About the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Mission Of The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

The mission of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is to build a fervent community of intentional and dedicated missionary disciples of the Risen Lord and steadfast stewards of God’s creation who seek to become saints. Accordingly, the community of Catholic faithful in this diocese is committed to the discipleship and stewardship way of life as commanded by Christ Our Savior and as revealed by Sacred Scripture and Tradition.

To further this mission, the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is committed to implementing the Four Pillars of Discipleship and Stewardship, namely:

  1. Hospitality – to invite people proactively to join us in prayer, especially Sunday Mass;

  2. Prayer – to provide well-prepared celebrations of the sacraments and other occasions for prayer as signs of hope and paths of grace to heaven;

  3. Formation – to study the Bible and learn more about Jesus and our Catholic faith; and

  4. Service – to serve each other, especially those in need, by practicing charity and justice.

The Diocese By The Numbers

Image

Population

Total Population: 1,104,906

Total Number of Catholics: 123,706

Percent of Population that is Catholic: 11%

Image

Religious

Bishops: 1

Diocesan Priests: 72

Religious Priests: 35

Religious Sisters: 395

Religious Brothers: 14

Permanent Deacons: 58

books

Catholic Education

Elementary Schools (K-8): 36

Elementary School Enrollment: 8,111

Elementary Students PSR Enrollment:  3,768

High Schools: 7

High School Enrollment: 2,170

High School Students PSR Enrollment:  751

Colleges and Universities: 1

Total Students: 1,124

parish

Parishes

Number of Parishes: 129

baptism

Baptisms

Infant Baptisms: 891

Minor Baptisms: 69

Adult Bpatisms: 84

Received into Full Communion: 180

firstcommunion

First Holy Communion

First Communions: 1326

marriage

Marriage

Catholic Marriages: 186

Interfaith Marriages: 199

Total: 385

funerals

End of Life

Funerals: 1,410

confirmation

Confirmation

Confirmations: 3789

Image

The Coat of Arms of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Diocese of Springfield in Illinois Shield

The arms are composed of a gold (yellow) field on which is displayed a blue cross of The Faith. Within each quarter that is formed by the cross is a roundel of alternating blue and silver (white) wavy bars. Each of these roundels is known heraldically as a “fountain” and it is used to represent a small body of water, such as a pond, a spring, or also, the four major rivers that historically shaped the diocese: the Mississippi, the Illinois, the Ohio and the Illinois. So, canting (playing on) the name of the See City, the background of the diocesan arms is a “field of springs;” thus, Springfield. At the center of the cross is a silver (white) crescent, to represent the moon, a classic symbolism for our Blessed Mother, in her title of the Immaculate Conception, titular of the Cathedral-church in Springfield, for as it is described in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 12:1), our Holy Mother has the “moon at her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”

Deaneries in the Diocese

Image

Legend

Alton

Jerseyville

Mattoon

Quincy

Springfield

Image
Image
Image