Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha


The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church in the midwestern region of the United States. The Archdiocese is currently shepherded by Archbishop George Joseph Lucas, formerly the head of the Springfield, Illinois diocese; he was installed in Omaha on July 22, 2009. The Archdiocese serves more than 230,000 Catholics in 23 northeast Nebraska counties in approximately 140 parishes and missions.

History

On January 6, 1857 Pope Pius IX established the Vicariate Apostolic of Nebraska from the Vicariate Apostolic of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains. The Rev. James Myles O'Gorman, O.C.S.O. from New Melleray Monastery near Dubuque, Iowa was named the Apostolic Vicar on January 28, 1859. It lost territory when the Vicariate Apostolic of Montana was created in 1883. The vicariate was elevated to a diocese and renamed the Diocese of Omaha by Pope Leo XIII on October 2, 1885 with the Reverend James O'Connor appointed as its first bishop. At the time, the diocese included all of Nebraska and Wyoming. It lost territory on August 2, 1887 when the dioceses of Cheyenne and Lincoln were established. The diocese lost territory two more times to the Diocese of Kearney; in 1912 when it was created and again in 1916. It was elevated to an archdiocese by Pope Pius XII on August 10, 1945.

Bishops

Ordinaries and their years of service

Bishops of Omaha

  1. James O'Connor
  2. Richard Scannell
  3. Jeremiah James Harty, Archbishop
  4. Joseph Francis Rummel, appointed Archbishop of New Orleans

    Archbishops of Omaha

  5. James Hugh Ryan
  6. Gerald Thomas Bergan
  7. Daniel E. Sheehan
  8. Elden Francis Curtiss
  9. George Joseph Lucas

    Auxiliary Bishop

  10. Daniel E. Sheehan, appointed Archbishop here
  11. Anthony Michael Milone, appointed Bishop of Great Falls-Billings

    Other priests of this diocese who became Bishops

  12. Blase Joseph Cupich, appointed Bishop of Rapid City in 1998; future Cardinal
  13. William Joseph Dendinger, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 2004
  14. Joseph Gerard Hanefeldt, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 2015
  15. Edward Joseph Hunkeler, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1945
  16. Patrick Aloysius Alphonsus McGovern, appointed Bishop of Cheyenne in 1912
  17. John Linus Paschang, appointed Bishop of Grand Island in 1951

    Parishes

Omaha Catholic schools

The Omaha Catholic Schools is a school district in and around Omaha which is part of the Archdiocese of Omaha. All schools are accredited or approved by the state of Nebraska. The school district is composed of 54 elementary schools, one private 4th-8th grade school, four corporation high schools, three K-12th grade schools, one special needs K-12th grade school, and ten private high schools. Over 20,000 students attend Omaha Catholic Schools each year.

Suffragan sees