Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington (Latin: Dioecesis Lexingtonensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in Kentucky founded on January 14, 1988. As of 2004, the diocese covered approximately 16,423 Square Miles (42,520 Square Kilometers), and included nearly 46,000 Catholics (about 3.1% of the total population) in its 64 parishes. At that time, 67 diocesan and religious priests, 33 permanent deacons, 30 male religious, and 138 female religious served in the diocese. The Diocese of Lexington provides education for approximately 4300 students in its fifteen elementary and two high schools located throughout the diocese, and maintains Newman Centers at eight of Kentucky's colleges and universities.

Diocese of Lexington

Dioecesis Lexingtonensis
Cathedral of Christ the King
Location
Country United States
Territory Southeastern Kentucky
Ecclesiastical provinceLouisville
MetropolitanLouisville
Statistics
Area16,423 sq mi (42,540 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics (including non-members)		(as of 2017)
1,659,800
43,168 (2.6%)
Information
DenominationRoman Catholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedJanuary 14, 1988
CathedralCathedral of Christ the King
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopJohn Stowe
Metropolitan ArchbishopJoseph Edward Kurtz
Bishops emeritusJames Kendrick Williams
Map
Website
cdlex.org

History

Pope John Paul II established the Diocese of Lexington on January 14, 1988 from 43 counties previously of the Diocese of Covington and 7 counties previously of the Archdiocese of Louisville. The formal ceremony establishing the diocese and installing its first bishop, James Kendrick Williams, took place on March 2, 1988 at Christ the King Church. With the establishment of the diocese, and the installation of its bishop, Christ the King Church was elevated to the status of cathedral.

Sexual abuse

On August 14, 2020, the Dicoese of Lexington unveiled a list 20 priests who were served in areas run by the Diocese of Lexington and were found to have committed acts of sex abuse.[1][2][3][4] In his letter, which was released with the list, Lexington Bishop John Stowe claimed that 10 allegations were "substantiated", four allegations were "credible", and that the remaining six allegations were credible but involved minors outside the Diocese of Lexington.[4][1] However, only two of these allegations were reported after the erection of the Diocese of Lexington in 1988.[4]

Bishops

Bishops of Lexington
  1. James Kendrick Williams (1988-2002)
  2. Ronald William Gainer (2002-2014), appointed Bishop of Harrisburg
  3. John Eric Stowe, OFM Conv. (2015–present)[5]

Coat Arms
Coat of arms of Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington
Notes
Arms was designed and adopted when the diocese was erected
Adopted
1988
Escutcheon
The arms of the Diocese of Lexington are composed of three sections that are in the red, white (silver), and blue. The left side of these arms is red, on which is displayed a silver sword. The right side of these arms is silver (white), on which is seen a blue fleur-de-lis. The bottom of these arms is a blue field, on which is a Gold diadem placed on a silver cross.
Symbolism
Three sections are in red, white (silver), and blue, which are in the traditional colors of the United States. The left side of these arms is red on which is displayed a silver sword of St. Paul, the patron of the Diocese of Covington. The right side of these arms is silver (white) on which is seen a blue fleur-de-lis of the Archdiocese of Louisville. These two fields signify that the Diocese of Lexington is carved from territory taken from each of these sees. The bottom of these arms, which comes to a point to represent the mountains of eastern Kentucky, is blue to signify Kentucky, "The Bluegrass State". On this field is a Gold diadem placed on a silver cross to honor Christ, the King, titular of the Cathedral-Church in Lexington.

High schools

See also

References
  1. https://www.cdlex.org/documents/2020/8/BishopLetter081420.pdf?_ga=2.189564523.1102021069.1599483972-1136676817.1599483972
  2. https://www.wkyt.com/2020/08/14/catholic-diocese-of-lexington-releases-names-of-priests-accused-of-sexual-abuse/
  3. https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/kentucky/article244969970.html
  4. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2020/08/17/diocese-lexington-20-priests-credibly-accused-sexual-abuse/5598661002/
  5. "Pope names Conventual Franciscan as new Bishop of Lexington". Catholic Diocese of Lexington (Lexington, KY). Retrieved March 12, 2015.


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