Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego
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The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the western region of the United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of San Diego and Imperial Counties in Southern California. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
The diocese was erected on July 11, 1936 at which time it also included Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. In 1978 these two counties were separated to form the Diocese of San Bernardino. Currently the Diocese of San Diego includes 99 parishes and 16 missions. In addition, the diocese administers 45 elementary schools, 5 high schools and 2 universities (University of San Diego and John Paul the Great Catholic University).
The diocese is headed by Bishop Robert H. Brom who was installed July 10, 1990. He is assisted by auxiliary bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone. There are 276 priests, 122 deacons, 296 religious sisters and 20 religious brothers.
On February 28, 2007, the diocese filed for bankruptcy protection after the diocese was unable to reach a settlement agreement with numerous plaintiffs suing over alleged clergy abuse. [1]
On August 24, 2007, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Louise DeCarl Adler ruled for immediate jury trials for 42 sex-abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego duly filed by 150 litigants, who alleged sexual crimes by priests to children. The San Diego diocese offered about $94 million to settle the claims but plaintiffs' counsels demanded $200 million. With 1 million Catholics and several holdings, the diocese is the largest and wealthiest of the five U.S. dioceses which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under the shadow of civil claims over sexual abuse. The Los Angeles Archdiocese settled 508 cases for $660 million in July, 2007, while the Orange County, California diocese settled 90 claims for $100 million in 2004.[1]
On September 7, 2007, The Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego agreed to pay $198.1 million to settle 144 claims of sexual abuse by clergy, the 2nd-largest payment by a diocese, terminating 4 years of settlement talks in state and federal courts. In the largest sex scandal payment, the Los Angeles Archdiocese settled 508 cases for $660 million in July, for 172 abuse claimants, while the lowest is Diocese of Tucson, Arizona, 2005, with $22 million for 50 victims. Sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests did cost the U.S. church $2.3 billion since 1950.[2]
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[edit] Ordinaries
- Most Rev. Charles Francis Buddy (1936–1966)
- Most Rev. Francis James Furey (1966–1969)
- Most Rev. Leo Thomas Maher (1969–1990)
- Most Rev. Robert Henry Brom (1990– )
[edit] High schools
- Academy of Our Lady of Peace, San Diego, administered by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.
- Cathedral Catholic High School*, San Diego.
- Mater Dei Catholic High School**, Chula Vista
- Pax Christi Catholic High School, Upper North Sandiego County (Opening 2009?)
- St. Augustine High School, San Diego, administered by the Augustinians.
- Vincent Memorial Catholic High School, Calexico.
- Sierra Madre Academy***, San Marcos
- * Formerly the University of San Diego High School
- ** Formerly Marian Catholic High School
- *** Catholic school not associated with Diocese
