Rachel Evans
Salt Lake City, Utah, is predominantly associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but there is a significant Catholic presence in the city. The Diocese of Salt Lake City, established in 1891, serves around 300,000 Catholics in the state, which constitutes about 10% of the population. The city is home to the Cathedral of the Madeleine, the mother church of the diocese, as well as several other Catholic churches and schools.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Population in Salt Lake City | 324,988 (10.0% of 3,249,879 total) as of 2020 |
| Catholic Population in the State of Utah | Around 300,000 as of 2024 |
| Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City | 48 parishes with 61 priests, 83 deacons, 25 lay religious, and nine seminarians as of 2020 |
| Catholic Schools in the State of Utah | 16 schools with around 5,500 students as of 2024 |
| Catholic Mother Church in Salt Lake City | Cathedral of the Madeleine |
| Catholic Presence in Utah | As early as the 1776 expedition of Francisco Atanazio Dominguez and Silvestre de Escalante from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to California |
| Catholic-Majority Neighborhoods in Salt Lake City | Not specified, but Catholic schools and parishes serve as "small neighborhoods" for the Catholic community |
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What You'll Learn
The Diocese of Salt Lake City
The earliest Catholic presence in Utah was the 1776 expedition of Francisco Atanazio Dominguez and Silvestre de Escalante from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to California. In September 1886, Scanlan opened All Hallows College at Salt Lake City. He served as a faculty member and lived at the college from 1887 to 1889. In 1887, Pope Leo XIII erected the Apostolic Vicariate of Utah and Eastern Nevada, taking its territory from the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The pope appointed Scanlan as the apostolic vicar. In 1889, the Marist Fathers assumed control of All Hallows College, operating it until its closure in 1918.
On January 27, 1891, Leo XIII suppressed the vicariate and replaced it with the new Diocese of Salt Lake, keeping Scanlan as bishop. That same year, Scanlan broke ground for the new cathedral in 1899. He also opened St. Francis of Assisi church in Provo, the first Catholic church in Utah County. Scanlan established an official newspaper, The Intermountain Catholic, in 1899. He started missions and parishes throughout the new State of Utah. The second bishop of Salt Lake was Reverend Joseph Glass of the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles, named by Pope Benedict XV in 1915. Glass renamed the Cathedral of Mary Magdalene as the Cathedral of the Madeleine. He also added distinctly Catholic murals to the building's exterior.
On January 10, 2017, Pope Francis appointed Oscar Azarcon Solis as the tenth bishop of Salt Lake City. As of 2020, the Diocese of Salt Lake City served 324,988 Catholics (10.0% of 3,249,879 total) on 219,887 km2 in 48 parishes with 61 priests (58 diocesan, three religious), 83 deacons, 25 lay religious (three brothers, 22 sisters), and nine seminarians. The diocese comprises the entire state of Utah and is home to over 300,000 Catholics, 48 parishes, 19 missions, and 16 Catholic schools.
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The Cathedral of the Madeleine
The Diocese of Salt Lake City is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church for the State of Utah. As of 2020, the diocese served approximately 10% of the state's population, or 324,988 Catholics, across 48 parishes. The current bishop of Salt Lake City is Oscar Azarcon Solis, appointed by Pope Francis in 2017.
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Catholic presence in Utah since 1776
The earliest Catholic presence in Utah was the 1776 expedition of Francisco Atanazio Dominguez and Silvestre de Escalante from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to California. They were the first non-Native Americans to enter the land that became Utah. The expedition aimed to find an overland route to California and determine the feasibility of future mission settlements in the land of the Yutas to serve both spiritual and temporal needs. A thirty-seven-foot steel cross stands today in Spanish Fork Canyon to mark their entry into Utah Valley on 23 September 1776.
In the period after the Mexican Revolution, Catholic trappers and trail blazers entered Utah, including Antoine Leroux, the five Sublette brothers, Lucien Fontenelle, and possibly Father Pierre Jean deSmet. In 1859, the first priest to assemble a congregation in Utah, whose name is unknown, arrived at Camp Floyd. The first known Mass in Utah was offered by Bonaventure Keller of Philadelphia in July 1859. In 1863, the discovery of mineral wealth and the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 brought an influx of miners and railroad workers, strengthening the Catholic presence in Utah.
In 1875, Father Lawrence Scanlan, who had been serving the approximately 800 Catholics among Utah's 87,000 inhabitants, invited the Sisters of the Holy Cross to Utah, where they founded St. Mary's Academy and Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. He also purchased property in Ogden in 1875 for Saint Joseph's church, which was dedicated in 1877. In 1879, he established St. Mary's Academy and Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City. In 1886, Scanlan opened All Hallows College at Salt Lake City, and in 1887, he was appointed the apostolic vicar of the newly created Apostolic Vicariate of Utah and Eastern Nevada by Pope Leo XIII.
In 1891, the vicariate was replaced by the Diocese of Salt Lake, with Scanlan remaining as bishop. He broke ground for the new cathedral in 1899 and opened St. Francis of Assisi church in Provo, the first Catholic church in Utah County. Scanlan established an official newspaper, The Intermountain Catholic, in 1899, and started missions and parishes throughout the new State of Utah. The Cathedral of St Mary Magdalene, later renamed the Cathedral of the Madeleine, opened in 1909.
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Catholic schools in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City has a rich history of Catholic presence, dating back to the 1776 expedition of Francisco Atanazio Dominguez and Silvestre de Escalante. Over the years, the Catholic Church in Salt Lake City has established several educational institutions, including colleges and schools. Here is some information about Catholic schools in Salt Lake City:
All Hallows College
All Hallows College was the first Catholic educational institution in Salt Lake City, founded in 1886 by Scanlan, who also served as a faculty member. The Marist Fathers assumed control of the college in 1889 and operated it until its closure in 1918.
Judge Memorial Catholic High School
Judge Memorial Catholic High School is a diverse and inclusive college preparatory school located in the heart of Salt Lake City. The school takes a holistic approach to education, focusing on the intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual development of its students. Judge Memorial encourages critical thinking, communication, and technology integration, fostering a stimulating and diverse learning environment. The school has a strong tradition in sports, with a century-long legacy, instilling values such as discipline, commitment, determination, teamwork, and balance in its student-athletes.
St. Joseph Catholic High School
St. Joseph Catholic High School, located in Ogden, is another Catholic educational institution in the broader Salt Lake City area.
The Catholic Church in Salt Lake City, under the Diocese of Salt Lake, has a strong focus on education, as evidenced by these schools. These institutions play a vital role in shaping the intellectual and spiritual growth of their students, contributing to the Catholic presence in the region.
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Relations between Catholics and Mormons
The relationship between Catholics and Mormons in Salt Lake City, Utah, has been described as positive and cordial, with a history of cooperation and dialogue between the two religious groups. However, there have also been challenges and differences that have shaped their interactions.
The Catholic Church formally arrived in Utah with the creation of the Apostolic Vicariate of Utah in 1886, and the first permanent Catholic ministry in the territory was established by Father Edward Kelly in 1866. Kelly's encounters with Brigham Young, a prominent Mormon leader, set a precedent for good relations between the two groups. Over the years, Catholic and Mormon leaders have often met and worked together, and there have been instances of cooperation and ecumenism, such as the establishment of the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, which served as a symbol of ecumenism in the 20th century.
However, Catholics are a minority in Utah, with the Mormon Church, or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), being the dominant religious and cultural force in the state. This dynamic has created a sense of unity among Utah Catholics, who have had to navigate living in a predominantly Mormon environment. There have been perceptions of a social, cultural, and political divide between Mormons and non-Mormons, and some Catholics in Utah have experienced challenges due to their religious minority status.
Despite these challenges, there have been efforts to bridge the religious divide and promote tolerance and inclusion. Mormon leaders, including church president Gordon B. Hinckley, have emphasised the importance of building better relations with non-Mormons and being more accepting of others. On a national level, LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of the LDS Church, has had an ongoing relationship with Catholic Relief Services since the 1980s, collaborating on hundreds of humanitarian and development projects worldwide.
While there are doctrinal differences between Catholicism and Mormonism, and historical tensions around issues like polygamy and religious liberty, the two groups have found common ground in shared values and a commitment to religious freedom. In 2010, Cardinal Francis George visited Salt Lake City and spoke about religious freedom and shared family values, highlighting the potential for partnership and collaboration between Catholics and Mormons.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, there are Catholics in Salt Lake City.
As of 2020, Catholics made up 10.0% of the population of the State of Utah, which is approximately 324,988 people.
The Diocese of Salt Lake City is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church for the State of Utah. It was formerly part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco but, since 30 May 2023, it has been part of the Archdiocese of Las Vegas.
The mother church of the Diocese of Salt Lake City is the Cathedral of the Madeleine in downtown Salt Lake City.
The state of Utah is predominantly associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but there is a significant Catholic presence in Salt Lake City. Catholics in Utah have historically faced some challenges, such as social ostracisation and strained relations with the Mormon community. However, relations between the two groups have improved in recent years, partly due to a shared interest in the arts.
