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Diocesan Statistics <\/a> Archives Office <\/a><\/p>\r\nA Brief History of the Diocese<\/h2>\r\n
On July 29, 1853, Pope Pius IX created a diocese in the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, Le Post de Natchitoches. It had only five priests and five churches to serve the 20,000 Catholics who were spread throughout the entire northern half of Louisiana.<\/p>\r\n
Click on each name for more information about each bishop and more history:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n Bi<\/strong><\/a>shop Auguste Marie Martin, 1853-1875<\/strong><\/a> For 22 years Bishop Martin zealously recruited priests and religious from Europe for his diocese.\u00a0 He established a seminary to train native clergy, started \u201cpriests schools,\u201d and established numerous missions.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Francis Xavier Leray, 1876-1883<\/strong><\/a> After only two years as the second Bishop of Natchitoches, Most Rev. Leray was named coadjutor to the Archbishop of New Orleans and attempted vigorously to fill both positions. A Frenchman by birth, he realized that most of his flock were native English-speaking people, so he ordered his priests and religious to pray, teach, and communicate in English.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Antoine Durier, 1885-1903<\/strong><\/a> The most notable contribution of the third Bishop, Most Rev. Antoine Durier, was in the field of Catholic education.\u00a0 His first pastoral letter ordered \u201cthe establishment of a Catholic school near every church\u201d and organized a Catholic School Board in 1889.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Cornelius Van de Ven, 1904-1932<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a> Bishop Van de Ven had the distinction of being both the last Bishop of Natchitoches and the first Bishop of Alexandria. In 1910, the See City was transferred to Alexandria and St. Francis Xavier Church was designated its Cathedral. Van de Ven established north Louisiana\u2019s first Catholic hospital (Schumpert Medical Center in Shreveport), promoted lay organizations, and defended human rights.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Daniel Desmond, 1933-1945\u00a0 <\/strong><\/a>The fifth Bishop and first American-born was Most Rev. Daniel Desmond whose 12 years in office were marked by rapid growth in the diocese. With the help of other groups, he established 10 new schools, 22 parishes and 25 new churches.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Charles Pascal Greco, 1946-1973 <\/strong><\/a>During the next 27 years, Bishop Greco led his generous and growing flock in a phenomenal building program that included the establishment of 33 new parishes and the construction of more than 125 churches and chapels, 100 convents and rectories, 50 schools, and 7 health care facilities. He also built St. Mary\u2019s Residential Training School and Maryhill.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Lawrence P. Graves, 1973-1982<\/strong><\/a> Bishop Graves was influential in establishing or improving continuing education for priests; offices for religious education and youth ministry; Maryhill; the ministries of development and permanent diaconate; communication apostolate in newspaper, radio and tv; and the Bishop\u2019s Stewardship Appeal.<\/p>\r\n Bishop William B. Friend, 1983-1986<\/strong><\/a> Most Rev. William Friend became the eighth bishop, but on July 29, 1986, he became the head of the new Diocese of Shreveport, and<\/p>\r\n Bishop John C. Favalora, 1986-1989<\/strong><\/a> was consecrated the ninth Bishop of the diocese.\u00a0 In 1989, he was appointed Bishop of St. Petersburg, Florida and then five years later, Favalora became Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Miami.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Sam G. Jacobs, 1989-2003<\/strong><\/a> became a national icon for the Charismatic Movement in the 90s.\u00a0 He combined his love for the youth with the movement and created Steubenville South Youth Conference, one of the largest Catholic youth conferences in the U.S.\u00a0 In 2003, he became the Bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodeaux.<\/p>\r\n Bishop Ronald P. Herzog, 2005-2017 <\/strong><\/a>The 11th Bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria was Most Rev. Ronald Herzog who was ordained on Jan. 5, 2005.<\/p>\r\n