The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix (Latin: Dioecesis Phoenicensis) in Arizona is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It was established on December 2, 1969 when it was split off from the Diocese of Tucson. Its ecclesiastic territory includes Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, and Coconino counties (excluding the territorial boundaries of the Navajo Indian Reservation), and also includes the Gila River Indian Reservation in Pinal County. The bishop is Thomas Olmsted.
Maps, Directions, and Place Reviews
Coat of arms
The official description found in an earlier version of the website of the diocese read as follows: "These arms are composed of a blue field on which is placed a silver (white) mountain to represent Camelback Mountain, a significant aspect of the backdrop of the See City. Arising from the mountain as a gold (yellow) bird that is coming forth from red flames to represent the mythological phoenix, that arose from the ashes, and for which the See City of Phoenix is named. Above the phoenix is a gold "cross formy fitchée (three arms of a cross and one resembling a spike), which is taken from the arms of the Diocese of Tucson to signify that it was from the territory of Tucson that the Diocese of Phoenix was carved in 1969."
Assisted Living Phoenix Arizona Video
Historically important churches
- Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude, Phoenix
- St. Mary's Basilica, Phoenix
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Phoenix
Statistics
According to the Diocese 2012 Directory published October 2011
- Estimated Catholic Individuals.....821,429
- Estimated Catholic Households....294,419
- Diocesan Priests (including retired, sick, or absent).....143
- Extern Priests.....79
- Religious Priests.....101
- Permanent Deacons.....238
- Religious Brothers.....12
- Religious Sisters.....177
- Seminarians.....20
- Parishes.....92
- Missions.....23
- Catholic Cemeteries.....6
- Catholic Mortuaries.....1
- High Schools (Diocesan and Private)..6.....Enrollment....4,892
- Elementary Schools............................29.....Enrollment....8,431
- Pre-Schools........................................27.....Enrollment ......926
Diocesan statistics
Data for 1970 through 2002 is taken from Catholic Hierarchy webpage which shows data from Annuario Pontificio. Data for 2003 and later is taken from the (Annual)Diocesan Directory Diocese of Phoenix.
Leadership
Below is a list of individuals who have led the Diocese of Phoenix since its creation
Ordinaries
The list of bishops of the diocese and their tenure of service:
- Bishop Edward Anthony McCarthy (1969-1976)
- Bishop James Steven Rausch (1977-1981)
- Bishop Thomas Joseph O'Brien (1982-2003) (See below about the Bishop Emeritus.)
- Bishop Thomas James Olmsted (2003-present) As bishop, Olmsted resides at the rectory of the Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude, the mother church of the diocese, located in Phoenix, Arizona.
Auxiliary Bishop
- Bishop Eduardo Alanis Nevares, 2010-present
Bishop Emeritus
- Bishop Thomas Joseph O'Brien is a convicted felon who killed a man in a hit-and-run accident shortly after he signed a plea agreement to avoid criminal prosecution for reassigning priests accused of child abuse. He served his sentence of community service and probation and has since kept a low profile in retirement.
The diocese has a residence for the bishop from 1977 which has served previous bishops and is still occupied by O'Brien.
Apostolic Administrator
- Archbishop Michael Jarboe Sheehan, 2003 - 2003
(He was Archbishop of Santa Fe, the metropolitan of the province which includes Phoenix.)
Other priest of the Diocese of Phoenix who became bishop
- Bishop James Sean Wall, Bishop of the Diocese of Gallup in Arizona and New Mexico
Parishes and missions
- Parishes Map in Google
- Parish Directory
- List of Parishes by Deanery
- Native American Missions
Maricopa County
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission, Aguila
- St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Church, Anthem
- St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Avondale
- St. Philip Benizi Mission, Black Canyon City
- St. Henry Church, Buckeye
- Our Lady of Joy Church, Carefree
- St. William Church, Cashion
- St. Gabriel the Archangel, Cave Creek
- St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Chandler
- St. Mary Church, Chandler
- St. Columba Kim Korean Church, Chandler
- Santa Teresita Church, El Mirage
- Ascension Church, Fountain Hills
- St. Michael Mission, Gila Bend
- St. Anne Church, Gilbert
- St. Mary Magdalene Church, Gilbert
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Glendale
- St. Helen Church, Glendale
- St. James Church, Glendale
- St. Louis the King Church, Glendale
- St. Raphael Church, Glendale
- St. Thomas More Church, Glendale
- St. John Vianney Church, Goodyear
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Guadalupe
- St. John the Baptist Church, Komatke Gila River Indian Community Mission
- All Saints Church, Mesa
- Christ the King Church, Mesa
- Holy Cross Church, Mesa
- Queen of Peace Church, Mesa
- St. Bridget Church, Mesa
- St. Timothy Church, Mesa
- All Saints Catholic Newman Center, Tempe ASU
- Good Shepherd Mission, New River
- St. Charles Borromeo Church, Peoria
- Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude, Phoenix
- Corpus Christi Church, Phoenix
- Holy Family Church, Phoenix
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Phoenix
- Most Holy Trinity Church, Phoenix
- Our Lady of Czestochowa Polish Church, Phoenix
- Our Lady of the Valley Church, Phoenix
- Sacred Heart Church, Phoenix
- St. Agnes Church, Phoenix
- St. Anthony Church, Phoenix
- St. Augustine Church, Phoenix
- St. Benedict Church, Phoenix
- St. Catherine of Siena Church, Phoenix
- St. Edward the Confessor Church, Phoenix
- St. Francis Xavier Church, Phoenix
- St. Gregory Church, Phoenix
- St. Jerome Church, Phoenix
- St. Joan of Arc Church, Phoenix
- St. Joseph Church, Phoenix
- St. Luke Church, Phoenix
- St. Mark Church, Phoenix
- St. Martin de Porres Church, Phoenix
- St. Mary's Basilica, Phoenix
- Mater Misericordiae Mission Tridentine Latin Masses, Phoenix
- St. Matthew Church, Phoenix
- St. Paul Church, Phoenix
- St. Theresa Church, Phoenix
- St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Phoenix
- St. Vincent de Paul Church, Phoenix
- Vietnamese Martyrs Church, Phoenix
- Our Lady of Fatima Mission, Phoenix
- St. Dominic Mission, Rio Verde
- St. Francis of Assisi Mission, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
- St. Paschal Baylon Chapel, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
- San Lucy Mission, San Lucy Village of the Tohono O'odham Nation, Gila Bend
- Blessed Sacrament Church, Scottsdale
- Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Scottsdale
- Our Lady of the Angels Conventual Franciscan Church and Renewal Center, Scottsdale, a ministry of the OFM Franciscan Province of Saint Barbara
- St. Bernadette Church, Scottsdale
- St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church, Scottsdale
- St. Daniel the Prophet Church, Scottsdale
- St. Maria Goretti Church, Scottsdale
- St. Patrick Church, Scottsdale
- St. Clement of Rome Church, Sun City
- St. Elizabeth Seton Church, Sun City
- St. Joachim and St. Anne Church, Sun City
- Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sun City West
- Prince of Peace Church, Sun City West (part of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish)
- St. Steven Church, Sun Lakes
- St. Clare of Assisi Church, Surprise
- All Saints Catholic Newman Center, Tempe ASU
- Holy Spirit Church, Tempe
- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Tempe
- Resurrection Church, Tempe
- St. Margaret Church, Tempe
- Blessed Sacrament Church, Tolleson
- St. Anthony of Padua Church, Wickenburg
Pinal County
Gila River Indian Community Missions
- St. Peter Mission, Bapchule
- Holy Family Mission, Blackwater
- St. Anthony Mission, Sacaton
- Our Lady of Victory Mission, Sacaton Flats
- St. Anne Mission, Santan
- St. Catherine Mission, Santa Cruz
Ak-Chin Indian Community
- St. Francis Mission
Yavapai County
- St. Francis of Assisi Mission, Bagdad
- St. Frances Cabrini Church, Camp Verde
- St. Catherine Laboure Mission, Chino Valley
- St. Cecelia Mission, Clarkdale
- Good Shepherd of the Desert Mission, Congress
- Immaculate Conception Church, Cottonwood
- St. Joseph Mission, Mayer
- Sacred Heart Church, Prescott
- St. Germaine Church, Prescott Valley
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Queen Creek
- St. John Vianney Church, Sedona
- St. Mary Mediatrix Mission, Yarnell
Coconino County
- San Francisco de Asis, Flagstaff
- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Chapel, Flagstaff
- St. Pius X Center, Flagstaff
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, Flagstaff
- Holy Trinity Newman Center, Flagstaff NAU
- El Cristo Rey Mission, Grand Canyon Village
- Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona
- St. Francis Church, Seligman
- St. Joseph Church, Williams
Mohave County
- St. Margaret Mary Church, Bullhead City
- Our Lady of the Desert Mission, Dolan Springs
- Our Lady of the Lake Church, Lake Havasu City
- La Santisima Trinidad Mission, Littlefield and Scenic
- St. Mary Church, Kingman
Eastern Catholic Churches and Communities active in the area of the Diocese of Phoenix
- Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix
- St Stephen Byzantine Catholic Cathedral in Phoenix
- St. Thomas the Apostle Byzantine Catholic Church in Gilbert
- Mar Auraha Chaldean and Assyrian Catholic Church in Scottsdale
- St. Joseph Maronite Catholic Church in Phoenix
- St. John of the Desert Melkite Catholic Church in Phoenix
- Dormition of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Phoenix
- Syro Malabar Catholic Mission in Phoenix
Catholic education
Schools
- Catholic Schools Map
- Catholic Schools of Phoenix
Elementary schools and pre-schools
Youth Protection
Office of Child and Youth Protection
Media
The diocese uses several types of media to fulfill its evangelization efforts:
Radio ministry
Radio Family Rosary is a radio ministry of the Diocese of Phoenix founded in 1983. The station begins with a recitation of the rosary every day. After the rosary the station focus on a particular saint, or a point of catechism is held. The station was founded by Dorothy Westfall, after a suggestion from a Phoenix parishioner suffering from arthritis.
Bishop Thomas Olmsted often uses radio communication and has a website with information about his "bishop's hour." on Immaculate Heart Radio.
The diocese began financially supporting En Familia radio KIDR in 2012 to reach out to those who speak Spanish.
Newspaper
The Catholic Sun is the official newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. The paper is delivered to more than 115,000 homes in the counties of Coconino, Maricopa, Mohave, and Yavapai.
Television
Mass is broadcast live from Cathedral of Saints Simon and Jude each Sunday morning by KAZT, along with a show immediately following entitled "Catholics Matter". The Mass was once on KUTP.
Social media
The diocese has an active presence on YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and others and continues to expand its presence online.
Religious orders active in the diocese
Women religious
- CSA Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes
- CSJ Congregation of Sisters of St. Joseph
- IBVM Sisters of Loreto also known as the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- MM Maryknoll Missionaries
- MC Missionaries of Charity
- OLVM Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters
- PCPA Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration
- SSND School Sisters of Notre Dame
- BVM Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- SDS Sisters of the Divine Savior
- SNDdeN Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
- OSB Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict
- OSF Sisters of St Francis
- PBVM Presentation Sisters also known as Union of the Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Private Association of the Faithful
- BFCC
- IHM
- SFCC
- LSC
- ESEH
Secular institutes
- SIM
Male religious
- OCarm Carmelites
- OSC Crosiers
- DS Disciples of Hope
- OFM Franciscans
- CSC Congregation of the Holy Cross
- SJ Society of Jesus (Jesuits)
Religious brothers
- CSC Congregation of the Holy Cross
- DS Disciples of Hope
- OSC Crosiers
- OFM Franciscans Order of Saint Francis Minor
Other Catholic organizations in the Diocese of Phoenix
This list is fairly complete, but there might be others to add.
- Andre House
- Arizona Catholic
- Arizona Catholic Conference
- Arizona Rosary Celebration
- Beginning Experience Arizona Chapter
- Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries
- Catholic Commerce Networking Association of Arizona
- Catholic Community Foundation In November 2011, the Catholic Community Foundation of Phoenix announced that it was giving former Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien its faith honoree award. When news of the intended award became public, there was outrage that the Foundation would honor a bishop who had resigned in disgrace, had admitted involvement in the sexual abuse scandal, and who had been convicted of the felony of hit-and-run involving death. A few days later, O'Brien declined the award, and Foundation, stating that it did not anticipate the adverse public reaction, issued a formal written apology to the community.
- Catholic Charities Community Services http://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org/
- Catholic Charities Parish and Community Engagement http://www.catholiccharitiesaz.org/ParishCommunityEngagement.aspx
- Catholic Committee on Scouting http://www.phxdccs.org/
- Catholic Education Arizona, formerly known as Catholic Tuition Organization of the Diocese of Phoenix http://www.ctodp.org/, http://www.catholiceducationarizona.org/
- Catholic Engaged Encounter of Arizona, http://www.arizonacee.org/
- Catholic Mens Fellowship Phoenix http://www.cmfp.org/
- Catholic Physicians Guild of Phoenix http://cpgphoenix.com/
- Catholic Renewal Ministries of Phoenix http://crm-phoenix.communityspice.com/content/
- Catholic Singles Ministry http://www.catholicsinglesministry.org
- Cursillo Movement in Phoenix http://phoenixcursillo.com/
- Diocese of Phoenix Department of Medical Ethics, http://www.staphx.org/ethics_site/
- Diocese of Phoenix Office of Natural Family Planning, http://www.phxnfp.org/
- Filipino Catholic Community of Arizona, http://www.fccaz.com/
- Foundation for Senior Living http://www.fsl.org/
- Franciscan Renewal Center http://www.thecasa.org/
- Immaculate Heart Radio http://ihradio.com/stations/arizona-stations/phoenix-az-1310-am/
- Italian Catholic Federation http://www.icf.org/
- John Paul II Resource Center for the Theology of the Body http://69.50.197.44/mfrl/jp2.html
- Kino Institute for Catholic Adult Faith Formation and Leadership, http://www.kinoinstitute.org/
- Knights of Columbus Arizona State Council http://www.azknightsofcolumbus.com/
- Korean Catholic Community of Phoenix, http://www.phoenixkoreancatholic.org/
- Legatus of Phoenix, http://www.legatus.org/chapter/phoenix
- Legion of Mary of the Diocese of Phoenix, http://legionofmarydioceseofphoenix.org/
- Life Teen for Catholic Teens http://www.lifeteen.com/
- Living Waters Retreat Center, Cornville http://www.livingwaterretreatcenter.com/
- Pax Christi is active in several locations in the diocese
- Mount Claret Retreat Center http://mtclaret.org/
- Phoenix Diocesan Council of Catholic Women http://pdccw.com/
- Radio Family Rosary, http://www.radiofamilyrosary.com/
- St. Joseph's Youth Camp http://www.sjycaz.com/
- St. Joseph the Worker job service http://www.sjwjobs.org/
- St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, http://www.firstfoodbank.org
- St. Thomas More Society of Phoenix, http://stthomasmorephoenix.grou.ps/
- St. Vincent de Paul Society, Phoenix http://www.stvincentdepaul.net/
- Serra International apostolate for vocations, Phoenix Serra Club http://www.phoenixserraclub.org/
- Tepeyac Life Teen Camp, Life Teen, http://www.lifeteencamps.com/tepeyac.asp
- World Apostolate of Fatima http://www.wafusa.org/
- Worldwide Marriage Encounter Arizona Chapter http://www.wwme-phx.org/
- Youth Arise North America http://www.youtharise.org
Notable incidents
On June 11, 2014, two priests were attacked by a lone burglar at Mater Misericordiae Mission in Phoenix. Parochial vicar Rev. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, 28, who had been ordained just two years earlier, died of gunshot wounds after being admitted to the hospital. Rev. Joseph Terra, FSSP was wounded. The Diocese of Phoenix in a statement said it was "stunned and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic assault."
Politics
In July 2009 the Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Phoenix contributed $50,000 of its money to overturn a law in the state of Maine allowing same-sex civil marriage. In early 2009, Maine, through its legislature and with the approval of its Catholic governor extended the civil rights of same sex couples to marry in Maine. According to Maine's "Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices", the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland Maine spent over $553,000 to rescind those rights. The Diocese of Phoenix's $50,000 was part of that $553,000.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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