Roman Catholic Diocese of Leavenworth facts for kids
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Leavenworth was once an important area for the Catholic Church in Kansas, United States. It was a "bishopric," which means it was a region led by a bishop. Today, it is a "titular bishopric," which means it's a historical title used for certain bishops, even though the original area no longer functions as a diocese.
History of the Leavenworth Diocese
The story of the Leavenworth Diocese began a long time ago.
- On July 19, 1850, Pope Pius IX created a special church area called the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory East of the Rocky Mountains. This was a missionary area, meaning it was focused on spreading the Catholic faith in new places.
- In 1857, some of its land was used to create a new church area, the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska. The remaining part was then renamed the Apostolic Vicariate of Kansas.
- On May 22, 1877, this area was officially promoted to a full diocese, becoming the Diocese of Leavenworth. This meant it was no longer just a missionary area.
- On August 2, 1887, more of its land was used to create two new dioceses: the Diocese of Wichita and the Diocese of Concordia.
- On May 29, 1891, the diocese changed its name again to the Diocese of Kansas City, Kansas.
- Then, on March 5, 1897, it went back to being called the Diocese of Leavenworth.
- Finally, on May 10, 1947, the Diocese of Leavenworth was closed down. Its territory was then used to create the Diocese of Kansas City in Kansas, which later became an archdiocese.
Titular See of Leavenworth
In 1995, the title of the Diocese of Leavenworth was brought back, but in a different way. It became a "titular bishopric." This means that while there isn't an active diocese in Leavenworth anymore, the title "Bishop of Leavenworth" can be given to a bishop who doesn't lead a specific diocese. It's like an honorary title.
Since 1995, several bishops have held this special title.
