Jump to content

Diocese of Sacramento

From Catholicism Wiki
Diocese of Sacramento
Diœcesis Sacramentensis
Diócesis de Sacramento
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Location
Country United States
Territory Siskiyou, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, Glenn, Butte, Sierra, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada, Yolo, Placer, Solano, Sacramento, El Dorado, and Amador counties in Northern California
Ecclesiastical province San Francisco
Coordinates 38°33′32″N 121°29′09″W / 38.5589°N 121.4857°W
Statistics
Area 110,325 km2 (42,597 sq mi)
Population
Total
Catholics 		(as of 2014)
3,550,864
987,727 (27.8%)
Information
Denomination Catholic
Sui iuris church Latin Church
Rite Roman Rite
Established 1886
Cathedral Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament
Patron saint Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint Patrick[1]
Current leadership
Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Jaime Soto
Metropolitan Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone
Auxiliary Bishops Reynaldo Bersabal
Bishops emeritus William Weigand
Map
Website
scd.org

The Diocese of Sacramento (Latin: Diœcesis Sacramentensis) is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The mother church is the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento. The bishop is Jaime Soto.

Territory

The Diocese of Sacramento contains the counties: Siskiyou, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta, Lassen, Tehama, Plumas, Glenn, Butte, Sierra, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Nevada, Yolo, Placer, Solano, Sacramento, El Dorado, and Amador.

History

1850 to 1886

The first Catholic mass in Northern California was celebrated in 1850 by Peter Anderson in a private home in Sacramento. One of the attendees that day was California Governor Peter Burnett, who later donated to Anderson a property in Sacramento for a new church.[2]

In 1860, the Vatican erected the Vicariate Apostolic of Marysville, with jurisdiction over all of Northern California and Western Nevada.[3] Eight years later, the Vatican suppressed the vicariate and established the Diocese of Grass Valley in its place.[3] The pope named Patrick Manogue as its bishop. The Catholic population, centered in mining towns and farming communities, would rise and fall as economic conditions changed in them.[2]

1886 to 1922

Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Sacramento in 1886, taking its territory from the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the Diocese of Grass Valley, which the Vatican suppressed. The new diocese covered the eastern section of Northern California (excluding the coastal counties) and Western Nevada.[4] The pope named Manogue, then bishop of Grass Valley as the first bishop of Sacramento.

In 1887, Manogue laid the cornerstone for the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento. When it was dedicated in 1889, the cathedral was the largest church of any denomination west of the Mississippi River.[5] Manogue died in 1895. Leo XIII in 1896 named Thomas Grace of Sacramento as his replacement as bishop.[6][2]

Grace dedicated St. Patrick Church in Scotia and St. Joseph Church in Redding in 1905.[7] In 1906, he received a property deed in Red Bluff to be used for a hospital run by the Sisters of Mercy.[8] In 1919, Grace dedicated St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville, Nevada.[9] Grace helped launch the diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Herald, in 1908.[10] He died in 1921.

1922 to 1958

In 1922, Pope Pius XI named Auxiliary Bishop Patrick Keane of Sacramento as the third bishop of Sacramento.[11] During his six-year tenure, Keane was instrumental in the formation of the parochial school system.[12] He also founded several new parishes and recruited new priests and vocations. Keane died in 1928.

The next bishop of Sacramento was Robert Armstrong of the Diocese of Spokane, appointed by Pope Pius XI in 1929.[4][13] Armstrong institutionalized social work within the diocese and upgraded its school system. In 1931, Pius XI erected the Diocese of Reno, taking the Nevada counties away from the Diocese of Sacramento.[4]

By 1957, the Diocese of Sacramento had a Catholic population of 209,281, a 255% increase over 1940. Armstrong established 28 new parishes during his tenure.[2] Pope Pius XII named Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McGucken of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles as coadjutor bishop in 1955 to assist Armstrong.[14] When Armstrong died in 1957 after 28 years as bishop, McGucken automatically succeeded him as bishop.[15]

1958 to 1980

In his five years as bishop, McGucken authorized, built or approved for development nine parishes, three high schools, 33 new church buildings and one minor seminary.[2] He became archbishop of San Francisco in 1962. Auxiliary Bishop Alden Bell of Los Angeles was the next bishop of Sacramento.[16]

Bell was responsible for implementing the reforms from the Second Vatican Council in the diocese. Bell initiated a fund drive to ease costs, build new schools, expand religious education programs, and build a home for the elderly.[17]

In 1962, the Vatican erected the Dioceses of Stockton and Santa Rosa, taking several counties from the Diocese of Sacramento. At the same time, the Vatican transferred Solano County from the Archdiocese of San Francisco to Sacramento. Four years later, the Vatican also moved Alpine County from Sacramento to Stockton.[2]

1980 to present

When Bell retired in 1979, Pope John Paul II selected Auxiliary Bishop Francis Quinn of San Francisco as the next bishop of Sacramento.[18] From 1980 to 1992, Quinn establish seven new parishes, several missions, two elementary schools, and one high school in the diocese. He oversaw a ten-year pastoral plan for the diocese as well as a spiritual renewal program, reorganized the deanery structure, initiated a diocesan pastoral council, and celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the diocese. Quinn retired in 1993.

The next bishop of Sacramento was Bishop William Weigand of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, taking office in 1993.[19] In 2007, Auxiliary Bishop Jaime Soto from the Diocese of Orange was made coadjutor bishop to assist Weigand. When Weigand retired in 2008, Soto became the next bishop.

Reports of sex abuse

In December 1991, after Sacramento police started investigating the priest Gerardo Beltran Rico on charges of sexual abuse of minors earlier that year, he fled to Mexico. A California arrest warrant for molesting two girls, aged six and fourteen, was issued in 1992.[20][21] By 2023, 15 men and women had accused Rico of sexually abusing them when they were children.[22]

The diocese in 2005 agreed to pay a $35 million financial settlement to 33 victims of sexual abuse by diocesan clergy.[23]

Hector Coria Gonzales was arrested in May 2014 on charges of statutory rape and oral copulation. He had been having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl since 2013.[24] The victim stated that her relationship with the priest was consensual. He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse and was sentenced in August 2014 to 90 days in jail and three years of probation.[25]

The diocese in 2016 removed Jeremy Leatherby from his parish position in Sacramento due to allegations of a sexual relationship with a female parishioner. He was also suspended from ministry. Leatherby continued to celebrate mass and denied that Francis was the rightful pope. Leatherby was laicized at his own request in 2020.[26]

In April 2019, the diocese provided the names of 46 priests and deacons who were credibly accused of sexually abusing 130 minors and adults, ages 25 or younger, from 1950 to 2019.[27] In February 2023, the diocese reported that over 200 lawsuits relating to sexual abuse by clergy or scouting leaders were pending. A large number of these lawsuits were related to allegations against three priests.[22] In December 2023, the diocese announced it would declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by March 2024.[28] The diocese officially filed for bankruptcy on April 1.[29]

Bishops

Bishops of Sacramento

  1. Patrick Manogue (1886–1895)
  2. Thomas Grace (1896–1921)
  3. Patrick Joseph James Keane (1922–1928)
  4. Robert John Armstrong (1929–1957)
  5. Joseph Thomas McGucken (1957–1962), appointed Archbishop of San Francisco
  6. Alden John Bell (1962–1980)
  7. Francis Anthony Quinn (1979–1993)
  8. William Keith Weigand (1993–2008)
  9. Jaime Soto (2008–present)

Coadjutor bishops

  • Joseph Thomas McGucken (1955-1957)
  • Jaime Soto (2007-2008)

Auxiliary bishops

Other diocese priest who became bishop

Education

As of 2020, the Diocese of Sacramento had a school enrollment of approximately 13,000.[30]

High schools

As of 2025, there are six high schools in the Diocese of Sacramento[31]

Media

The Diocese of Sacramento owns Radio Santísimo Sacramento, which operates KCVV in Sacramento and KPYV in Oroville.[32]

Canonical status and jurisdiction

Diocese of Sacramento is a diocese of the catholic church of the Catholic Church.[33]

From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia

Diocese of Sacramento, Diocese of (Sacramentensis), was formed out of the Vicariate of Marysville, which comprised the regions lying between the parallels of latitude 39° and 42° N., and between the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Colorado River on the east. The diocese at present covers 54,449 square miles in California, and 38,162 square miles in Nevada. It includes the counties of Alpine, Amadok, Butte, Colusa, Calaveras, Del Norte, Eldorado, Humboldt, Lassen, Mariposa, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Toulumne, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo, and Yuba in California; and the counties of Churchill, Douglas, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lyon, Ormsby, Storey, and Washoe in Nevada.

The Vicariate of Marysville (Marysvillensis) was formed in 1861; four priests were in the territory. There are now 65 priests and about 50,000 Catholic people within the Diocese of Sacramento. Grass Valley, Marysville, and Virginia City, Nevada, were the most populous and notable of the early missions. Amongst the pioneer priests, the names of Very Rev. T. J. Dalton, vicar-general for fifteen years, and Rev. J. J. Callan stand out prominently. The Very Rev. C. M. Lynch, vicar-general and pastor of St. Patrick's, Grass Valley, who figured largely since 1864 in the pioneer work, chiefly in the mining country, died on September 29, 1911. The site of the first permanent church at Sacramento was given by the Governor of California, Peter H. Burnett, a devout convert and a brilliant lawyer. The early mission centers were chiefly in the gold and silver regions. The rich pasture, timber, fruit, and agricultural lands began later to attract settlers, until these at present form the most populous parts of the diocese. The Rev. Eugene O'Connell was chosen the first Vicar Apostolic of Marysville in 1861. Until that time the territory was under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of San Francisco. Bishop O'Connell was born in June, 1815, at Kingscourt, in the Diocese of Meath, Ireland; he studied and was ordained in St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, in June, 1842. He taught for several years in Navan seminary, which he left to direct a college at Santa Inez, California, in 1851, and spent one year there. He was next sent to take charge of the theological seminary of St. Thomas near San Francisco, where he remained three years. In 1854 he returned to Ireland, was dean and taught theology in All Hallows College. From there he was consecrated titular Bishop of Flaviopolis and Vicar Apostolic of Marysville by Cardinal Cullen at Dublin, February 3, 1861. He was installed at St. Joseph's Pro-Cathedral, Marysville, by Archbishop Alemany, March 28, 1862.

Pius IX formed the vicariate into the Diocese of Grass Valley (VALLISPRATENSIS) on March 29, 1868. Bent with work and care the learned and apostolic prelate of Marysville resigned his see, March 17, 1884, was appointed titular Bishop of Joppa, and retired to the hospital of the Sisters of Charity in Los Angeles where he died, December 4, 1891. His remains lie in Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles. The Rev. Patrick Manogue, then pastor of Virginia City, Nevada, was appointed coadjutor and titular Bishop of Ceramos, and was consecrated, January 16, 1881, in St. Mary's Cathedral, San Francisco, by Archbishop J. S, Alemany. He was born in 1831 at Desart, Kilkenny, Ireland, of a family that numbered many distinguished ecclesiastics. He received his early education at Callan, came to the United States and settled in New England, and later engaged in mining in California. After some years he returned to St. Mary's of the Lake, Chicago, to prepare for the priesthood, and from there went to St. Sulpice, Paris, for his ecclesiastical studies. He was ordained there by Cardinal Morlot in 1861, and returned to California. Father Manogue was sent to work in the territory of Nevada about 1864. He devoted himself to the Indian tribes and attained great results in gaining converts. His usual way of teaching them Christianity was to assemble the roving bands in the church and explain the stations, the altar, statuary, etc. He succeeded to the see, March 17, 1884. Leo XIII changed the boundaries of the diocese, May 16, 1886, and the episcopal see was moved to Sacramento. Bishop Manogue built there a cathedral in the Italian Renaissance style with a seating capacity of over sixteen hundred. The architect was Mr. Brian J. Clinch. Bishop Manogue took a leading part in public affairs and was a successful arbitrator between the mine owners and the miners in their conflicts. He was of large stature, of a humorous turn of mind, and a good musician. He died on February 27, 1895, and lies buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Sacramento, surrounded by the remains of eleven priests. The Rev. Thomas Grace succeeded Bishop Manogue. He was preconized as bishop on February 27, 1896. He was born at Wexford, Ireland, on August 2, 1841; educated at St. Peter's College, Wexford; made his ecclesiastical studies at All Hallows College, Dublin, and was ordained on June 11, 1876. He came to California the same year by the way of the Isthmus of Panama in company with Fathers M. Coleman, L. Kennedy, V. G., and J. J. Claire. He was rector at Marysville for eight years, pastor at Sacramento (1881-96), and was consecrated bishop on June 16, 1896, in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, Sacramento.

Statistics.—The diocese was incorporated on November 24, 1897. Its legal title is "The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento"; the bishop is the corporation sole; 53 priests are from Ireland, 3 from Italy, 2 from Portugal, 3 German, and 2 American. All Hallows College, Dublin, has supplied by far the largest number of priests and continues to do so. In the episcopal city there are distinct parishes for Portuguese, Italians, and Germans. Four priests minister at the cathedral. Nine Brothers of the Christian Schools teach a primary and high school adjacent to the cathedral. The Sisters of Mercy conduct a primary school and academy. The Sisters of St. Francis (Lewiston, New York) conduct two parochial schools. In all about 1100 children attend Catholic schools in the city. The Notre Dame Sisters, Sisters of the Holy Cross, Dominican Sisters, and Sisters of Mercy conduct schools in various parts of the diocese. The Sisters of Mercy also conduct a home for destitute children at Sacramento, a home for the aged, and a hospital for 75 patients, with a training school for nurses attached; the classes contain 36 at present. At Grass Valley they have two orphanages providing for 100 boys and 123 girls. The State makes an allowance for each orphan and half orphan. The state prison at Folsom has a priest for chaplain. The largest towns in the diocese are Sacramento, which has 12 priests and a population, including suburbs, of 56,000; Eureka, 2 churches and 2 priests, population, 11,845; Marysville, 2 priests and 1 church, 5430; Grass Valley, 1 church and 1 priest, 6250; Reno, 1 church and 1 priest, 10,867; Chico, 1 priest and 1 church, 11,775. A Catholic weekly paper is published at Sacramento. A public library is attached to the cathedral, and works in conjunction with the state and city libraries. A clerical aid fund helps to maintain infirm and aged priests. The Friars Minor (St. Louis province) have a church at Sacramento. Annual collections are made for Indian and negro missions, orphanages, the Catholic University, Peterspence, and Holy Land shrines. The Priests' Eucharistic League meets annually at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. The priests make a retreat every year at the House of Retreats, Grass Valley. The following confraternities are in the diocese: Men's Sodality of the B. V. M.; Women's Sodality of the B. V. M.; Holy Angels; and the Holy Childhood; St. Aloysius Society; Altar Societies; Apostleship of Prayer; Catholic Truth Society; Catholic Ladies' Aid Society; Young Ladies' Institute; Young Men's Institute; Catholic Library Association; and Knights of Columbus. The growth of the Catholic population is steady. Converts are many.

References

  1. Back to citation "Our Patron Saints | Diocese of Sacramento".
  2. Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Back to citation occurrence 2.2 Back to citation occurrence 2.3 Back to citation occurrence 2.4 Back to citation occurrence 2.5 "The Diocese of Sacramento Enjoys a Rich History | Diocese of Sacramento". Diocese of Sacramento. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  3. Back to citation occurrence 3.0 Back to citation occurrence 3.1 "Grass Valley (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  4. Back to citation occurrence 4.0 Back to citation occurrence 4.1 Back to citation occurrence 4.2 "Sacramento (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  5. Back to citation "Our History | Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament | Sacramento". Sacramento Cathedral. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  6. Back to citation "Bishop Thomas Grace". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  7. Back to citation "St. Patrick's Church in Scotia holds final service on Easter". Times-Standard. 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  8. Back to citation "History". Dignity Health. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  9. Back to citation "St. Gall Catholic Community - St. Gall History". saintgall.org. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  10. Back to citation "The Catholic Herald Celebrating 100 years of publishing". Diocese of Sacramento. March 14, 1908. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  11. Back to citation "Bishop Patrick Joseph James Keane". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  12. Back to citation "Lineage of Bishops". Diocese of Sacramento. Archived from the original on 2010-09-21. Retrieved 2010-05-17 – via Web Archive.
  13. Back to citation "Bishop Is Named For Sacramento At Rome". San Jose News. January 9, 1929. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  14. Back to citation "Public Farewell Reception Scheduled for Bishop McGucken in Pasadena". Los Angeles Times. 1955-11-25.
  15. Back to citation "Bishop Dies". Florence Times. January 16, 1957. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  16. Back to citation "Bishop Alden John Bell [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  17. Back to citation The Diocese of Sacramento enjoys a rich history... Archived January 31, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, diocese-sacramento.org; accessed August 28, 2014.
  18. Back to citation "Bishop Francis Anthony Quinn [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  19. Back to citation Petersen, Linda (December 4, 2020). "Bishop Weigand celebrates 40 years as bishop - Intermountain Catholic". www.icatholic.org. Retrieved 2021-11-16.
  20. Back to citation Garza, Jennifer (March 18, 2005). "Suspect Priests Found in Mexico the Two Men Fled the Area Following Abuse Allegations". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  21. Back to citation Shane, Sam (February 6, 2007). "CBS13 Continues to Investigate a Fugitive Priest". CBS 13. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  22. Back to citation occurrence 22.0 Back to citation occurrence 22.1 "3 Priests Have Nearly Half Of The Sacramento Diocese's Credible Assault Accusations". www.cbsnews.com. 2019-04-30. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  23. Back to citation Lucas, Greg (2005-06-30). "SACRAMENTO / Diocese to pay $35 million to 33 claiming sex abuse / Settlement reached just minutes before the start of first trial". SFGATE. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
  24. Back to citation "Parishioners Reeling After Arrest Of Popular Davis Priest". CBS Sacramento. 2014-05-10. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  25. Back to citation Dowling, Sarah (August 29, 2014). "Davis Priest Sentenced to Probation, 90 Days in Jail for Sex with Minor". Daily Democrat. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  26. Back to citation CNA. "Jeremy Leatherby, priest who denied Pope Francis, laicized, bishop urges reparation for clergy sexual abuse". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2026-01-12.
  27. Back to citation "Catholic Diocese of Sacramento releases list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse". KCRA. May 1, 2019.
  28. Back to citation Stanton, Sam (2023-12-09). "Catholic Diocese of Sacramento to declare bankruptcy protection amid clergy sex abuse lawsuits". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved 2023-12-09.
  29. Back to citation "Diocese of Sacramento officially files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy". KCRA. April 1, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
  30. Back to citation Chabria, Anita (2020-08-10). "This California school is open, 'learning as we go.' Is it a model or a mistake?". Los Angeles Times.
  31. Back to citation "Diocese of Sacramento | Schools". www.scd.org. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  32. Back to citation "Radio Santisimo | Diocese of Sacramento". www.scd.org. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  33. Back to citation Diocese of Sacramento, official website

Bibliography

Retrieved from "https://catholicism.wiki/index.php?title=Diocese_of_Sacramento&oldid=68343"