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Diocese of Owensboro Dioecesis Owensburgensis
St. Stephen Cathedral
Coat of arms
Location
Country	United States
Territory	Western Kentucky
Ecclesiastical province	Archdiocese of Louisville
Statistics
Population - Catholics	51,780  (6.2%)
Parishes	78
Schools	19
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	December 9, 1937
Cathedral	St. Stephen's Cathedral
Patron saint	St. Stephen
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	William Medley
Metropolitan Archbishop	Shelton Fabre
Map
Website
rcdok.org

The Diocese of Owensboro (Latin: Dioecesis Owensburgensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in western Kentucky in the United States. As of 2020, the diocese contained of 78 parishes and two Newman Centers in 32 counties. The Diocese of Owensboro is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Louisville.

The current bishop, William Medley, was the pastor of Saint Bernadette Parish of the Archdiocese of Louisville prior to his consecration which took place February 10, 2010.

History

1785 to 1937

The first Catholic immigrants to the Kentucky area came from Maryland in 1785. By 1796, approximately 300 Catholic families were living in the new state of Kentucky. Among the early missionaries was Stephen Badin who set out on foot for Kentucky on September 3, 1793, sent by Bishop John Carroll of the Diocese of Baltimore. For the next 14 years Badin traveled on foot, horseback and boat between widely scattered Catholic settlements in Kentucky and the Northwest Territory. For three years, Badin was the only priest in the whole of Kentucky.

In 1808, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Bardstown, covering Kentucky and most of the Northwest Territory. In 1841, Pope Leo suppressed the Diocese of Bardstown, which by this time encompassed only Kentucky. In its place, he created the Diocese of Louisville, with jurisdiction over Kentucky. The Owensboro region would remain part of the Diocese of Louisville for the next 96 years.

1937 to 1961

Pope Pius XI erected the Diocese of Owensboro in territory taken from the Diocese of Louisville in 1937. The pope also elevated the Diocese of Louisville to an archdiocese and made the new Diocese of Owensboro as one of its suffragans. Pius XI named Reverend Francis Cotton as the first bishop of Owensboro. Cotton had first planned to establish his cathedral in Henderson, Kentucky at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, but then changed it to Owensboro. The diocese's cathedral is named after St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

After his consecration, Cotton embarked on visits to the parishes in the new diocese. He brought the Catholic Students' Mission Crusade, a national organization for helping the poor, to the diocese. In early 1940, Cotton began the collection of relief supplies for refugees from World War II in Europe. By 1942, the diocese had collected over $1 million in supplies for distribution in Europe and China. In February 1943, Cotton held a synod in the diocese to set its laws and constitution. Contemporary reports said that Cotton strictly enforced these rules in the diocese, but personally was a kind individual. Cotton died in 1960.

1961 to present

In March 1961, Reverend Henry Soenneker of the Diocese of St. Cloud was appointed the second bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro by Pope John XXIII. After Soenneker retired in 1982, Pope John Paul II named John McRaith of the Diocese of New Ulm as his replacement. He established the diocesan newspaper, The Western Kentucky Catholic, in 1984. McRaith retired in 2009.

The current bishop of the Diocese of Owensboro is William Medley from the Archdiocese of Louisville. He was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

In December 2021, 74 people died in Western Kentucky after a series of tornadoes hit the region. Medley released this comment.

“Though no one but the Lord can heal the broken hearts of those who have lost loved ones, I am humbled by the outpouring of support coming to us from around the country and the world.”

\In November 2023, Medley visited Nigeria to thank the families of Nigerian priests serving in his diocese. He had made similar trips to India, Myanmar and Mexico to thank the families of priests from those nations.

Sexual abuse

Reverend Louis Piskula was arrested on sodomy and sexual abuse of a minor charges in February 2011. The victim had approached the diocese in 2010 and was told to notify the police. After pleading guilty, Piskula was sentenced to five years in prison in 2014. He died in prison in 2018.

In October 2018, the diocese permanently removed Reverend Gerald Baker from active ministry after determining that sexual abuse accusations against him were credible. He had been accused by three minors in 2016 when he was serving at St. Mary of the Woods Parish; at that point, the diocese put Baker on temporary suspension.

In March 2019, the diocese temporarily suspended Reverend Ed Bradley after he was accused sexual abuse of a minor. The incidents allegedly occurred during the 1980s when Bradley was volunteering as a chaplain at Owensboro Catholic High School. In May 2019, the diocese recommended that Bradley be permanently removed from public service. In 2021, the Vatican removed Bradley's suspension, allowing him to perform priestly functions. However, noting his "imprudent behavior", he was banned from schools for the next five years.

In April 2019, the diocese released a list of 15 priests who were accused of sexually abusing children while serving in the diocese.

Bishops

Bishops of Owensboro

1. Francis Ridgley Cotton (1937–1960)
2. Henry Joseph Soenneker (1961–1982)
3. John Jeremiah McRaith (1982–2009)
4. William Francis Medley (2009–present)

Education

High schools

• Owensboro Catholic High School – Owensboro
• St. Mary High School – Paducah
• Trinity High School – Whitesville

University

Brescia University – Owensboro

See also

• Catholic Church by country
• Catholic Church hierarchy
• List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States

References

1. ^ "Our Diocese". Diocese of Owensboro. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
2. ^ "The Bishop". Diocese of Owensboro. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
3. ^ "About Us". Saint Stephen Cathedral. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
4. https://parishsfds.com/documents/2021/12/Novena%20to%20St%20Stephen.pdf
5. Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 846
6. ^ Publishing, Turner (February 1994). The Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro, Kentucky. Turner Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-56311-129-7.
7. "Bishop Henry Joseph Soenneker". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
8. "Pope Names Kentucky Bishop". The New York Times. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
9. "Bishop John Jeremiah McRaith". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
10. "Bishop McRaith, 'a man of the land,' dies at 82". The Record. 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
11. ^ "Virgin Mary statue still stands despite deadly tornadoes—and Catholics offer help". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
12. "Packed Masses and vibrant vocations: Bishop Medley takes 'goodwill tour' to Nigeria | The Western Kentucky Catholic". westernkycatholic.com. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
13. "Owensboro Priest Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Minor, SurfKY, June 8, 2012". www.bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
14. "Retired priest denied shock probation, WLKY (January 13, 2015)". www.bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
15. ^ "Priest Accused of Sexual Abuse Permanently Suspended". U.S. News. Associated Press. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
16. "Owensboro Pastor Suspended Due to Allegations, Tristate Homepage, May 19, 2016". www.bishop-accountability.org. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
17. White and Smith, Douglas and Beth (2 March 2019). "Father Ed Bradley, Rick Pitino's former team chaplain, suspended after sex abuse claim". Courier-Journal. Henderson Gleaner. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
18. "Diocese recommends permanent suspension for accused priest". WBKO. Associated Press. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
19. Lyman, Jill; Gorman, Evan (27 April 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Fr. Bradley 'rejoiced' after Vatican reinstates him following sexual abuse allegations". www.14news.com. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
20. WKYT News Staff (13 April 2019). "Diocese of Owensboro releases names of accused priests". WKYT. WKYT/WFIE. Retrieved 1 February 2020.

External links

• Diocese of Owensboro Official Site

37°45′28″N 87°07′06″W / 37.75778°N 87.11833°W / 37.75778; -87.11833

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Owensboro
• Christian organizations established in 1937
• Catholic Church in Kentucky
• Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 20th century
• Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States
• Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Louisville
• 1937 establishments in Kentucky