Saint Joseph, Diocese of

SAINT JOSEPH, DIOCESE OF. - Diocese and city in the State of Missouri (U.S.A.).

An important subject of discussion during the second plenary Council assembled at Baltimore on 7 Oct. 1866 was the question of founding new dioceses in order to come into closer contact with souls. Consequently a part of the State of Missouri was detached from the archdiocese of St. Louis to form a new diocese at St. Joseph. The city, founded by the Catholic Joseph Robidoux, already had 1,900 souls in 1849 and 600 families, 3,000 inhabitants, and 5 diocesan priests were in the diocese at the time of its foundation.

Erected on 3 March 1868, St. Joseph covers a territory of 12,206 [square] miles. The total population is 594,558 souls, of whom 33,526 are Catholics. It extended primarily over the territory between the Missouri River and the Chariton River in Missouri. By apostolic letter of 16 June 1911 St. Joseph received the following boundaries: to the north, the State of Iowa; to the east, the Mississippi; to the west, the Missouri; and to the south, the Missouri River and the northern frontiers of the counties of Howard, Boone, Audrain and Pike.

There are 113 priests (of whom 48 are religious: Congregation of the Most Precious Blood, Conventuals, Benedictines), 64 parishes, 27 chapels, 21 missions, 24 stations, 1 diocesan seminary (24 seminarians), 1 religious seminary (Conception Abbey, O.S.B., 30 seminarians), 2 orphanages, 4 hospitals.

Gastone Carriere