Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington (Latin: Dioecesis Arlingtonensis) is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the mid-atlantic United States. The Diocese of Arlington comprises 70 parishes located in the 21 northernmost counties and independent cities within the Commonwealth of Virginia, including the counties of Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, King George, Lancaster, Loudoun, Madison, Northumberland, Orange, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren and Westmoreland, and cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester.[1] Bishop Michael F. Burbidge is the ordinary of the Diocese of Arlington since December 2016; his residence is on the grounds of the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More in Arlington County, Virginia.[2] In 2013, there were 256 priests and 453,916 registered Catholics in the Diocese of Arlington.[3] The total population within the Diocese of Arlington, Catholic and non-Catholic, was 2,968,486.[3]

Diocese of Arlington

Dioecesis Arlingtonensis
Cathedral of St. Thomas More
Coat of arms
Flag
Location
Country United States
Territory Counties of Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, King George, Lancaster, Loudoun, Madison, Northumberland, Orange, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Richmond, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Warren and Westmoreland; Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester in northeastern Virginia
Ecclesiastical provinceBaltimore
MetropolitanBaltimore
Coordinates38°52′14.4″N 77°06′12.2″W
Statistics
Area6,541 sq mi (16,940 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics (including non-members)		(as of 2013)
2,968,486
673,916 (20%)
Parishes70
Information
DenominationCatholic
Sui iuris churchLatin Church
RiteRoman Rite
EstablishedMay 28, 1974 (1974-05-28)
CathedralCathedral of Saint Thomas More
Patron saintSt. Thomas More
Current leadership
PopeFrancis
BishopMost Rev. Michael F. Burbidge
Metropolitan ArchbishopMost Rev. William E. Lori
Vicar GeneralRev. Jamie R. Workman
Bishops emeritusMost Rev. Paul S. Loverde
Map
Website
arlingtondiocese.org
Diocesan offices are located in this office building on North Glebe Road.
Basilica of St. Mary, Alexandria

The Diocese of Arlington also operates two mission churches for the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana in the Dominican Republic—Bánica Mission Parish (St. Francis of Assisi Church) and Pedro Santana Mission Parish, which are overseen by the diocesan Office of the Propagation of the Faith. The Director of the Propagation of the Faith in the Diocese of Arlington is currently Fr. Patrick L. Posey.[4]

History

The diocese was canonically erected on May 28, 1974 by Pope Paul VI.[5][6] The parishes which the Diocese of Arlington comprises were ceded from the neighboring Diocese of Richmond.

Until 2006, the diocese of Arlington was one of the American dioceses that did not allow female altar servers. As of 2020, only the Diocese of Lincoln in the United States prohibits girls from becoming altar servers.[7]

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

Bishops

Bishop of Arlington
  1. Thomas Jerome Welsh (1974–1983), appointed Bishop of Allentown[8]
  2. John Richard Keating (1983–1998)
  3. Paul S. Loverde (1999–2016)
  4. Michael F. Burbidge (2016–present)

Other priest from the diocese who became bishop

Sexual abuse

On February 14, 2019, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge released a list of sixteen priests who had been credibly accused of sexual abuse in the Diocese of Arlington.[9][10] In 2010, Rev. Felix Owino A.J. pled guilty to molesting an 11-year-old girl in Fairfax County.[11] In 2011, Owino was given a nine-month prison sentence, a five-year suspended prison sentence[12] and the chance of being deported back to his native country of Kenya.[11] By 2018, Owino had been deported.[13][14] In March 2020, New Jersey priest Scott Asalone was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a teenager in Loudoun County, Virginia in 1985.[15] Washington D.C. councilman David Grosso publicly identified himself as the one who was sexually abused by Asalone.[16][15]

Catholic colleges and universities

Catholic high schools

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington

The Diocese co-ordinates and supports a range of charitable activities focused on assistance to the vulnerable, fund-raising and education. Initiatives include counselling, prison visits and foster care.[17] Archduchess Kathleen of Habsburg-Lorraine is a former communications director of the CCDA.[18]

See also

References
  1. 2014 Catholic Diocese of Arlington Directory p. iv.
  2. Andreassi, Anthony D. (2002). Walking in Faith: the first 25 Years. A History of the Diocese of Arlington, Editions du Signe: Strasbourg. ISBN 2-7468-0625-8 (This is an official history—see p. 3.)
  3. About Us; Did You Know...; Fast Facts Official Diocesan Website. Accessed November 2013.
  4. 2014 Catholic Diocese of Arlington Directory pp. 12, 63.
  5. Andreassi, p. 5.
  6. "Diocese of Arlington" catholic-hierarchy.org. Accessed November 5, 2013.
  7. "Neb. diocese is lone U.S. holdout on allowing altar girls". USA Today. March 22, 2006. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2018.
  8. Andreassi, p. 37.
  9. "Virginia's two dioceses release lists of clergy credibly accused of abuse". Catholic News Herald. Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte. February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  10. Burbidge, Michael (February 15, 2019). "Priests Credibly Accused of Sexual Abuse of a Minor". Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Catholic Diocese of Arlington. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  11. "A priest who spent three years as a chaplain and teacher at Magdalen College in Warner admitted yesterday to sexually".
  12. "Crime Scene - Priest sentenced for molesting girl, 11". voices.washingtonpost.com.
  13. Raby, John (November 29, 2018). "West Virginia diocese releases names of accused priests". AP NEWS. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  14. "West Virginia diocese releases names of accused priests". Associated Press. November 29, 2018.
  15. "Former priest in Northern Virginia charged with sexual abuse". WTOP. March 16, 2020.
  16. "Statement of Councilmember Grosso on indictment of former Virginia clergyman". David Grosso, Chairperson, Education Committee.
  17. "Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington". CCDA.
  18. "An Archduchess Among Us". Northern Kentucky University. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015.

Sources
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