Diocese of Salt Lake City

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The Diocese of Salt Lake City, a suffragan diocese of the Latin Rite, is an active diocese encompassing the entire state of Utah in the United States. Founded on April 21, 1891, by Pope Leo XIII, it is led by Bishop Oscar A. Solis since 2017. As part of the Ecclesiastical Province of Denver, the diocese serves approximately 329,000 Catholics in a predominantly LDS region, with 51 parishes highlighting its missionary heritage; a notable event was the Cathedral of the Madeleine's designation as a minor basilica in 1992 by Pope John Paul II.

Stored in Cargo: Diocese of Salt Lake City

Diocese: Diocese of Salt Lake City
Status:Active
Rite:Latin
Type:Suffragan diocese
Ecclesiastical Province:Province of Denver
Metropolitan Archdiocese:Archdiocese of Denver
Country:United States
Region:Utah
Bishop:Oscar A. Solis
Website:https://dioslc.org/
Newspaper:https://www.icatholic.org/
Catholic %:9.6%
Elementary Schools:18
High Schools:3
Deaneries:6
Priests:115
Existence:1891–
Predecessor Dioceses:Diocese of Omaha
Catholic Hospitals:2
Rating:3.5
Chancery Address:27 C Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84103

Establishment

The Diocese of Salt Lake City was canonically erected on April 21, 1891, by Pope Leo XIII through the apostolic constitution In suprema Petri apostoli cathedra, separating the territory of Utah from the Diocese of Omaha to address the needs of the Catholic population in the region.[1][2]

History

The diocese was established amid Utah's frontier development following statehood, with early Catholics primarily Irish immigrants working on railroads and mines. Bishop Lawrence Scanlan, the first ordinary, expanded infrastructure significantly.

Boundary changes have been minimal, though the diocese has seen growth in Hispanic and refugee communities. In 1991, it celebrated its centennial with events led by visiting dignitaries.[3]

Geography

The Diocese of Salt Lake City comprises the entire state of Utah, covering 84,899 square miles (219,887 km²) and including all 29 counties:

  • Beaver County
  • Box Elder County
  • Cache County
  • Carbon County
  • Daggett County
  • Davis County
  • Duchesne County
  • Emery County
  • Garfield County
  • Grand County
  • Iron County
  • Juab County
  • Kane County
  • Millard County
  • Morgan County
  • Piute County
  • Rich County
  • Salt Lake County
  • San Juan County
  • Sanpete County
  • Sevier County
  • Summit County
  • Tooele County
  • Uintah County
  • Utah County
  • Wasatch County
  • Washington County
  • Wayne County
  • Weber County

It falls within the Ecclesiastical Province of Denver.[4]

Mother Church

The Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, a Romanesque Revival structure completed in 1909 and designated a minor basilica in 1992, serves as the diocese's mother church and seat of the bishop.[5]

Leadership

Current Bishop

Bishop Oscar A. Solis, appointed on January 23, 2017, by Pope Francis, previously served as bishop of Baker and auxiliary in Los Angeles. Of Filipino origin, he emphasizes evangelization among Utah's diverse immigrant communities.[6]

Past Bishops

Name Tenure Notes
Lawrence Scanlan 1891–1915 First bishop; built numerous churches and schools.
Joseph Stephen Glass, S.J. 1915–1926 Focused on education; died in office.
James Edward Giles 1926–1931 Died in office.
Duane Garrison Hunt 1937–1960 Oversaw post-Depression growth; retired.
Joseph Lennox Federal 1960–1980 Implemented Vatican II reforms; retired.
William Keith Weigand 1980–1994 Transferred to Diocese of Sacramento.
George Hugh Niederauer 1995–2005 Transferred to Archdiocese of San Francisco.
John Charles Wester 2007–2015 Transferred to Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

According to Catholic-Hierarchy.org and diocesan records.[7]

Theological and Cultural Orientation

The diocese rates as slightly conservative (3.5), with Traditional Latin Mass offered weekly in a few parishes like St. Antoine, balanced social teachings emphasizing pro-life initiatives alongside immigrant services, and leadership under Bishop Solis promoting Eucharistic devotion while engaging modern challenges.[8][9]

Statistics

As of 2023, the diocese covers 84,899 square miles (219,887 km²), serves 329,000 registered Catholics (9.6% of total population of 3,430,000) across 51 parishes and 6 deaneries, with 115 priests, 18 elementary schools, 3 high schools, and 2 Catholic hospitals.[10][11]

Religious Communities

Jesuits

The Jesuits support Jesuit High School (formerly) and retreat ministries. Jesuits West Province[12]

Sisters of Holy Cross

The Sisters of the Holy Cross historically managed Holy Cross Hospital (now secularized) and continue in education. Address: Various in Utah.[13]

Franciscan Sisters

The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist engage in parish ministry and ecology initiatives.[14]

Parishes

Main article: List of parishes in the Diocese of Salt Lake City
Diocese of Salt Lake City
This map created from a Cargo query (Purge)
_pageName City MailingAddress
St. Ambrose Church (Diocese of Salt Lake City) Salt Lake City, UT 2315 E Redondo Ave, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

The diocese includes 51 parishes organized into 6 deaneries: Ogden, Salt Lake City North, Salt Lake City Central, Salt Lake City South, Provo, and St. George, serving diverse English, Spanish, and Vietnamese communities.[15]

Mission and Services

Catholic Education

The diocese oversees 18 elementary/middle schools and 3 high schools:

School Name City Type Website
Cristo Rey High School Salt Lake City High School https://www.cristoreyslc.org/
Judge Memorial Catholic High School Salt Lake City High School https://www.judgememorial.com/
Juan Diego Catholic High School Draper High School https://www.jdchs.org/
Saint Lawrence Catholic Academy Salt Lake City Elementary https://saintlawrenceschool.org/
Saint Vincent School Salt Lake City Elementary https://stvincent-slc.org/
(Additional elementary schools listed in List of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Salt Lake City)

[16]

Community Outreach

Catholic Community Services provides food, housing, and refugee resettlement, serving over 50,000 individuals annually through programs like St. Vincent de Paul and family services.[17]

Notable Events or Figures

  • Bishop Lawrence Scanlan constructed over 30 churches in his 24-year tenure, earning the title "Apostle of Utah."[18]
  • The Cathedral of the Madeleine hosted the National Catholic Youth Conference in 1993, drawing thousands.[19]

Fun facts

Below are some fun facts about the Diocese of Salt Lake City:


  • Did you know? Founded in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII just after Utah's statehood, the diocese was carved from the vast Diocese of Omaha to serve hardy Catholic pioneers amid Mormon settlers!
  • Surprise! The stunning Cathedral of the Madeleine, with its French Romanesque towers built in 1909, became a minor basilica in 1992—Utah's only one and a hidden gem of sacred art!
  • Here's something cool: First Bishop Lawrence Scanlan, the "Apostle of Utah," rode horseback across the state building 36 churches and 11 schools, turning desert faith into thriving parishes.
  • Wow moment: Though Catholics are about 10% in mostly LDS Utah, the diocese's Hispanic community has exploded, with vibrant Our Lady of Guadalupe feasts drawing thousands in devotion.
  • Little-known gem: Judge Memorial Catholic High School, opened in 1926, boasts Utah's oldest continuous Catholic high school sports tradition, including state basketball championships.
  • Fun fact: The diocese spans epic geography from snowy Wasatch peaks to red-rock Zion, with parishes like St. George serving pilgrims at Utah's national parks.
  • Did you know? Bishop Oscar Solis, the first Filipino-American ordinary here since 2017, champions family rosary campaigns and refugee welcome in this gateway state.
  • Surprise! The annual Utah Catholic Men's Conference packs 1,000+ guys for talks, adoration, and brotherhood—proving faith thrives in the Beehive State's "Great Salt" heart!

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    Religious orders

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    Diocesan photos

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    References

    1. ↑ "Diocese of Salt Lake City". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsalt.html. 
    2. ↑ "Our History". https://dioslc.org/our-history. 
    3. ↑ "Diocese of Salt Lake City". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsalt.html. 
    4. ↑ "Territory Map". https://dioslc.org/about/territory-map. 
    5. ↑ the madeleine.com/history/ "History". https://thecathedralof the madeleine.com/history/. 
    6. ↑ "Oscar A. Solis". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bsoliso.html. 
    7. ↑ "Diocese of Salt Lake City". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsalt.html. 
    8. ↑ "Traditional Latin Mass". https://dioslc.org/worship/liturgy/traditional-latin-mass. 
    9. ↑ "Intermountain Catholic". https://www.icatholic.org/. 
    10. ↑ "Diocese of Salt Lake City". https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dsalt.html. 
    11. ↑ "Statistics". https://dioslc.org/about/statistics. 
    12. ↑ "Religious Orders". https://dioslc.org/religious-orders. 
    13. ↑ "Religious Orders". https://dioslc.org/religious-orders. 
    14. ↑ "Religious Orders". https://dioslc.org/religious-orders. 
    15. ↑ "Parish Directory". https://dioslc.org/parishes. 
    16. ↑ "Schools". https://dioslc.org/schools. 
    17. ↑ "Catholic Community Services". https://ccsutah.org/. 
    18. ↑ "Our History". https://dioslc.org/our-history. 
    19. ↑ "History". https://thecathedralofthemadeleine.com/history/. 

    External Links

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