Grand Rapids, Diocese of
City in the State of Michigan (United States of America): erected by Leo XIII on 12 May 1882 through the division of the Diocese of Detroit. Among the rural population many were emigrants from Belgium, the Netherlands, some from Iceland, and later from Poland.
The first bishop was H. J. Richter. It comprises the following counties: Allegan, Antrim, Barry, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Clare, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Emmet, Ionia, Isabella, Kailaska, Kent, Lake, Lellana, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Otsego, Ottawa, Roscommon, Wexford. It has an area of 42,839 sq km with a population of 1,188,277, of whom 107,920 are Catholics distributed in 109 parishes, 74 chapels, 37 missions, 166 diocesan priests and 38 regular clergy; one seminary (St Joseph), 5 male religious communities and 13 female; there is also a college, 33 diocesan and parochial high schools, 63 parochial elementary schools; in 1946 there were 628 conversions. The cathedral is dedicated to St Andrew. The diocese is a suffragan of Detroit.