GREEN BAY, diocese of. - A city in the State of Wisconsin, United States of America. Erected by Pius IX on 3 March 1868 by dismemberment from the diocese of Milwaukee, it comprises the counties of Brown, Calumet, Door, Florence, Forest, Kewaunee, Langlade, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago, all in the State of Wisconsin.
The diocese has an area of 10,851 square miles, with a population of approximately 550,000 inhabitants, among whom are many immigrants, first from Ireland, Germany, and Belgium, and later from Poland and Bohemia. Catholics number more than 204,100, distributed among 173 parishes, 39 chapels, 44 missions, and 6 stations, served by 229 diocesan priests and 132 regular clergy; 2 Colleges and universities, 18 diocesan and parochial High Schools, and 115 parochial elementary schools. In 1946 there were 732 conversions. There are 8 male and 19 female religious communities in the diocese.
The first bishop of G. B. was Msgr. J. Melcher (d. 1873). The Cathedral is dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. The diocese is suffragan to Milwaukee.