Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metropolitan Archdiocese of WashingtonArchidiœcesis Metropolitae Vashingtonensis |
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Coat of arms
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| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| Territory | Washington, D.C. and Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles counties in Maryland |
| Ecclesiastical province | Washington, D.C. |
| Metropolitan | Washington, D.C. |
| Headquarters | Hyattsville, Maryland, U.S. |
| Statistics | |
| Area | 2,104 sq mi (5,450 km2) |
| Population - Total - Catholics |
(as of 2017) 2,980,005 655,601 (22.0%) |
| Parishes | 139 |
| Schools | 93 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Catholic Church |
| Sui iuris church | Latin Church |
| Rite | Roman Rite |
| Established | July 29, 1939 (86 years ago) |
| Cathedral | Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle |
| Patron saint | Blessed Virgin Mary in her Motherhood |
| Secular priests | 262 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Metropolitan Archbishop | Robert W. McElroy |
| Auxiliary Bishops | Roy Edward Campbell Juan Esposito-Garcia Evelio Menjivar-Ayala |
| Emeritus Bishops | Wilton Daniel Gregory Donald William Wuerl |
| Map | |
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The Archdiocese of Washington is a special area of the Catholic Church in the United States. It covers Washington, D.C. and several counties in Maryland. Think of it like a large church district with many parishes and schools.
This archdiocese is home to important places like Catholic University of America and Georgetown University. It also includes the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, which is a very large and beautiful church. The main church of the archdiocese is the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in downtown Washington. Robert McElroy became the Archbishop of Washington on January 6, 2025.
Contents
Where the Archdiocese Is Located
The Archdiocese of Washington includes Washington, D.C. and these counties in Maryland:
A Look at History
Early Days: 1600s
In the 1600s, the area that is now Washington, D.C., was part of the British Province of Maryland. Maryland was special because it was founded by Lord Baltimore as a safe place for Catholics who were facing difficulties in Great Britain.
On March 25, 1634, the very first Catholic Mass in the English colonies was held on St. Clement's Island in Maryland. Over time, more people moved to Maryland, and by 1660, most residents were Protestant. However, Catholic leaders still held much of the power. In 1649, Maryland passed the Maryland Toleration Act. This law said that all Christians who believed in the Trinity (God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) should be allowed to practice their faith freely. It was one of the first laws of its kind in the English colonies.
Later, in 1689, a group of Protestants took control of the government. They then placed some restrictions on Catholics. For example, Catholics had to hold Mass in private chapels in their homes.
Growing Up: 1700s
In 1704, a law was passed that stopped Catholics from holding public office. After the American Revolution ended in 1781, the Catholic Church needed to organize its followers in the new United States. In 1784, the Pope created the Prefecture Apostolic of United States of America and chose John Carroll to lead it.
When the U.S. Constitution was written in 1789, it guaranteed religious freedom for everyone in the country. That same year, Pope Pius VI created the Diocese of Baltimore. This new diocese covered all of the United States, including Maryland. John Carroll became its first bishop. The area that is now Washington, D.C., was part of this diocese for the next 150 years.
The city of Washington was founded in 1791 to be the nation's capital. In 1792, Bishop Carroll also founded Georgetown College in what was then a small village called Georgetown. It was the first Catholic university in the United States.
The first Catholic church in Washington, St. Patrick's, was built in 1794. It served the Irish stonemasons who were working on the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building. A brick church for St. Patrick's was finished in 1809.
The 1800s
During the War of 1812 in 1814, the British Army attacked Washington and set parts of the city on fire. Reverend William Matthews, the pastor of St. Patrick's, managed to save his church from burning. He also convinced the British general to protect it from further damage.
Later, in 1889, Catholic University of America opened in Washington. It was the first university in the country specifically for graduate studies and research, approved by the Pope. Trinity College in Washington was founded in 1897 by the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. It was the first Catholic college for women in the nation.
The 1900s to Mid-1960s
As the population of Washington, D.C., grew, Pope Pius XII created the new Archdiocese of Washington on July 22, 1939. He first appointed Michael Curley, who was already the archbishop of Baltimore, to also lead the new archdiocese. Archbishop Curley passed away in 1947.
In 1947, Pope Pius XII appointed separate archbishops for Baltimore and Washington. He chose Monsignor Patrick O'Boyle from New York to be the archbishop of Washington. In 1948, Archbishop O'Boyle made an important decision to integrate Catholic schools in Washington and the Maryland counties. This meant that students of all races could attend the same schools. He started with colleges, then high schools, and finally elementary schools. In 1949, O'Boyle gave a blessing at the inauguration of U.S. President Harry S. Truman. In 1954, the archdiocese was placed under the special protection of Mary, Mother of God.
In April 1964, during discussions in the United States Congress about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Archbishop O'Boyle led a meeting at Georgetown University to support civil rights. He spoke to Congress, saying that every person has great value and rights that everyone must respect. He encouraged Congress to pass the bill, which became law in July 1964.
Mid-1960s to 2000
The Archdiocese of Washington became a "metropolitan see" on October 12, 1965. This means it became the main archdiocese for a group of dioceses, though the Diocese of Saint Thomas was its only partner diocese. Archbishop O'Boyle retired in 1973.
To replace O'Boyle, Pope Paul VI chose Bishop William Baum to be the next archbishop. In 1976, Pope Paul VI made Archbishop Baum a cardinal. Cardinal Baum resigned as archbishop in 1980 to take on a new role in Rome.
Pope John Paul II then appointed Bishop James Hickey as archbishop of Washington in 1980. During Archbishop Hickey's time, Catholic Charities, a group that helps people in need, grew a lot and became the biggest private social service agency in the area. He also started several important programs:
- The Archdiocesan Health Care Network, which helped people get medical care.
- The Archdiocesan Legal Network, which offered free legal help to people who couldn't afford it.
- Birthing and Care, which provided medical care for pregnant women and new mothers who needed financial help.
- Faith in the City, a plan to improve Catholic schools in inner-city areas.
- Victory Housing, which created housing for older adults.
Archbishop Hickey also worked with Mother Teresa to open a convent in Washington. This convent helped people who were homeless or very sick.
2000 to 2010
When Archbishop Hickey retired in 2000, Pope John Paul II appointed Archbishop Theodore McCarrick as the next archbishop of Washington. Archbishop McCarrick retired in 2008.
Bishop Donald Wuerl became the archbishop of Washington in 2008, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI. In late 2009, the city of Washington, D.C., was discussing a bill about fairness. Archbishop Wuerl spoke about the importance of religious freedom, saying it would help the Catholic Church continue its social services, like adoption, according to its beliefs. He explained that the archdiocese wanted to keep serving the poor and hoped to work with the city while staying true to its mission.
2010 to Present
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In February 2010, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington changed its foster care and public adoption programs in the District.
In 2011, Archbishop Wuerl established the Saint John Paul II Seminary in Washington.
In 2012, the archdiocese and other Catholic groups in the area filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). They disagreed with new rules that required some Catholic organizations, like hospitals or universities, to provide certain health care services that went against their religious beliefs.
In 2017, the archdiocese sued the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The archdiocese wanted to put up Christmas ads on bus exteriors, but WMATA refused, saying it had a rule against religious advertising. The archdiocese lost the case, and the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear it in 2020.
Archbishop Wuerl resigned as archbishop of Washington in October 2018. He continued to lead the archdiocese temporarily until a new archbishop was chosen.
In April 2019, Archbishop Wilton Gregory was appointed archbishop of Washington by Pope Francis. He made history as the first African American to lead the archdiocese. Pope Francis later made Archbishop Gregory a cardinal in November 2020.
In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the archdiocese sued the city of Washington. They disagreed with a rule that limited the number of people who could attend Mass or other church services to prevent the spread of infection. Before the case went to trial, they reached an agreement, and the city increased the attendance limit to 250 people or one-quarter of the church's seating capacity.
Cardinal Robert McElroy became the archbishop on January 6, 2025.
Leaders of the Archdiocese
Archbishops of Washington
- Michael Joseph Curley (1939–1947), also Archbishop of Baltimore
- Patrick Aloysius O'Boyle (1947–1973)
- William Wakefield Baum (1973–1980)
- James Aloysius Hickey (1980–2000)
- Theodore Edgar McCarrick (2001–2006)
- Donald William Wuerl (2006–2018)
- Wilton Daniel Gregory (2019–2025)
- Robert Walter McElroy (2025–present)
Auxiliary Bishops
- John Michael McNamara (1947–1960)
- Patrick Joseph McCormick (1950–1953)
- Philip Matthew Hannan (1956–1965)
- William Joseph McDonald (1964–1967)
- John Selby Spence (1964–1973)
- Edward John Herrmann (1966–1973)
- Thomas William Lyons (1974–1988)
- Eugene Antonio Marino (1974–1988)
- Thomas Cajetan Kelly (1977–1981)
- Alvaro Corrada del Rio (1985–1997)
- William George Curlin (1988–1994)
- Leonard Olivier (1988–2004)
- William E. Lori (1995–2001)
- Kevin Joseph Farrell (2001–2007)
- Francisco González Valer (2001–2014)
- Martin Holley (2004–2016)
- Barry Christopher Knestout (2008–2018)
- Mario E. Dorsonville (2015–2023)
- Roy Edward Campbell (2017–present)
- Michael William Fisher (2018–2020)
- Juan Esposito-Garcia (2023–present)
- Evelio Menjivar-Ayala (2023–present)
Other Priests Who Became Bishops
- John Francis Donoghue
- David Edward Foley
- Raymond James Boland
- Mark Edward Brennan
- William D. Byrne
Parishes
The archdiocese has many parishes, which are local church communities.
Education
The Archdiocese of Washington helps manage many schools. In 1997, it created the Center City Consortium to help run its schools in a more organized way.
High Schools in Maryland
- Academy of the Holy Cross – Kensington
- Avalon School – Gaithersburg
- Bishop McNamara High School – Forestville
- Brookewood School – Kensington
- Connelly School of the Holy Child – Potomac
- DeMatha Catholic High School – Hyattsville
- Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School – Takoma Park
- Elizabeth Seton High School – Bladensburg
- Georgetown Preparatory School – North Bethesda
- Heights School – Potomac
- Our Lady of Good Counsel High School – Olney
- St. Mary's Ryken High School – Leonardtown
- St. Vincent Pallotti High School – Laurel
- Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart – Bethesda
High Schools in District of Columbia
- Archbishop Carroll High School
- Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School
- Gonzaga College High School
- St. Anselm's Abbey School
- St. John's College High School
Colleges and Universities in District of Columbia
- Catholic University of America
- Georgetown University
- Trinity Washington University
Seminaries in District of Columbia
Seminaries are schools where people study to become priests.
- Redemptoris Mater Seminary
- St. John Paul II Seminary
- Theological College
- Dominican House of Studies
Cemeteries
Many parishes have their own cemeteries. The archdiocese also owns and runs five larger cemeteries:
- Mount Olivet Cemetery – DC
- Gate of Heaven Cemetery – Silver Spring, MD
- St. Mary's Queen of Peace Cemetery – Helen, MD
- Resurrection Cemetery – Clinton, MD
- All Souls Cemetery – Germantown, MD
Two former parish cemeteries are also managed by the archdiocese:
- St. John's Cemetery – Forest Glen, MD
- St. Mary's Cemetery – DC
Province of Washington
The Province of Washington is a group of Catholic dioceses led by the Archdiocese of Washington.
- Diocese of Saint Thomas
More to Explore
- Catholic Church in the United States
- Ecclesiastical Province of Washington
- Global organisation of the Catholic Church
- List of Roman Catholic archdioceses (by country and continent)
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) (including archdioceses)
- List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view) (including archdioceses)
- List of the Catholic cathedrals of the United States
- List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States
- Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America
- St. Mary's City, Maryland
Images for kids
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Former Cardinal McCarrick (2008)
See also
In Spanish: Arquidiócesis de Washington para niños
