbishop of Miami
The Archdiocese of Miami ( la, Archidioecesis Miamiensis, es, Arquidiócesis de Miami, ht, Achidyosèz Miami) is a particular church of the Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastical territory consists of Broward County, ...
#
John Gerard Noonan
John Gerard Noonan (born February 26, 1951) is an Irish-born American prelate in the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Orlando in Florida since 2010. Noonan previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the A ...
(2010–present)
Other priests of this diocese who became bishops
*
Gregory Lawrence Parkes, appointed Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 2012
*
Stephen Douglas Parkes, appointed Bishop of Savannah in 2020
Present administration
For administrative purposes, the diocese has five deaneries centered in the following towns:
* Eastern Deanery (Volusia County) - Daytona Beach
* Southern Deanery (Brevard County) – Melbourne. In 2009, there were approximately 80,000 Catholics in Brevard.
* Northern Deanery (Marion, Sumter, and Lake Counties) – The Villages
* Western Deanery (Polk County) – Lakeland
* Central Deanery (Osceola, Orange, Seminole Counties) – Orlando
![Catholic Diocese of Orlando](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Catholic_Diocese_of_Orlando.JPG)
The diocese operates the San Pedro Center for the benefit of over 10,000 retreatants during 2008.
Diocese administration contains the following organizations: Office of Communication, Office of Advocacy and Justice, Office of Hispanic Ministry, Office of Family Life and Pastoral Care, Campus Ministry, Office of Finance and Accounting, Office of Human Resources, Buena Nueva FM 104.1, El Clarin,
The Florida Catholic, IT, Media Center, Youth/Young Adults, Catholic Charities of Central Florida (including Pathways to Care),
Bishop Grady Villas, Tourism Ministries, Mission Office, Propagation of the Faithm and Farmworker Ministry.
The diocese raised $10 million from its parishes in 2007 to support its ministries.
Ministries
1,342 couples participated in the marriage program under the Family Life Office in 2007.
In the diocese, 1,000 people were prepared and entered the church in 2008.
Over 900 people are trained to minister to the sick as of 2007.
The diocese has a sister diocese in the Dominican Republic. Missioners built two churches and one community center. The medical mission helped 2,000 patients in 2007.
The diocese has unique services for the large number of tourists who visit the area.
Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe is a basilica located in Orlando, Florida at 8300 Vineland Avenue. It was built to service the large number of Catholic tourists who visit the attractions in the Greater Orlando ar ...
was opened in 1979 near
Walt Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
to provide a location for mass for Orlando-area tourists. An Apostleship of the Sea ministry is located at the Stella Maris Center at
Port Canaveral
Port Canaveral is a cruise, cargo, and naval port in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world with 4.5 million cruise passengers passing through during 2016. Over 5.4 million tonnes of bulk car ...
for the benefit of seafarers.
Catholic charities
In 2007, Catholic charities gave food and financial assistance to 23,000 families; helped over 290 refugee families and 4,000 people with immigration issues; and visited 2,000 prisoners. Pathways to Care assisted 290 homeless people with medical and shelter.
Other diocesan ministries
*Catholic Cemeteries of Central Florida is the Diocesan Ministry that helps to oversee the three parish cemeteries at All Souls Catholic Cemetery, St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, and St. Matthew Catholic Cemetery.
*Council of Catholic Women.
In 2008, there were 32 such parish groups in the diocese. In 2007, they donated $240,759 to charitable causes and recorded an estimated 130,615 volunteer hours.
Education
In 2007 there were 12,116 elementary, and 2,687 high school students enrolled in the Diocesan Catholic schools. There were 816 elementary and 221 high school teachers in the Catholic School District. The Diocese supports th
Catholic Campus Ministryat the neighboring
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...
.
Within the diocese more than 29,000 young students are educated in religion by 4,069
catechist
Catechesis (; from Greek: , "instruction by word of mouth", generally "instruction") is basic Christian religious education of children and adults, often from a catechism book. It started as education of converts to Christianity, but as the ...
s and religious educators.
The Superintendent of Schools was Henry Fortier.
[Florida Today, January 20, 2008."Parochials in a pinch." Brennan, Kate]
In 2011, there were 14,500 students in the 38 schools in the diocesan school system. This includes 32 elementary schools, 5 high schools and one special education school.
In 2008, the
National Catholic Educational Association
The National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) is a private, professional educational membership association of over 150,000 educators in Catholic schools, universities, and religious education programs. It is the largest such organization ...
recognized the diocesan school board as "outstanding", the only diocesan board to be so recognized. At the same time, the Father Lopez Catholic High School Board was simultaneously recognized as outstanding; also the only school board to be so designated.
In 2009-2010, the diocesan schools received more than $1 million in
Title I
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed by the 89th United States Congress and signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 11, 1965. Part of Johnson's "War on Poverty", the act has been one of the most far-re ...
and
Title II funds through the federal government.
Secondary schools
The average tuition at diocesan high schools for 2007-8 was $7,476 annually. The average annual cost to educate each student was $10,297.
There are five secondary schools:
*
Bishop Moore High School
Bishop Moore Catholic High School is a private Roman Catholic high school in the College Park neighborhood of Orlando, Florida. The school is located within the Diocese of Orlando, and remains the only Catholic high school in Greater Orlando. Th ...
, Orlando
*
Father Lopez Catholic High School
Father Lopez Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando. 413 students are enrolled.
History
Father Lopez Catholic High School was established i ...
, Daytona Beach
*
Melbourne Central Catholic High School
Melbourne Central Catholic (MCC) is an American private, Roman Catholic, coed college-preparatory school high school located in Melbourne, in Brevard County, Florida. It was a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 1991.
Campus
44 acre campus include ...
, Melbourne
*
Santa Fe Catholic High School
Santa Fe Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Lakeland, Florida. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando. There are 310 students.
History
Santa Fe Catholic High School, a coeducational institution of t ...
, Lakeland
*
Trinity Catholic High School, Ocala
Elementary schools
The average tuition for diocesan elementary schools in 2007–08 was $4,162. The actual average cost of educating each student was $5,610.
The Diocese of Orlando had 32 elementary schools in 2011. Since 1985, 18 of those have been awarded the designation of National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.
Brevard County
* Ascension Catholic School,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, 2003 and 1985 National Blue Ribbon School
* Divine Mercy Catholic School,
Merritt Island
Merritt Island is a peninsula, commonly referred to as an island, in Brevard County, Florida, United States, located on the eastern Floridian coast, along the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the name of an unincorporated town in the central and sout ...
, 2004 National Blue Ribbon School
* Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School,
Indialantic
Indialantic (officially incorporated as Indialantic-By-The-Sea, though the official name is seldom used in casual parlance) is a town in Brevard County, Florida. The town's population was 2,720 at the 2010 United States Census. It is part of the ...
, 2003 and 2000 National Blue Ribbon School
* Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School,
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
* Our Saviour Catholic School,
Cocoa Beach
Cocoa Beach is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,539 at the 2018 United States Census. It is part of the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The first non-native s ...
, 2004 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Joseph Parish School,
Palm Bay, 2006 and 1993 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Mary Catholic School,
Rockledge, 2004 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Teresa Catholic School,
Titusville
Lake County
* St. Paul Catholic School,
Leesburg
Marion County
* Blessed Trinity Catholic School,
Ocala
Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida.
Home to ...
Orange County
* Good Shepherd Catholic School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, 2000 National Blue Ribbon School
* Holy Family Catholic School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, 2006 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Andrew Catholic School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, 2009 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, 2007 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. James Cathedral School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, 2005 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. John Vianney Catholic School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, 2005 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Margaret Mary Catholic School,
Winter Park, 2006 National Blue Ribbon School
Osceola County
* Holy Redeemer Catholic School,
Kissimmee
Kissimmee ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 79,226. It is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area, wh ...
* St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School,
St. Cloud
Polk County
* Resurrection Catholic School,
Lakeland, 2004 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Anthony Catholic School,
Lakeland
* St. Joseph Catholic Academy,
Lakeland
* St. Joseph Catholic School,
Winter Haven
Seminole County
* All Souls Catholic School,
Sanford, 2004 National Blue Ribbon School
* Annunciation Catholic Academy,
Altamonte Springs
Altamonte Springs is a suburban city in central Florida in Seminole County, Florida, United States, which had a population of 46,231 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is in the northern suburbs of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metro ...
, 2003 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School,
Altamonte Springs
Altamonte Springs is a suburban city in central Florida in Seminole County, Florida, United States, which had a population of 46,231 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is in the northern suburbs of the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford Metro ...
, 2006 National Blue Ribbon School
Volusia County
* Basilica School of St. Paul,
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County near the Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. Daytona Beach is approximately nort ...
* Lourdes Academy,
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County near the Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. Daytona Beach is approximately nort ...
, 2006 National Blue Ribbon School
* Sacred Heart Catholic School,
New Smyrna Beach
New Smyrna Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States, located on the central east coast of the state, with the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Its population is 30,142 in 2020 by the United States Census Bureau.
The downtown section o ...
, 2008 National Blue Ribbon School
* St. Brendan Catholic School,
Ormond Beach
Ormond Beach is a city in central Florida in Volusia County. The population was 43,080 at the 2020 census. Ormond Beach lies directly north of Daytona Beach and is a principal city of the Deltona–Daytona Beach–Ormond Beach, FL Metropolitan ...
* St. Peter Catholic School,
DeLand
Special education
* Morning Star School,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
History
Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (; ; 1500 – 21 May, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and '' conquistador'' who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire ...
explored Florida in 1539. The
Timucua
The Timucua were a Native American people who lived in Northeast and North Central Florida and southeast Georgia. They were the largest indigenous group in that area and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms, many leading thousands of people. The var ...
and the
Ais AIS may refer to:
Medicine
* Abbreviated Injury Scale, an anatomical-based coding system to classify and describe the severity of injuries
* Acute ischemic stroke, the thromboembolic type of stroke
* Androgen insensitivity syndrome, an intersex ...
Indians around Cape Canaveral were hostile to the Spaniards and allowed no mission centers.
Florida was first part of the
Church of Havana, Cuba, as early as 1606. Bishops of
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana.
The municipality extends over , and contains t ...
ministered to Catholics in Florida until 1763, when England acquired Florida from Spain. The first mass migration to the New World took place when hundreds of Catholics from
Menorca
Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...
settled in New Smyrna in 1768. They were members there of San Pedro Church until they abandoned that Atlantic coastal site in 1777 and moved north to St. Augustine. Cuban bishops resumed control after Florida was returned to Spain in 1783.
In 1858, Bishop
Augustin Verot
Jean Marcel Pierre Auguste Vérot, known commonly as Augustin Verot, (May 1804 – June 10, 1876) was a French-born American prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the first bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida (1870–1876). ...
became
Vicar Apostolic
A vicar (; Latin: ''vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English pref ...
of part of Georgia and all of Florida. He became Bishop of Savannah in 1861 and remained Vicar Apostolic of Florida.
In 1870, the
Diocese of St. Augustine
The Diocese of St. Augustine is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church, located in the U.S. state of Florida. It is a suffragan diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Miami, covering much of North Florida, including t ...
, including all of Florida, was formed with Verot its first bishop.
The Diocese of Orlando was established on June 18, 1968. Prior to that time, Central Florida was part of the Diocese of St. Augustine. At its formation, the new diocese consisted of fifty parishes and served 128,000 Catholics. Because of the growth of the Orlando metropolitan area, engendered by the opening of Disney World and other tourist destinations, the diocese became one of the fastest growing ones in the nation. It 2007 it included 73 parishes, 10 missions, and 37 schools spread over the nine counties of Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Marion, Lake, Volusia, Brevard, Polk, and Sumter. It serves a population of approximately 350,000 Catholics.
The patroness of the Diocese of Orlando is
Mary, the Mother of God.
Orlando's first bishop was William D. Borders who was installed on June 14, 1968. Border's achievements included establishing parish councils, parish education boards, participation of the laity as extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist, a Sisters' Council, a migrant ministry apostolate staffed by full-time personnel, and a campus ministry program which was acclaimed nationally. Diocesan Catholic communities became integrated in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Thomas J. Grady was installed as bishop on December 16, 1974. He ran the diocese during a period of growth. He established eighteen new parishes, a tourism ministry, San Pedro Center (a centrally-located spiritual life center), and a sister diocese in the Dominican Republic. He also encouraged the greater participation of women in the work of the Church. At the end of his tenure in 1990, the Catholic population of the diocese had grown over 76% and the number of parishes had increased by more than a third.
When the Diocese of Orlando was founded, St. Charles Borromeo Church in the
College Park neighborhood of Orlando was designated the diocesan Cathedral. On October 1, 1976, the cathedral was destroyed by an electrical fire. On March 25, 1977, St. James Church in downtown Orlando became the new Cathedral.
Norbert M. Dorsey, was installed as bishop on May 25, 1990. The diocese added parishes and schools, as well as expanded the ministry to the growing Hispanic community through establishing Radio Paz and health clinics for migrant and farm workers.
Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe is a basilica located in Orlando, Florida at 8300 Vineland Avenue. It was built to service the large number of Catholic tourists who visit the attractions in the Greater Orlando ar ...
was established as a church, built in the midst of the tourist area, for visitors to attend Mass and pray.
Bishop Grady Villas, which opened on January 1, 2004, was constructed as a residential community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A cemetery at San Pedro Retreat Center for priests of the diocese was established.
On July 1, 2003,
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 ...
appointed
Thomas G. Wenski
Thomas Gerard Wenski (born October 18, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was appointed Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, Archbishop of Miami by Pope Benedict XVI on April 20, 2010 and was installed on June 1, 2010 ...
as
Coadjutor Bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
of the Diocese of Orlando. On November 13, 2004, Bishop Wenski succeeded Bishop Dorsey, becoming the fourth Bishop of Orlando.
From 2004-10, six new parishes and two missions were created. A capital and endowment campaign raised $100 million. Two diocesan churches were raised to the status of minor
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its name ...
s. The Spanish-language radio station Buena Nueva FM was started along with the Spanish-language newspaper, ''El Clarin.''
The
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Conference (US ...
held their spring convocation in the diocese in 2008.
On April 20, 2010, Bishop
Thomas G. Wenski
Thomas Gerard Wenski (born October 18, 1950) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was appointed Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, Archbishop of Miami by Pope Benedict XVI on April 20, 2010 and was installed on June 1, 2010 ...
was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of the
Archdiocese of Miami
The Archdiocese of Miami ( la, Archidioecesis Miamiensis, es, Arquidiócesis de Miami, ht, Achidyosèz Miami) is a particular church of the Catholic Church in the United States of America. Its ecclesiastical territory consists of Broward County, ...
by
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
. On June 3, 2010, the College of
Consultor
A consultor is one who gives counsel, i.e., a counselor.
In the Catholic Church, it is a specific title for various advisory positions:
*in the Roman Curia, a consultor is a specially appointed expert who may be called upon for advice desired by ...
s met and elected Father Richard Walsh, pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Winter Park, as the
Diocesan Administrator :''See: Catholic Church hierarchy#Equivalents of diocesan bishops in law''
A diocesan administrator is a provisional ordinary of a Roman Catholic particular church.
Diocesan administrators in canon law
The college of consultors elects an admini ...
, who served in that capacity until the new bishop was appointed in October.
On October 23, 2010, Benedict XVI appointed Bishop
John Gerard Noonan
John Gerard Noonan (born February 26, 1951) is an Irish-born American prelate in the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Orlando in Florida since 2010. Noonan previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the A ...
, as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Orlando.
The
bishop
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 ...
s of the diocese are:
#
William Donald Borders
William Donald Borders (October 9, 1913 – April 19, 2010) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the 13th Archbishop of Baltimore from 1974 to 1989, having previously served as the first Bishop of Orlando from 1968 to ...
(1968–1974)
#
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 ...
(1974–1989)
#
Norbert Mary Leonard James Dorsey
Norbert Mary Leonard James Dorsey, C.P. (December 13, 1929 – February 21, 2013) was a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami in Florida (1986–1990) and as the third bishop of the D ...
(1990–2004)
#
Thomas Gerard Wenski (2004–2010)
#
John Gerard Noonan
John Gerard Noonan (born February 26, 1951) is an Irish-born American prelate in the Roman Catholic Church. He has been serving as bishop of the Diocese of Orlando in Florida since 2010. Noonan previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the A ...
(2010–current)
Gregory Parkes
Gregory Lawrence Parkes (born April 2, 1964) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Parkes has been serving as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of St. Petersburg in Florida since 2017. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Pensac ...
, a priest of this diocese, was appointed
Bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee in 2012. later in 2017, he was appointed
Bishop of Saint Petersburg.
Reports of sex abuse
In 1995, the Diocese of Orlando issued lawsuit settlements with people who accused two Catholic clergy of sexually abusing them.
The same year, priest Orlando priest Thomas Ragni was arrested and charged with sexually abusing young people at his seminary. He was then convicted in 1996 and sentenced to ten years in prison, but was released early in 2000.
In 2004, 12 priests who were accused of committing sex abuse while serving in the Diocese of Orlando were removed from active ministry. In August 2018, the Diocese was also revealed to have harbored a priest who was accused of committing sex abuse while serving in the Diocese of Allentown in Pennsylvania. The accused Pennsylvania priest was soon removed from ministry.
Parishes
There are 93 parishes in the Diocese of Orlando.
Parishes include:
*All Souls,
Sanford - 1,776 registered families; average attendance 1,700 each weekend.
*
Corpus Christi,
Celebration - 920 registered families; average attendance 1,700 each weekend.
*St. Philip Phan van Minh,
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
- a language parish for people of Vietnamese descent
*Most Precious Blood,
Oviedo
Oviedo (; ast, Uviéu ) is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located ap ...
- 1,900 registered families; 2,200 average weekend attendance
*St. Mark the Evangelist,
Summerfield - 2,067 families registered.
*St. Faustina,
Clermont - 700 registered families, over 500 attending each weekend.
*St. Mary,
Rockledge. A parish of 1400 families. In 2002 the congregation opened an ultra modern church designed by architect
Michael Graves
Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect, designer, and educator, as well as principal of Michael Graves and Associates and Michael Graves Design Group. He was a member of The New York Five and the Memphis Grou ...
. The church is set up in such a way as to show the journey of life towards Christ that one makes.
Basilicas
*
Basilica of St. Paul -
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
raised St. Paul's Church in
Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County near the Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 at the 2020 census. Daytona Beach is approximately nort ...
to a
Minor Basilica
In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...
in 2006.
*
Basilica of Mary, Queen of the Universe
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe is a basilica located in Orlando, Florida at 8300 Vineland Avenue. It was built to service the large number of Catholic tourists who visit the attractions in the Greater Orlando ar ...
- Pope Benedict XVI raised Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine in Orlando to a Minor Basilica in 2009.
Other
* St. Jude Maronite Church is a Catholic church in Orlando under the jurisdiction of the
Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn
Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (in Latin: Eparchia Sancti Maronis Bruklyniensis Maronitarum) is an entity pertaining to the Apostolic Maronite Patriarchal Church of Antioch and is a diocese of the Maronite Church for the eas ...
(Maronite Catholic Church).
Immaculate Heart of Mary's Hermitage West Melbourne is a Roman Catholic Hermitage that moved to West Melbourne in 2005 upon completion of the ''
Oratory'' from
Eau Gallie
Eau Gallie () is a section of the city of Melbourne, Florida, located on the city's northern side. It was an independent city in Brevard County from 1860 until 1969.
That year residents of Eau Gallie and Melbourne voted to merge their governmen ...
. Hermitage continues to receive its sacramental support fro
Ascension Catholic Community
Media
The diocese owns the Spanish-language radio station Buena Nueva FM 104.1 Sub-Carrier which reaches eight counties of the nine comprising the diocese. It is broadcast on the internet.
Newspaper
A localized version of the ''
Florida Catholic
The ''Florida Catholic'' is the official newspaper for four of the seven dioceses in the Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Miami. Based in Orlando, Florida, the newspaper publishes 24 issues a year in three dioceses; these editions include loca ...
'' newspaper is published 38 times a year. Diocesan circulation is 40,200, the highest in the
Eccesiastical Province of Miami.
accessed September 27
See also
* Catholic Church by country
The Catholic Church is "the Catholic Communion of Churches, both Roman and Eastern, or Oriental, that are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (the pope)." The church is also known by members as the People of God, the Body of Christ, the " ...
* Catholic Church hierarchy
The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests, and deacons. In the ecclesiological sense of the term, "hierarchy" strictly means the "holy ordering" of the Church, the Body of Christ, so to respect the diversity of gif ...
* List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States
This is the list of the Catholic dioceses and archdioceses of the United States which includes both the dioceses of the Latin Church, which employ the Roman Rite and other Latin liturgical rites, and various other dioceses, primarily the eparchi ...
Notes
References
External links
Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando Official Site
Immaculate Heart of Mary's Hermitage
West Melbourne
Simulcast of Buena Nueva 104.1 FM
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic Diocese Of Orlando
Christianity in Orlando, Florida
Christian organizations established in 1968
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
1968 establishments in Florida