Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay
Encyclopedia
The Roman Catholic
Diocese of Green Bay (Latin: Diocesis Sinus Viridis) was established on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX
. It covers the city of Green Bay
as well as Brown, Calumet
, Door
, Florence
, Forest
, Kewaunee
, Langlade
, Manitowoc
, Marinette
, Menominee, Oconto
, Outagamie
, Shawano
, Waupaca
, Waushara, and Winnebago
counties, Wisconsin
.
to the area and started to spread Gospel around the important rivers of the Green Bay area. This set a foundation for the creation of the Diocese of Green Bay, which was not officially formed until 1868. People of the area helped keep the faith until the framework of Christianity was finalized.
Father Claude-Jean Allouez
, a Jesuit missionary, celebrated Mass with the Native Americans near the present site of Oconto on December 3, 1669, the feast of St. Francis Xavier. There he established St. Francis Xavier Mission
. The mission was moved to Red Banks
(northeast of Green Bay) for a short time in 1671, and then to De Pere, where it remained until 1687, when it was burned. The missionaries continued working with the Fox
, Sauk, and Winnebago
tribes under the protection of the French in newly constructed Fort Francis (west of the present Green Bay) until Fort Francis was destroyed in 1728. Catholicism then lay dormant in the area for almost a century.
In 1825, a church school was constructed of the lumber taken from St. Francis Xavier Chapel, but was soon after burned. This church was inspired by the borough of Fort Howard, which continued to expand with the settlement of the Catholic French Canadian
s. This group had lived in the area since the eighteenth century. The next church to go up in the area was called St. John the Evangelist. This church is the longest surviving place of worship in Wisconsin today. In the early 19th century, St. John's church members spoke mostly French. It eventually became the mother church for all the churches in the Diocese of Green Bay. These churches included St. John Nepomucene in Little Chute
, 1836; Holy Maternity of Mary, Manitowoc Rapids
, 1848; St Edward, Mackville
, 1849; St. Luke, Two Rivers
, 1851; St. Anna, St. Anna
, 1851; St. Peter, Oshkosh
, 1853; and St. Mary (now St. Francis Xavier Cathedral), Green Bay, 1854.
In the spring of 1868, Pope Pius IX
created the Diocese of Green Bay. Although the area had many French-Canadian Catholics, their numbers shrank as new settlements were set up in other places and immigrants of other nationalities came to the area. Throughout the mid- to late-19th century immigrants poured in, forming their own ethnic churches. In Green Bay, the Germans established St. Mary (now St. Francis Xavier Cathedral) in 1854; the Dutch St. Willebrord in 1864; the Irish St. Patrick in 1865; the Belgians Sts. Peter and Paul in 1875; and the Polish St. Mary of the Angels in 1898. Intermarriage with non-French speakers and the growth of the English language in the area gradually weakened the bonds of the ethnic churches.
is the mother church of the Diocese of Green Bay. The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help
, in Champion
, the National Shrine of Saint Joseph, in De Pere
, at Saint Norbert Abbey, and Saint Joseph Oratory, in Green Bay, are located in the diocese.
Silver Lake College
and St. Norbert College
are both located within the Diocese. The Diocese also oversees 6 high school and 56 primary schools located throughout the sixteen county region.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Diocese of Green Bay (Latin: Diocesis Sinus Viridis) was established on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
. It covers the city of Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Green Bay is a city in and the county seat of Brown County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, located at the head of Green Bay, a sub-basin of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the Fox River. It has an elevation of above sea level and is located north of Milwaukee. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
as well as Brown, Calumet
Calumet County, Wisconsin
Calumet County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is included in the Appleton, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the county's population was 48,971. The county seat is Chilton.-History:...
, Door
Door County, Wisconsin
Door County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 27,961. Its county seat is Sturgeon Bay. Door County is a popular vacation and tourist destination, especially for residents of Wisconsin and Illinois....
, Florence
Florence County, Wisconsin
Florence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 5,088. Its county seat is Florence.Florence County is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Forest
Forest County, Wisconsin
Forest County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,304. Its county seat is Crandon.-Indian Reservations:...
, Kewaunee
Kewaunee County, Wisconsin
Kewaunee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 20,187. Its county seat is Kewaunee. Kewaunee County is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Langlade
Langlade County, Wisconsin
Langlade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 20,740. Its county seat is Antigo.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water...
, Manitowoc
Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
Manitowoc County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 82,887. Its county seat is Manitowoc. The United States Census Bureau's Manitowoc Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Manitowoc County.-Government:...
, Marinette
Marinette County, Wisconsin
Marinette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 43,384. Its county seat is Marinette.Marinette County is part of the Marinette, WI–MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Menominee, Oconto
Oconto County, Wisconsin
Oconto County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 35,634. Its county seat is Oconto.Oconto County is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was established in 1851.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Outagamie
Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Outagamie is a county in the northeast region of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Its county seat is Appleton. As of the 2009 census estimate, its population was 177,155....
, Shawano
Shawano County, Wisconsin
Shawano County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 40,664. Its county seat is Shawano.-History:...
, Waupaca
Waupaca County, Wisconsin
-Demographics: As of the census of 2000, there were 51,731 people, 19,863 households, and 13,884 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 22,508 housing units at an average density of...
, Waushara, and Winnebago
Winnebago County, Wisconsin
Winnebago County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2009, the population estimate was 163,370. Its county seat is Oshkosh. Winnebago County is included in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin-Neenah, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
counties, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
History
The earliest trace of the Catholic faith in the Green Bay area was in 1634. Jesuits followed NicoletJean Nicolet
Jean Nicolet de Belleborne was a French coureur des bois noted for exploring Green Bay in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin.-Life:...
to the area and started to spread Gospel around the important rivers of the Green Bay area. This set a foundation for the creation of the Diocese of Green Bay, which was not officially formed until 1868. People of the area helped keep the faith until the framework of Christianity was finalized.
Father Claude-Jean Allouez
Claude-Jean Allouez
Claude Jean Allouez was a Jesuit missionary and French explorer of North America.Allouez was born in Saint-Didier-en-Velay in the département of Haute-Loire in south-central France. In 1639, he graduated from the College of Le Puy, and became a Jesuit novice in Toulouse, France. In 1655, he was...
, a Jesuit missionary, celebrated Mass with the Native Americans near the present site of Oconto on December 3, 1669, the feast of St. Francis Xavier. There he established St. Francis Xavier Mission
St. Francis Xavier Mission
The mission of St. Francis Xavier was a seventeenth century Jesuit mission located on the rapids of the Fox River near De Pere, Wisconsin.It was founded in 1671 by Claude Allouez to proselytize the native peoples of the western Great Lakes...
. The mission was moved to Red Banks
Red Banks, Brown County, Wisconsin
Red Banks is an unincorporated community located in the town of Scott, Brown County, Wisconsin, United States.-History:In 1634, Jean Nicolet landed at Red Banks becoming the first white man to explore the present state of Wisconsin....
(northeast of Green Bay) for a short time in 1671, and then to De Pere, where it remained until 1687, when it was burned. The missionaries continued working with the Fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, Sauk, and Winnebago
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
tribes under the protection of the French in newly constructed Fort Francis (west of the present Green Bay) until Fort Francis was destroyed in 1728. Catholicism then lay dormant in the area for almost a century.
In 1825, a church school was constructed of the lumber taken from St. Francis Xavier Chapel, but was soon after burned. This church was inspired by the borough of Fort Howard, which continued to expand with the settlement of the Catholic French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
s. This group had lived in the area since the eighteenth century. The next church to go up in the area was called St. John the Evangelist. This church is the longest surviving place of worship in Wisconsin today. In the early 19th century, St. John's church members spoke mostly French. It eventually became the mother church for all the churches in the Diocese of Green Bay. These churches included St. John Nepomucene in Little Chute
Little Chute, Wisconsin
Little Chute is a village in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,476 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Little Chute is located at ....
, 1836; Holy Maternity of Mary, Manitowoc Rapids
Manitowoc Rapids, Wisconsin
Manitowoc Rapids is a town in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,520 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated communities of Alverno, Branch, and Kellners Corners are located in the town.-Geography:...
, 1848; St Edward, Mackville
Mackville, Wisconsin
Mackville is a small unincorporated community in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States, three miles north of Appleton. It is located in the town of Center...
, 1849; St. Luke, Two Rivers
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Two Rivers is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,712 at the 2010 census. It is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae...
, 1851; St. Anna, St. Anna
St. Anna, Wisconsin
St. Anna is an unincorporated community in Calumet and Sheboygan Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It lies in the towns of Russell and New Holstein. The name of the community is pronounced "St...
, 1851; St. Peter, Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
, 1853; and St. Mary (now St. Francis Xavier Cathedral), Green Bay, 1854.
In the spring of 1868, Pope Pius IX
Pope Pius IX
Blessed Pope Pius IX , born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti, was the longest-reigning elected Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, serving from 16 June 1846 until his death, a period of nearly 32 years. During his pontificate, he convened the First Vatican Council in 1869, which decreed papal...
created the Diocese of Green Bay. Although the area had many French-Canadian Catholics, their numbers shrank as new settlements were set up in other places and immigrants of other nationalities came to the area. Throughout the mid- to late-19th century immigrants poured in, forming their own ethnic churches. In Green Bay, the Germans established St. Mary (now St. Francis Xavier Cathedral) in 1854; the Dutch St. Willebrord in 1864; the Irish St. Patrick in 1865; the Belgians Sts. Peter and Paul in 1875; and the Polish St. Mary of the Angels in 1898. Intermarriage with non-French speakers and the growth of the English language in the area gradually weakened the bonds of the ethnic churches.
Cathedral and shrines
The Cathedral of Saint Francis Xavier in Green BayCathedral of Saint Francis Xavier in Green Bay
The Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States. The Cathedral was named in honor of Francis Xavier....
is the mother church of the Diocese of Green Bay. The Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help
Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help
The Chapel of the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is a Marian shrine, located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay. The chapel is in the community of Champion, Wisconsin, about 16 miles north east of Green Bay, Wisconsin...
, in Champion
Champion, Wisconsin
Champion is an unincorporated community in the town of Green Bay in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town hall for the town of Green Bay is located in Champion and the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help is located just east of...
, the National Shrine of Saint Joseph, in De Pere
De Pere, Wisconsin
De Pere is a city located in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 20,559 at the 2000 census. De Pere is a suburb of Green Bay and is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Registered historic places:...
, at Saint Norbert Abbey, and Saint Joseph Oratory, in Green Bay, are located in the diocese.
Bishops
The Bishops of Green Bay:- Joseph MelcherJoseph MelcherJoseph Melcher was the first Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay.Born in Vienna, Austria, he was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood on March 27, 1830 for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis...
(3 March 1868 appointed - 20 December 1873 died) - Francis Xavier KrautbauerFrancis Xavier KrautbauerFrancis Xavier Krautbauer was the second Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, in Green Bay, Wisconsin....
(12 February 1875 appointed - 17 December 1885 died) - Frederick Francis Xavier KatzerFrederick KatzerFrederick Xavier Katzer was a Roman Catholic archbishop. Katzer was the third Bishop of Diocese of Green Bay and the third Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin....
(13 July 1886 appointed - 30 January 1891 appointed, Archbishop of Milwaukee) - Sebastian Gebhard Messmer (14 December 1891 appointed - 28 November 1903 appointed Archbishop of Milwaukee)
- Joseph John FoxJoseph John FoxJoseph John Fox was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Green Bay from 1904 to 1914.-Biography:...
(27 May 1904 appointed - 7 November 1914 resigned) - Paul Peter RhodePaul Peter RhodePaul Peter Rhode was a Polish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Green Bay from 1915 until his death in 1945.-Biography:...
(15 July 1915 appointed - 3 March 1945 died) - Stanislaus Vincent BonaStanislaus Vincent BonaStanislaus Vincent Bona was an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Grand Island and Bishop of Green Bay .-Biography:...
(3 March 1945 succeeded - 1 December 1967 died) - Aloysius John WycisloAloysius John WycisloAloysius John Wycisło was the 8th bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin. He served from 1968 to 1983 after serving as an auxiliary bishop in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago.-Background:...
(8 March 1968 appointed - 10 May 1983 retired) - Adam Joseph Maida (8 November 1983 appointed - 28 April 1990 appointed Archbishop of Detroit)
- Robert Joseph BanksRobert Joseph BanksRobert Joseph Banks was the tenth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.-Biography:...
(16 October 1990 appointed - 10 October 2003 retired) - David Zubik (10 October 2003 appointed - 28 September 2007 appointed Bishop of Pittsburgh)
- David Laurin RickenDavid Laurin RickenDavid Laurin Ricken is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as the twelfth Bishop of Green Bay, having previously served as Bishop of Cheyenne.-Early life:...
(9 July 2008) appointed
Auxiliary Bishops
- John Benjamin GrellingerJohn Benjamin GrellingerJohn Benjamin Grellinger was the Roman Catholic titular bishop of Syene and the Roman Catholic auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay....
(1949-1974) - Robert F. MorneauRobert F. MorneauRobert Fealey Morneau is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.-Biography:...
(18 December 1978 appointed) - Mark Francis SchmittMark Francis SchmittMark Francis Schmitt was the tenth Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette, in Marquette, Michigan....
(30 April 1970 appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese; appointed Bishop of the Marquette Diocese 21 March 1978)
Education
- For a full list of Catholic Educational Institutions in the Green Bay Diocese, see the list of SchoolsGreen Bay Diocese Catholic SchoolsThe following is a list of Catholic Educational Institutions located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Green Bay:-Colleges & Universities:-Secondary School:-Primary schools:-School Systems:...
.
Silver Lake College
Silver Lake College
Silver Lake College is a four-year, Catholic liberal arts college located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, in the Diocese of Green Bay. Founded as an academy in 1885 by the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, the college achieved four-year college status in 1935 and was then called Holy Family College...
and St. Norbert College
St. Norbert College
St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175...
are both located within the Diocese. The Diocese also oversees 6 high school and 56 primary schools located throughout the sixteen county region.
Parishes in the diocese
- St Mary Parish, Appleton, Wisconsin
- St. Pius X Parish, Appleton, Wisconsin
- Holy Spirit Parish, Kimberly and Darboy, Wisconsin
- Most Blessed Sacrament Parish, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
- Holy Cross Parish, KaukaunaHoly Cross Church (Kaukauna, Wisconsin)Holy Cross Church is a Roman Catholic church in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1984.-Former pastors:...
- St. Jude the Apostle Parish, Oshkosh, WI
- St. Paul Church, St. Clare Parish, Wrightstown, WI
- St. Mary Church, St. Clare Parish, Greenleaf, WI
- St. Patrick Church, St Clare Parish, Askeaton, WI
- St. Nicholas Parish, Freedom
- St. John Nepomucene Parish, Little Chute