About Diocese of Duluth
The Diocese of Duluth (Latin: Dioecesis Duluthensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese covering the ten counties of northeastern Minnesota: Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and St. Louis. Erected on October 3, 1889, by Pope Leo XIII out of the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Minnesota, it is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and is led by its tenth bishop, Daniel J. Felton. The diocese today serves roughly 41,000 Catholics across about 68 parishes spanning more than 22,000 square miles of woods, lakes, and Iron Range communities, and its mother church is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth.
- Bishop
- Daniel J. Felton
- Established
- 1889
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, Duluth, Minnesota
- Territory
- Ten counties in northeastern Minnesota: Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Cook, Crow Wing, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and St. Louis.
- Parishes
- Approximately 68–70 parishes
- Province
- Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
History of the Diocese
The Catholic presence in northeastern Minnesota dates to French missionaries of the 17th and 18th centuries who traveled with voyageurs on the Upper Great Lakes, and to Bishop Frederic Baraga's missions at Grand Portage and Fond du Lac in the 1830s. The territory passed through the Diocese of Saint Louis, the Diocese of Dubuque, the Diocese of Saint Paul, and finally the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Minnesota before Pope Leo XIII erected the Diocese of Duluth on October 3, 1889, naming James McGolrick as its first bishop. Over the next century the diocese built cathedrals, schools, hospitals, and an orphanage, lost its western counties to Crookston in 1909, and weathered financial crisis, the reforms of Vatican II, the decline of the Iron Range, and the clergy abuse scandals of the early 21st century.
- Erected October 3, 1889, from the Vicariate Apostolic of Northern Minnesota
- Western counties split off in 1909 to form the Diocese of Crookston
- First cathedral burned 1892; rebuilt as Sacred Heart, now the Sacred Heart Music Center
- Present Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary completed 1957
- Diocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in December 2015
- Settled 125 abuse claims for $40 million in May 2019
Bishops of Duluth
The Diocese of Duluth has had ten bishops since 1889, plus one bishop-elect whose appointment did not take effect. Several of them went on to lead larger sees, including John T. McNicholas (Cincinnati), Robert H. Brom (San Diego), Roger L. Schwietz (Anchorage), and Dennis M. Schnurr (Cincinnati). The current bishop is Daniel J. Felton, the tenth, ordained and installed on May 20, 2021, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary.
- James McGolrick (1889–1918)
- John T. McNicholas, O.P. (1918–1925)
- Thomas A. Welch (1925–1959)
- Francis J. Schenk (1960–1969)
- Paul F. Anderson (1969–1982)
- Robert H. Brom (1983–1989)
- Roger L. Schwietz, O.M.I. (1989–2000)
- Dennis M. Schnurr (2001–2008)
- Paul Sirba (2009–2019)
- Daniel J. Felton (2021–present)
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary
The mother church of the diocese is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary at 2801 East 4th Street, Duluth, an Italianate stone cathedral completed in 1957 during the long episcopate of Bishop Thomas A. Welch. It replaced Sacred Heart Cathedral on Duluth's Central Hillside, which had served as the cathedral from 1896 until 1957 and is now the Sacred Heart Music Center. The Very Rev. Seth Gogolin serves as rector, and Bishop Daniel Felton is the ordinary; the cathedral is also the home of the shrine of Monsignor Joseph Buh, whose cause for canonization has been opened.
- Italianate style, completed 1957
- Replaced Sacred Heart Cathedral, now the Sacred Heart Music Center (NRHP, 1986)
- Shrine of Msgr. Joseph Buh enshrined within the cathedral
- Jubilee Year 2025 pilgrimage site
Catholic Schools and Faith Formation
Catholic education in the Diocese of Duluth reaches from parochial schools founded in the 1890s by Bishop McGolrick to the modern Office of Catholic Schools, which supports elementary and secondary Catholic schools across the ten-county region. Faith formation extends to children in parish religious-education programs, sacramental preparation, and youth ministry, including the popular work of Father Michael Schmitz, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the diocese and Catholic chaplain at UMD Newman Center, who is widely known for his Catholic podcast and speaking ministry.
- Office of Catholic Schools staffed at the diocesan level
- Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
- Father Michael Schmitz, diocesan youth director and UMD Newman chaplain
- Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation in parish programs
Vocations and the Priesthood
The Diocese of Duluth maintains an active Vocations Office led by a director of vocations, with a published annual prayer calendar that lists every seminarian, priest, and deacon. The office promotes vocations to the priesthood, the permanent diaconate, and consecrated life for women, and provides contact information for men discerning a call. Current and prospective seminarians are featured on the diocesan vocations page, and parish vocation committees are encouraged to support discerners with prayer and accompaniment.
- Director of Vocations based at the chancery
- Annual prayer calendar listing seminarians and priests
- Tracks Priesthood, Permanent Diaconate, and Consecrated Life for Women
- Featured seminarian profiles on dioceseduluth.org/vocations
Parishes and Pastoral Care
The diocese's approximately 68–70 parishes are scattered across a vast ten-county region of northeastern Minnesota, including parishes in Duluth, Hibbing, Virginia, International Falls, Brainerd, Bemidji's neighbors, Grand Marais, and the Iron Range. The parish finder tool on dioceseduluth.org allows visitors to locate Mass times, confession schedules, and parish contact information. Many parishes are small rural missions served by a single priest, while Duluth itself hosts several historic parishes such as St. James, St. Elizabeth, the Cathedral parish, and others.
- About 68–70 parishes across 10 counties
- Cathedral parish: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary
- St. James and St. Elizabeth parishes in Duluth pastored by Father Richard Kunst
- Pastoral letter from Bishop Felton renewed in diocesan communications
The Northern Cross Magazine
The diocesan magazine, The Northern Cross, is published by Bishop Daniel J. Felton and edited by the Director of Evangelizing Communications & Marketing. It exists alongside a digital platform, e-newsletters, and social media to evangelize across multiple generations. Columnists include Father Richard Kunst (pastor of St. James and St. Elizabeth in Duluth) and Father Michael Schmitz (director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the diocese).
- Publisher: Bishop Daniel J. Felton
- Editor: Dean Lavato
- Columnist: Father Richard Kunst
- Columnist: Father Michael Schmitz
Ministries Appeal and Mission
The annual Ministries Appeal is the bishop's annual appeal supporting the programs and ministries of the collective diocese. Bishop Felton's pastoral vision is summarized in the mission banner 'Abundant Healing, Hope and Joy in Jesus!', which emerged from more than fifty 'Let's Listen' gatherings across the diocese and now guides parish and school planning. The diocese educates children in the faith, supports seniors, and responds to the broad challenges of its ten-county region.
- Annual Ministries Appeal
- Mission banner: 'Abundant Healing, Hope and Joy in Jesus!'
- Outreach to seniors, families, and the broader Iron Range and Lake Superior communities
Safe Environment and Protection of Children
Following the publication of a list of 17 priests with credible accusations of sexual abuse in 2013 and the addition of more names in 2022, the diocese maintains an Office of Safe Environment staffed at the chancery. The office coordinates background checks, training (such as VIRTUS), and compliance with the U.S. bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.
- Office of Safe Environment
- List of credibly accused priests published in 2013 and updated 2022
- Compliance with the USCCB Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
Pilgrimages and Jubilee Year 2025
For the 2025 Jubilee Year, designated by Pope Francis as a Year of Hope, the Diocese of Duluth named six pilgrimage sites—all connected to Monsignor Joseph Buh—where the faithful can obtain Jubilee indulgences. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary is the central pilgrimage site because, as the mother church of the diocese, it is a fitting home for veneration of the missionary priest whose cause for sainthood has been opened.
- 2025 Jubilee Year declared 'Pilgrims of Hope'
- Six diocesan pilgrimage sites connected to Msgr. Joseph Buh
- Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary as mother-church pilgrimage site
- Cause for canonization of Monsignor Joseph Buh opened
Diocesan Staff and Chancery
The diocesan chancery at 2830 East 4th Street in Duluth houses the offices of the Bishop, Vicar General, Chief of Staff, Vocations, Catholic Schools, Mission Advancement, Communications, Ministry to Priests, and Safe Environment. Bishop Daniel Felton is assisted by Very Rev. Seth Gogolin (Vicar General and Chief of Staff) and a team of directors and administrative staff, all listed on the diocesan staff page.
- Chancery at 2830 East 4th Street, Duluth
- Bishop Daniel Felton, with Vicar General Father Seth Gogolin
- Director of Vocations: Fr. Scott Padrnos
- Office of Mission Advancement, Catholic Schools, Safe Environment, and Communications
