Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth

Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in US This article is about the current Catholic diocese. For the former Episcopal Diocese known as the Diocese of Duluth, see Episcopal Diocese of Duluth.

Diocese of Duluth Dioecesis Duluthensis

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary
Coat of arms
Location
Country	United States
Territory	10 counties in northeastern Minnesota
Ecclesiastical province	Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Statistics
Area	22,354 sq mi (57,900 km)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2016) 447,568 53,046 (11.9%)
Parishes	74
Information
Denomination	Catholic
Sui iuris church	Latin Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	October 3, 1889 (135 years ago)
Cathedral	Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary
Patron saint	Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
Secular priests	71 (diocesan) 3 (Religious Orders) 57 Permanent Deacons
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Daniel John Felton
Metropolitan Archbishop	Bernard Hebda
Map

Website
dioceseduluth.org

The Diocese of Duluth (Latin: Dioecesis Duluthensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern Minnesota in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

The mother church of the Diocese of Duluth is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth.

Territory

The Diocese of Duluth includes Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St. Louis Counties. As of 2023, the diocese had a Catholic population of approximately 41,000 in 70 parishes.

History

During the 17th and 18th centuries, French Catholic missionaries passed through the Duluth area accompanying voyageurs on their explorations of the Upper Great Lakes. Reverend Frederick Baraga established missions during the 1830s at Grand Portage and Fond du Lac.

The northeastern Minnesota area went through several Catholic jurisdictions before the Vatican erected the Diocese of Crookston:

Diocese of Saint Louis (1826 to 1837)
Diocese of Dubuque (1837 to 1850)
Diocese of Saint Paul (1850 to 1875)
Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Minnesota (1875 to 1889)

1889 to 1925

The Diocese of Duluth was erected on October 3, 1889, by Pope Leo XIII. Its territory was taken from the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Minnesota. The pope appointed Reverend James McGolrick of the Diocese of Saint Paul as the first bishop of Duluth.

At the time of McGolrick's arrival in Duluth in January 1890, the new diocese contained 22 priests, 32 churches, ten stations, five parochial schools, and a Catholic population over 20,000. After a fire destroyed the cathedral in 1892, McGolrick laid the cornerstone for the new Sacred Heart Cathedral in 1894 and dedicated it two years later. He founded St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth in 1898 and St. James Orphanage in 1910.

By the time of McGolrick's death in 1918, the diocese had 59 priests, 42 churches with resident pastors, 46 missions with churches, 35 stations, 11 parochial schools, and a Catholic population of almost 60,000. To replace McGolrick, Pope Benedict XV named Reverend John T. McNicholas. After several years in Duluth, McNicholas became archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1925.

1925 to 1982

The third bishop of Duluth was Monsignor Thomas Welch of Saint Paul, named in 1925 by Pope Pius XI. During his 33-year tenure, Welch resolved the financial crisis in the diocese and also constructed the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. Welch died in 1959.

Following Welch's death, Bishop Francis Schenk of the Diocese of Crookston was appointed bishop of Duluth by Pope John XXIII in 1960. In 1968, Reverend Paul Anderson of the Archdiocese of Boston was appointed coadjutor bishop in Duluth to assist Schenk by Pope Paul VI. When Schenk retired the next year, Anderson automatically succeeded him as bishop of Duluth.

During his 13-year tenure, Anderson earned a reputation as an advocate for progressive causes, and worked to implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. He organized five regional pastoral councils, encouraged charismatic services, and improved Catholic relations with Protestants and Jews. He privately believed in the ordination of women, and appointed one of the first laywomen to serve on a diocesan matrimonial court. Anderson was appointed as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls in 1982.

1982 to present

Pope John Paul II named Reverend Robert Brom of Saint Paul as the next bishop of Duluth in 1983. The pope moved Brom in 1989 to the Diocese of San Diego to serve there as coadjutor bishop. To replace Brom in Duluth, John Paul II appointed Reverend Roger Schwietz. In 2000, Schwietz became coadjutor archbishop for the Archdiocese of Anchorage.

Monsignor Dennis Schnurr of the Diocese of Sioux city was the next bishop of Duluth, named by John Paul II in 2001. Seven years later, the pope named him coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Schnurr was followed in Duluth by Reverend Paul Sirba of Saint Paul, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. The diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2015 to allow for a settlement of sexual abuse lawsuits. Sirba died in 2019.

In June 2020, Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Michel Mulloy from the Diocese of Rapid City as the next bishop of Duluth. However, before his consecration in October, the Diocese of Rapid City removed Mulloy from ministry, having receiving an allegation of sexually abusing a minor in the 1980s. Mulloy resigned his appointment as bishop in September 2020. In March 2023, the Vatican determined that it could not prove the allegation against Mulloy; however, he was not returned to public ministry.

The current bishop of Duluth, as of 2023 is Daniel Felton from the Diocese of Green Bay. He was appointed by Francis in 2021.

Sex abuse

In a 2002 affidavit, Bishop Schwietz said he approved a settlement of under $100,000 to a former seminarian. The man had alleged being sexually abused in the mid-1990's by Bishop Brom, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin and several priests. As part of the settlement, shared by the Diocese of Winona, the seminarian retracted all his charges.

In 2013, the diocese released a list of 17 priests with credible accusations of sexual abuse. More names were added to the list in 2022.

In November 2015, a jury awarded $8 million in damages against the diocese and a religious order. The plaintiff had alleged being sexually abused as a 15 year old altar boy by Reverend James Fitzgerald, a diocesan priest, in 1978. In December 2015, the diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It took this action after facing the Fitzgerald verdict, six other lawsuits and 12 additional claims stemming from child sexual abuse cases.

The diocese in 2017 released a statement about Reverend Louis Brouillard, a priest from the Archdiocese of Agana in Guam. In the 1970s, the archdiocese had started receiving accusations of sexual abuse of minors against Brouillard. Despite the accusations in Guam, the diocese in 1981 had allowed Brouillard to move to Pine City and assist at the local parish. By 1984, diocese officials had become suspicious that Brouillard was sexually abusing a boy from Guam who was sharing his residence. The diocese then revoked Brouillard's privilege to serve public ministry. Brouillard in 2017 admitted to abusing 20 boys.

In May 2019, the Diocese of Duluth agreed to pay $40 million to 125 plaintiffs who were the alleged victims of sexual abuse by 37 diocesan priests.

Bishops

Bishops of Duluth

James McGolrick (1889–1918)
John Timothy McNicholas, O.P. (1918–1925), appointed Archbishop of Cincinnati
Thomas Anthony Welch (1925–1959)
Francis Joseph Schenk (1960–1969)
Paul Francis Anderson (1969–1982), appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Sioux Falls
Robert Henry Brom (1983–1989), appointed Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of San Diego
Roger Lawrence Schwietz, O.M.I. (1989–2000), appointed Coadjutor Archbishop and later Archbishop of Anchorage
Dennis Marion Schnurr (2001–2008), appointed Coadjutor Archbishop and later Archbishop of Cincinnati
Paul Sirba (2009–2019)
Daniel John Felton (2021–present)

Coadjutor bishop

Paul Francis Anderson (1968–1969)

Auxiliary bishop

Lawrence Alexander Glenn (1956–1960), appointed Bishop of Crookston

Other diocesan priest who became bishop

Peter Michael Muhich, appointed Bishop of Rapid City in 2020

Education

As of 2023, the Diocese of Duluth had ten elementary schools and one high school, Stella Maris Junior/Senior High School

References

"Duluth (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org.
^ "A Brief History of the Diocese of Duluth". Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
^ "Diocese of Duluth". Catholic-Hierarchy. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
"Diocese of Duluth". Giga Catholic. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. Vol. 58. New York: D. J. Sadlier & Company. 1890.
O'Doherty, Dermot (1957). "All Hallows in Duluth". All Hallows Annual. 36. Dublin: Browne and Nolan.
"ST. MARY'S HOSPITAL (1898)". Zenith City Press.
"ST. JAMES ORPHANAGE". Zenith City Press.
Smith, Ambrose (September 1918). "The Right Rev. John T. McNicholas, O.P., S.T.M.". Dominicana. III (2).
"Archbishop John Timothy McNicholas, O.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
"John T. McNicholas". The American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives. Archived from the original on 2010-06-10.
"Religion: Rome". TIME Magazine. 1925-07-20. Archived from the original on February 19, 2012.
"Bishop Thomas Anthony Welch". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
"Archbishop expresses gratitude as he says farewell". Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth.
"Bishop Paul Francis Anderson". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
^ Storch, Neil. "Biography". Bishop Paul F. Anderson Information.
"Archbishop Roger Lawrence Schwietz [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2021-12-05.
^ "Diocese of Duluth files for bankruptcy". Duluth News Tribune. 8 December 2015.
Brockhaus, Hannah (September 7, 2020). "Pope Francis accepts resignation of Duluth Bishop-elect Michel Mulloy after abuse allegation". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
Olsen, Tom (September 7, 2020). "Duluth bishop-elect resigns amid sexual abuse accusation". Duluth News Tribune. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
"Sexual abuse investigation of Rapid City priest ends". www.blackhillsfox.com. 2023-03-03. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
"Father Daniel Felton named bishop for Duluth Diocese". Retrieved April 7, 2021.
"Felton Named Duluth Diocese Bishop". Retrieved April 7, 2021.
"Boston Globe / Spotlight / Abuse in the Catholic Church / Scandal and coverup". archive.boston.com. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
"Clergy with credible claims against them concerning sexual abuse of a young person". Diocese of Duluth. September 22, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
Tribune, Chao Xiong Star. "Jury orders $8M in damages, says Diocese of Duluth, Catholic order are responsible for child sex abuse". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
^ Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio. "Diocese: Guam priest's house guest troubled church, led to his removal". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-29.
"Settlement reached in Duluth diocese church abuse cases". MPR News. May 2019.
"Rinunce e nomine". press.vatican.va.
"Discover Stella Maris Academy". Stella Maris Academy. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
"Schools". Diocese of Duluth. Retrieved October 8, 2023.

External links

v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth
Bishops	Ordinaries James McGolrick John T. McNicholas Thomas Anthony Welch Francis Joseph Schenk Paul Francis Anderson Robert Henry Brom Roger Lawrence Schwietz Dennis Marion Schnurr Paul Sirba Daniel John Felton Auxiliary Lawrence Alexander Glenn
Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth Parishes Resurrection Church, Eveleth Holy Spirit, Virginia Historic Sacred Heart Cathedral, Duluth Church of Sts. Joseph and Mary, Cloquet Church of St. Joseph, Elmer Church of St. Francis Xavier, Grand Marais
Education	The College of St. Scholastica
Priests	Jozef Cieminski Mike Schmitz
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v t e Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Diocese of Bismarck Diocese of Crookston Diocese of Duluth Diocese of Fargo Diocese of New Ulm Diocese of Rapid City Diocese of Saint Cloud Diocese of Sioux Falls Diocese of Winona-Rochester
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