Diocese of Cheyenne

{{Short description|Latin Catholic jurisdiction in the US}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox diocese | jurisdiction = Diocese | name = Cheyenne | latin = Dioecesis Cheyennensis | local =  | image = ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL, CHEYENNE, LARAMIE COUNTY, WYOMING (cropped).jpg | image_size = 200px | image_alt = | caption = St. Mary's Cathedral | coat = Coat of arms of the Diocese of Cheyenne.svg | coat_size = 150px | coat_alt = | coat_caption = Coat of arms  | country = {{flag|United States}} | territory = {{flag|Wyoming}} | province = Denver | metropolitan = | deaneries = | headquarters = | coordinates =   | area_km2 =  | area_footnotes = | population = | population_as_of = | catholics = 49,459 | catholics_percent = 8.5 | parishes =  | churches =  | congregations =  | schools =  | members =   | denomination = Catholic | sui_iuris_church = Latin Church | rite = Roman Rite | established = August 2, 1887 | dissolved = | cathedral = St. Mary's Cathedral | cocathedral = | patron = Our Lady of the Assumption<br>Saint Joseph<br>Therese of Lisieux | priests =   | pope = {{Incumbent pope}}  | bishop = Steven Biegler | metro_archbishop = James R. Golka | coadjutor = | auxiliary_bishops = | apostolic_admin = | vicar_general = | judicial_vicar = | emeritus_bishops =  | map = Diocese of Cheyenne map.png | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption =  | website = {{Official website|https://dioceseofcheyenne.org/|dioceseofcheyenne.org}} | footnotes = }} The '''Diocese of Cheyenne''' ({{langx|la|Dioecesis Cheyennensis}}) is a diocese of the Catholic Church in the state of Wyoming in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Denver. The cathedral is St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The diocese covers all of Wyoming, as well as the parts of Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Idaho. == History == ===1800 to 1887=== As part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the Wyoming area was theoretically under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Bishop of Louisiana and the Two Floridas in New Orleans. In 1827, it was placed under the bishop of the Dioceses of St. Louis. On July 5, 1840, Jesuit missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet offered the first mass in the Wyoming area, east of the present-day town of Daniel. A monument to the event was later erected on this site.<ref name=map>{{cite map |title=Official State Highway Map of Wyoming |publisher=Wyoming Department of Transportation |year=2014}}</ref> Lake De Smet is named after him.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stansell S.J. |first=Harold |date=1941 |title=History of the Catholic Church in Wyoming |url=https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/25338/documents/2020/7/History%20of%20the%20History-1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824071817/https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/25338/documents/2020/7/History%20of%20the%20History-1.pdf |archive-date=August 24, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2023}} {{Page needed|date=June 2023}}</ref>

In 1851, John Miège was installed in a ceremony in St. Louis as vicar apostolic for the Indian Territory east of the Rocky Mountains. The vicariate included the present states of Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, the parts of North and South Dakota west of the Missouri River, Wyoming, Montana, and a part of Colorado.<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09102b.htm Shorter, Joseph. "Leavenworth." The Catholic Encyclopedia] Vol. 9. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 24 August 2022 {{PD-notice}}</ref>

On January 6, 1857 Pope Pius IX established the Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska from the Apostolic Vicariate of Indian Territory.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://archomaha.org/about-us/ |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=Archdiocese of Omaha |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1859, Pius IX named the trappist monk James O'Gorman, prior of New Melleray Abbey, near Dubuque, Iowa, as the vicar apostolic. In 1867, O'Gorman assigned William Kelly as the first resident priest of Cheyenne. Kelly's responsibilities included visiting the railroad camps west of the town.<ref name="Shine">{{Cite web |last=Shine |first=Rev. Michael |title=Chronological Notes (1915) |url=https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/25338/documents/2020/7/History%20of%20the%20History-1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220824071817/https://d2y1pz2y630308.cloudfront.net/25338/documents/2020/7/History%20of%20the%20History-1.pdf |archive-date=August 24, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2023 |page=12}}</ref> Eugene Cusson was the first resident priest assigned to Laramie. In 1875, Cusson persuaded the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth to come to Laramie, where they opened a hospital in a house donated by the Union Pacific Railroad.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lebhart |first=Sister Catherine Louise |title=Histories of The Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth in Wyoming since 1875 |url=https://dcwy.org/documents/2020/6/Sisters%20of%20Charity%20of%20Leavenworth%20History.pdf |access-date=June 29, 2023 |website=Diocese of Cheyenne}}</ref>{{Rp|page=9}} In 1884, the Jesuits established St. Stephens Mission on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming.

The Apostolic Vicariate of Nebraska was elevated to the Diocese of Omaha by Pope Leo XIII on October 2, 1885. At the time, the diocese included all of Nebraska and Wyoming.

=== 1887 to 1900 === On August 2, 1887, Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Cheyenne, removing its territory from the Diocese of Omaha.<ref name="Shine" /> He appointed Maurice Burke of the Archdiocese of Chicago as the first bishop of Cheyenne.

By 1889, the diocese had five priests and 5,000 parishioners spread over a huge area.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Judge |first=Thomas E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NzBOAQAAMAAJ&dq=Bishop+Maurice+Burke&pg=PA76 |title=Lives of American Prelates; Or, Illustrated Biographies of the Catholic Bishops of the United States |date=1902 |publisher=Wm. J. McAssey |language=en}}</ref> Burke faced attacks by the American Protective Association, an anti-Catholic and anti-Irish hate group. The virulence forced the Sisters of Charity to abandon their institutions in the diocese. Burke traveled to Rome to petition the Vatican to attach the diocese to a more established one, citing the dire conditions in Wyoming. The pope denied his request.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Larson |first=T. A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OvwyEAAAQBAJ&dq=Bishop+Maurice+Burke&pg=PA223 |title=History of Wyoming |date=1990-08-01 |publisher=U of Nebraska Press |isbn=978-0-8032-7936-0 |edition=Second |language=en}}</ref><ref name="cheyenne">{{cite news |title=Most Reverend Maurice F. Burke |work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne |url=http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/bburke.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2010-04-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604033324/http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/bburke.html |archive-date=2008-06-04}}</ref> In a letter to Katharine Drexel, Burke described himself as a "bishop in name only" without parishioners or priests.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hughes |first=Cheryl D. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BDwpAwAAQBAJ&dq=Bishop+Maurice+Burke&pg=PA108 |title=Katharine Drexel: The Riches-to-Rags Life Story of an American Catholic Saint |date=2014-08-03 |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |isbn=978-0-8028-6992-0 |language=en}}</ref> In 1893, Pope Leo XIII attached the Diocese of Cheyenne to the Archdiocese of Dubuque, and transferred Burke to the Diocese of Saint Joseph. The Diocese of Cheyenne was without a bishop for the next three years.

On December 18, 1896, Thomas Lenihan of the Archdiocese of Dubuque was named the second bishop of Cheyenne by Leo XIII. When Lenihan arrived in Cheyenne in 1897, the diocese contained eight priests, nine churches, and one parochial school for 3,000 Catholics.<ref name="directory1">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7rsvAQAAMAAJ |title=Hoffmann's Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List |date=1897 |publisher=M. H. Wiltzius |volume=XII |location=Milwaukee}}</ref> By the time of his death in 1901, there were 6,000 Catholics, 26 churches, 15 priests, and four parochial schools.<ref name="directory2">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EcAvAQAAMAAJ |title=The Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List |date=1901 |publisher=M. H. Wiltzius |volume=XVI |location=Milwaukee}}</ref>

=== 1900 to 1950 === thumb|Bishop Keane On June 10, 1902, Pope Leo XIII appointed James Keane from the Archdiocese of St. Paul as the third bishop of Cheyenne. Keane came to Wyoming at a time of increasing population and economic expansion. Keane successfully recruited priests to serve in the diocese.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pioneer Bishops (1887 - 1911) |url=http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/history/1887__Pioneers_Stansell.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604033510/http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/history/1887__Pioneers_Stansell.html |archive-date=June 4, 2008 |access-date=February 19, 2010}}</ref> The diocese was incorporated according to Wyoming law. The diocesan parishes were also incorporated, with the bishop, the pastor and two lay trustees serving as a corporate board for each parish.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Diocese of Cheyenne Bishops |url=http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/bkeane.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604033334/http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/bkeane.html |archive-date=June 4, 2008 |access-date=February 19, 2010}}</ref>

Keane was successful in his appeals to the newly formed Catholic Church Extension Society for funds to expand the church across the state. He also directed the building of Cheyenne's St. Mary's Cathedral and a new episcopal residence. The cathedral was dedicated in 1909. He served as bishop for nine years in Cheyenne before being named archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque in 1911.<ref name=":1" />

On January 19, 1912, Patrick McGovern from the Diocese of Omaha was appointed the fourth bishop of Cheyenne by Pope Pius X. On August 2, 1947, Hubert Newell of the Archdiocese of Denver was appointed as coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne to assist McGovern.

=== 1950 to present === thumb|Bishop Ricken (2023) In 1951, after 39 years as bishop, McGovern died, and Newell automatically succeeded him as bishop. Newell established the diocesan newspaper, ''The Wyoming Catholic Register,'' in 1952. Also that year, he dedicated the new DePaul Hospital in Cheyenne. Newell set up a Council of Catholic Women in Cheyenne. It was followed by other councils in Wyoming communities and by the Wyoming Council of Catholic Women in 1953.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Stansell |first=Harold |title=HUBERT MICHAEL NEWELL, A BISHOP ON THE MOVE 1951-1978 |url=http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/history/1951_Newell_Stansell.html |access-date=June 30, 2022 |website=Diocese of Cheyenne}}</ref> Newell resigned in 1978.

On April 25, 1978, Pope Paul VI named Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Hart as the sixth bishop of Cheyenne.<ref name="hierarchy">{{cite news |title=Bishop Joseph Hubert Hart |work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org |url=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bhartj.html}}</ref> During his tenure as bishop, Hart established the annual Bishop's Appeal and ordained 25 priests for the diocese.<ref name="biography">{{cite news |title=Most Reverend Hubert Joseph Hart |work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne |url=http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/bhart.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604033329/http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/bhart.html |archivedate=June 4, 2008}}</ref> On December 14, 1999, David L. Ricken was appointed as coadjutor bishop of the diocese by Pope John Paul II. Hart resigned in 2001 and Ricken automatically succeeded him as bishop of Cheyenne.

While bishop of Cheyenne, Ricken co-founded Wyoming Catholic College in Lander, Wyoming, established the Wyoming School of Catholic Thought at Wyoming Catholic College, and founded the John Paul II Catholic School in Gillette, Wyoming.<ref name="CompassCEFHallOfFame">{{cite news |date=April 3, 2009 |title=Bishop Ricken to be inducted into education foundation's Hall of Fame |publisher=The Compass: official newspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay}}</ref> Ricken oversaw the building of a new building for St. Mary's Catholic School in Cheyenne.<ref name="CompassCEFHallOfFame" /> In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named Ricken as bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.

On October 19, 2009, Paul D. Etienne was named bishop of Cheyenne.<ref name="Bulletin">{{cite web |date=October 19, 2009 |title=Rinunce e Nomine, 19.10.2009 |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2009/10/19/0647/01514.html |access-date=April 29, 2019 |publisher=Holy See Press office |language=it}}</ref><ref name="Evans">{{cite news |last=Evans |first=Baylie |date=October 20, 2009 |title=Pope names a new bishop for Wyoming |work=Wyoming Tribune Eagle |url=http://www.wyomingnews.com/news/pope-names-a-new-bishop-for-wyoming/article_bc614553-ee31-50e4-9a10-49eb0d3975b5.html |access-date=March 14, 2016}}</ref> He went on to be archbishop of the Archdiocese of Anchorage in 2016. His replacement in Cheyenne was Steven Biegler, in 2017. Biegler is the current bishop of Cheyenne.

=== Sex abuse === Anthony Jablonowski was convicted in April 2004 of taking indecent, immodest or immoral liberties with a minor during the early 1980s in Guernsey. The priest was sentenced to 15 months to seven years in prison and was later laicized.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-04-19 |title=Priest claims men's naked ordeal was spiritual not sexual |url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/priest-claims-mens-naked-ordeal-was-spiritual-not-sexual-20040419-gdirkl.html |access-date=2023-07-11 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>

Bishop Joseph Hart's behavior was surrounded by controversy for years. At one point, in 2015, Bishop Etienne requested an investigation by the Vatican,<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |title=Lack of cooperation stalled Hart investigation, say bishops |url=https://www.thesheridanpress.com/news/lack-of-cooperation-stalled-hart-investigation-say-bishops/article_8b448fec-6a12-5cd3-bf31-720e2253bdf0.html |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=The Sheridan Press |language=en}}</ref> and suspended Hart from performing masses.<ref name=":22" /> In June 2020, the Natrona County District Attorney's Office declined to press charges against Hart. Believing that the case was prosecutable, the Cheyenne police submitted it to the Wyoming Attorney General.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Gazette|first=Seth Klamann Denver|title=Wyoming attorney general won't charge retired bishop accused of abuse|url=https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming-attorney-general-wont-charge-retired-bishop-accused-of-abuse/article_be5c8af3-1ad1-535e-a07f-9ca9f2c7e8bd.html|access-date=2021-11-10|website=Casper Star-Tribune Online|language=en}}</ref> Hart was never prosecuted. In January 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican cleared Hart of seven sexual abuse charges and stated that five other charges could not be proven. After the Congregation's decision, Bishop Biegler stated that he believed the victims.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morton |first=Tom |title=Abuse Survivors Group Denounces Vatican on Former Wyoming Bishop |url=https://k2radio.com/abuse-survivors-group-denounces-vatican-action-on-former-wyoming-bishop/ |access-date=2022-04-26 |website=K2 Radio |language=en}}</ref> The Congregation rebuked Hart "for his flagrant lack of prudence as a priest and bishop for being alone with minors."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Catholic News |date=2021-01-26 |title=Vatican exonerates Bishop Joseph Hart of Wyoming of seven sex abuse charges; five other accusations 'could not be proven' |url=http://thedialog.org/national-news/vatican-exonerates-bishop-joseph-hart-of-wyoming-of-seven-sex-abuse-charges-five-other-accusations-could-not-be-proven/ |access-date=2021-11-10 |website=The Dialog |language=en}}</ref>

In June 2019, the diocese released a list of "credibly accused clergy" included 30 victims, 29 of whom were minors,<ref name="minors">{{cite web |last=Klamann |first=Seth |title=Diocese says more victims of priest abuse in Wyoming have come forward since June |url=https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/diocese-says-more-victims-of-priest-abuse-in-wyoming-have-come-forward-since-june/article_9b60eac3-b502-5f4b-b14f-26b7297932d4.html |website=Casper Star-Tribune Online}}</ref> with more victims coming forth in August 2019.<ref name="minors" />

== Statistics == As of 2020, the Diocese of Cheyenne served 54,995 Catholics (8.6% of 578,759 total) on {{Convert|262,333|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} in 32 parishes. The diocese had 56 priests (50 diocesan, six religious), 33 deacons, 15 lay religious (six brothers, nine sisters), and five seminarians.<ref name="gcatholic.org">{{Cite web |title=Diocese of Cheyenne, USA |url=http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/chey0.htm |access-date=June 29, 2023 |website=GCatholic}}</ref>

==Bishops== thumb|Bishop Etienne (2016)

===Bishops of Cheyenne=== # Maurice Francis Burke (1887-1893), appointed Bishop of Saint Joseph # Thomas Mathias Lenihan (1896-1901) # James Keane (1902-1911), appointed Archbishop of Dubuque # Patrick McGovern (1912-1951) # Hubert Newell (1951-1978) # Joseph Hubert Hart (1978-2001) # David L. Ricken (2001-2008; coadjutor bishop 2000–2001), appointed Bishop of Green Bay # Paul D. Etienne (2009-2016), appointed Archbishop of Anchorage # Steven Biegler (2017–present)

===Auxiliary bishop===

* Joseph Hubert Hart (1976-1978), appointed Bishop of Cheyenne {{Wikisource1913CatholicEnc|Cheyenne|Diocese of Cheyenne}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== Sources and external links == * [http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/ Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne Official Site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231093922/http://www.dioceseofcheyenne.org/ |date=2018-12-31 }} * [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/chey0.htm GCatholic, with Google map and photo - data for all sections] * [http://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/father-steven-biegler-selected-as-ninth-bishop-of-diocese-of/article_7b23ad10-0ad8-11e7-a803-eb2d09401e05.html Father Steven Biegler selected as ninth bishop of Diocese of Cheyenne]

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne}} {{Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Denver}} {{coord|41|08|44|N|104|48|07|W|source:plwiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheyenne, Roman Catholic Diocese}} Category:Diocese of Cheyenne Category:Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Denver Roman Catholic Diocese Category:Roman Catholic dioceses and prelatures established in the 19th century Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne Roman Catholic Diocese

Diocese of Cheyenne

Connections

Linked from

Links to (54 total)