Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church is organised territorially by dioceses, with each diocese led by a bishop. As of 2020, there were approximately 5,600 living bishops in the Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches. Bishops are responsible for teaching, governing, and sanctifying the faithful of their diocese, and they share these duties with the priests and deacons who serve under them. In most countries with a large Catholic population, bishops are usually appointed from that country's native-born priests. However, the United States is an exception, with a significant number of foreign-born bishops. To find a Catholic bishop in the United States, one can refer to the list of Bishops and Dioceses provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) or use the Diocesan Locator tool on their website.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Bishops | As of 2020, there were approximately 5,600 living bishops in the Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches. |
| Bishop's Role | A bishop is an ordained minister responsible for teaching doctrine, governing Catholics in his jurisdiction, sanctifying the world, and representing the church. |
| Bishop's Concern | Bishops must have a special concern for priests, listen to them, and defend their rights set forth in the Code of Canon Law. |
| Bishop's Title | Bishops can hold additional titles such as archbishop, cardinal, patriarch, or pope. |
| Diocesan Bishop's Role | A diocesan bishop is entrusted with the care of a local Church (diocese). He is responsible for teaching, governing, and sanctifying the faithful of his diocese. |
| Diocesan Bishop's Duties | A diocesan bishop must oversee the preaching of the Gospel, Catholic education, the administration of the sacraments, and canon-law matters within his diocese. |
| Diocesan Bishop's Authority | A diocesan bishop has the authority to bless churches and altars and may delegate this ceremony to another bishop or priest. |
| Bishop's Appointment | In most nations with a large Catholic population, bishops are appointed from that country's native-born priests. However, the United States has a significant number of foreign-born bishops. |
| Bishop's Resignation | According to Canon Law, all bishops are required to submit their resignation upon reaching the retirement age of 75, but the Pope can accept a bishop's resignation at any point. |
| Bishop's Locator | You can use an online diocesan locator to find a bishop or diocese by zip code or state. |
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What You'll Learn
Diocesan bishops
The role of a diocesan bishop is to teach, sanctify, and govern the faithful of his diocese, sharing these duties with the priests and deacons who serve under him. This includes overseeing the preaching of the Gospel and Catholic education, providing for the administration of the sacraments, and acting as a judge for canon-law matters within his diocese. He serves as the spiritual leader of the diocese and has the responsibility for the pastoral care of all Catholics within his jurisdiction.
In the Latin Church, diocesan bishops must make regular ad limina visits to the Holy See every five years. They also preside over the Mass of the Chrism on Holy Thursday, or the preceding Wednesday.
To find a diocesan bishop, you can use resources such as the Diocesan Locator provided by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), which allows you to search for a bishop or diocese by zip code or state. The USCCB website also provides lists of bishops and dioceses by state, as well as information on retired bishops.
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Bishops in the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is organised territorially by dioceses, each overseen by a bishop. Bishops are always men and are ordained ministers who hold the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders. They are responsible for teaching doctrine, governing Catholics in their jurisdiction, sanctifying the world, and representing the church.
Bishops are collectively known as the College of Bishops and can hold additional titles such as archbishop, cardinal, patriarch, or pope. The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and is considered the head of the Catholic Church. He is the only one among the bishops with the authority to appoint other bishops and manage the central administration, the Roman Curia.
The sacrament of Confirmation is usually administered by a bishop in the Latin Church, but a bishop may delegate this responsibility to a priest. Bishops may also fill other roles, such as a priest appointed as bishop or a diocesan bishop appointed as archbishop.
The selection of bishops involves various individuals and groups, including outgoing bishops, neighbouring bishops, the faithful, the apostolic nuncio, members of the Roman Curia, and the pope. The process can vary depending on factors such as the candidate's church tradition, the geographic location of the diocese, and the office they will hold.
Some notable Catholic bishops include:
- Archbishop Leonard P. Blair
- Bishop Christie A. Macaluso
- Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito
- Archbishop Michael G. McGovern
- Bishop Cristiano G. G. Borro Barbosa
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Bishops by state
The Roman (Latin) Catholic Church is organized territorially by dioceses, with each diocese led by a bishop. In the United States, there are 194 archdioceses/dioceses, with each suffragan diocese led by a bishop. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) provides a list of bishops and dioceses by state.
For example, in New York State, the following bishops are listed:
- Most Rev. Douglas J. Lucia Bishop of Syracuse
- Most Rev. Robert J. Brennan Bishop of Brooklyn
- Most Rev. Michael W. Fisher Bishop of Buffalo
- Most Rev. Salvatore R. Matano Bishop of Rochester
- Most Rev. John O. Barres Bishop of Rockville Centre
In Florida, the following bishops are listed:
- Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of St. Petersburg
- Bishop Felipe J. Estévez, Bishop Emeritus of St. Augustine
- Bishop Erik T. Pohlmeier, Bishop of St. Augustine
In California, the following bishops are listed:
- Bishop Armando X. Ochoa
- Bishop Sylvester D. Ryan
- Bishop Michael C. Barber SJ
- Bishop Kevin W. Vann
- Bishop Timothy E. Freyer
The USCCB website also provides a search utility to find a specific bishop by name.
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Bishops by country
The Roman (Latin) Catholic Church is organized territorially by dioceses, and each diocese has a bishop. The Catholic Church has approximately 5,600 living bishops in total in its Latin and Eastern churches.
In most countries with a large Catholic population, bishops are usually appointed from that country's native-born priests. However, an exception is the United States, which has a significant number of foreign-born bishops. As of 2025, there were 38 foreign-born bishops serving in the US, representing about 12% of all active American bishops.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) consists of all active and retired bishops—diocesan, coadjutor, and auxiliary—in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The US has 194 archdioceses/dioceses, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter. The 176 Latin Church dioceses in the US are divided into 33 ecclesiastical provinces, each led by an archbishop. Each province has at least one suffragan diocese, each of which is led by a bishop.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has a list of serving bishops on its website, along with the areas they cover. Similarly, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India provides a list of bishops and the states they serve.
The Catholic Church in Canada is divided into ecclesiastical provinces, each containing a metropolitan archdiocese and several suffragan dioceses. Each archdiocese and diocese is headed by an archbishop or bishop.
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Bishops by diocese
The Roman (Latin) Catholic Church is organised territorially by dioceses. There are 194 archdioceses/dioceses in the United States, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter.
Eastern Catholic Churches, which originate in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa, have their own distinctive liturgical, legal, and organisational systems. They are identified by the national or ethnic character of their region of origin. Each is considered fully equal to the Latin tradition within the Church. The curial offices and chanceries of Eastern Catholic Eparchies and Archeparchies are based in a specific city. However, the Eparchies and Archeparchies have jurisdiction over large areas of the United States (and Canada) based on the breadth of each individual Church.
The Archdioceses and Dioceses of the United States are divided into 14 geographic regions, with the Eastern Catholic Churches constituting their own membership region for the purposes of USCCB proceedings. These regions typically include two or more Metropolitan Archdioceses and several Dioceses across one or more states.
A "diocesan bishop" is entrusted with the care of a local Church (diocese). He is responsible for teaching, governing, and sanctifying the faithful of his diocese, sharing these duties with the priests and deacons who serve under him. The Second Vatican Council's Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy described the diocesan bishop as "the high priest of his flock".
- Diocese of St. Nicholas of Chicago for Ukranians: Cardinal Blase J. Cupich
- Diocese of Saint Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Diocese of Steubenville: Bishop Edward M. Lohse
- Diocese of Tucson: Gerald F. Kicanas
- Archdiocese of Baltimore: Cardinal Edwin F. O'Brien
- Archdiocese of Boston: Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley
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Frequently asked questions
A Catholic Bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of holy orders and is responsible for teaching doctrine, governing Catholics in his jurisdiction, sanctifying the world and representing the church.
A Catholic Bishop is responsible for teaching, governing, and sanctifying the faithful of his diocese, sharing these duties with the priests and deacons who serve under him.
As of 2020, there were approximately 5,600 living bishops in total in the Latin and Eastern churches of the Catholic Church.
You can use the Diocesan Locator on the USCCB website to find your local Catholic Bishop by zip code or state.
Some examples of Catholic Bishops include Archbishop Christopher J. Coyne, Bishop Cristiano G. G. Borro Barbosa, and Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito.
