Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing

The Catholic Diocese of Lansing (Latin: Dioecesis Lansingensis) is located in Lansing, Michigan. It encompasses an area of 6,218 square miles (16,100 km2) including the counties of Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Shiawassee and Washtenaw.[1] It is a suffragan diocese of the ecclesiastical province of Detroit.

Diocese of Lansing

Dioecesis Lansingensis
St. Mary's Cathedral
Location
Country United States
TerritoryCounties of Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Shiawassee, and Washtenaw
Ecclesiastical provinceDetroit
Statistics
Area6,218 sq mi (16,100 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics (including non-members)		(as of 2004)
1,778,475
227,305 (12.8%)
Parishes95
Information
DenominationCatholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedMay 22, 1937 (83 years ago)
CathedralSt. Mary Cathedral
Patron saintBlessed Virgin Mary
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopEarl Boyea
Bishops emeritusCarl Frederick Mengeling
Map
Website
dioceseoflansing.org

History

Pope Pius XI created the Diocese of Lansing May 22, 1937 by taking territory from the Archdiocese of Detroit. In July 1971, Pope Paul VI separated territory from the Lansing Diocese and territory from the Diocese of Grand Rapids to form the new Diocese of Kalamazoo.[2]

In January 2021, the diocese instituted a policy for schools, parishes, and charities to affirm the biological sex of all persons. This includes the use of pronouns, requiring that bathrooms and sports be segregated according to biological sex, and requiring school officials to avoid participating in the administration of hormonal treatment designed to alter sexual characteristics of students. It affirms the reality and discomfort of gender dysphoria, and for its treatment, the diocese recommends counselors who "hold a correct Christian anthropology of the human person and understand and adhere to Catholic teaching."[3]

Sex abuse cases

On May 24, 2019, it was revealed that five priests who served in the Diocese of Lansing, as well as the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Diocese of Kalamazoo were charged with sex abuse.[4] Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who charged the priests,[4] stated that four of them have been arrested in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, and the fifth awaits extradition from India.[4] The Diocese of Lansing stated that the priest who was arrested in Florida, Father Vincent DeLorenzo, had eight people accuse him of sexual abuse while serving in the Diocese.[4] DeLorenzo, who is now 80 and who resigned from the Diocese in 2002,[4] is charged with six counts of both first and second degree sexual misconduct and is also undergoing the process of being defrocked.[4] A sixth priest who faces an administrative complaint has had his counseling license suspended by the state.[4]

As of September 27, 2019, the Diocese of Lansing has still not released the list of all priests with credible accusations against them, even though Bishop Boyea has pledged transparency. The alleged coverup has gone on for over 30 years.

On September 14, 2020, Joseph Comperchio, a former teacher at St. John Catholic School in Jackson, was arrested in Fort Myers, Florida, and charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct he was reportedly committed while teaching at the school between 1974 and 1977.[5][6][7] He is the 10th person connected to the Catholic Church to be charged by the Michigan Attorney General's office since October 2018.[7][5] Following his arrest, Comperchio was denied bond.[7]

Churches
Main article: List of churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing

Bishops

Bishops of Lansing[2]
  1. Joseph H. Albers (1937–65)
  2. Alexander M. Zaleski (1965–75)
  3. Kenneth Joseph Povish (1975–95)
  4. Carl Frederick Mengeling (1995–2008)
  5. Earl Boyea (2008–present)

Auxiliary Bishops

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

High schools
* Operates independently and with the blessing of the Diocese.

Media

The Diocese owns the publisher FAITH Catholic, which publishes Catholic magazines for dioceses and organizations. FAITH Catholic also operates the website MassTimes.org.[9]

See also
Coat of arms of Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing
Notes
Arms was designed and adopted when the diocese was erected. It was designed in 1937 by Chaignon LaRose.
Adopted
1937
Escutcheon
The arms of the diocese are composed of two lances cross in the form of an X. A Cross moline is found above them. The diocesan arms are blue and silver (white).
Symbolism
Two lances cross in the form of an X play on the name of the See City of Lansing. Also, the city is located at the junction of the Grand and Red Cedar Rivers. Moline cross and it is found in the family arms of the Inghams. The See City is located in Ingham County, Michigan. The diocesan arms are blue and silver (white), and the heraldic colors of the Blessed Virgin, the patroness of diocese and of the cathedral church.

References
  1. "Diocese of Lansing". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney.
  2. "History". Catholic Diocese of Lansing. Archived from the original on 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  3. "Lansing diocese adopts gender identity policy consistent with biological sex". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  4. https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/05/24/the-latest-5-priests-charged-with-sex-crimes-in-michigan/
  5. https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2020/09/former-jackson-catholic-school-teacher-arrested-for-sexual-assault-of-minors.html
  6. https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2020/09/14/ex-teacher-jackson-catholic-school-charged-sex-assault-kids/5792254002/
  7. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/09/15/former-catholic-school-teacher-jackson-sex-abuse-allegations/5801727002/
  8. "Birmingham, Ala., bishop retires; pope names Michigan bishop as successor". National Catholic Reporter. 2020-03-25. Retrieved 2020-06-25.
  9. "Our Company". FAITH Catholic. Retrieved 2020-10-05.

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