About Diocese of Palm Beach
The Diocese of Palm Beach (Latin: Dioecesis Litoris Palmensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Florida, erected on June 16, 1984 by Pope John Paul II from territory taken from the Archdiocese of Miami and the Diocese of Orlando. It serves the faithful across five counties — Palm Beach, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie — with 50 parishes, three missions, a Hispanic Pastoral Center, and a Vietnamese Apostolate, serving a Catholic population of approximately 260,000. A suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Miami, it is led as of 2026 by its sixth bishop, Most Reverend Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, and centers its liturgical life around the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola in Palm Beach Gardens.
- Bishop
- Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez
- Established
- 1984
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, Palm Beach Gardens
- Territory
- Five counties in eastern Florida: Palm Beach, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie
- Parishes
- 50 parishes, 3 missions
- Province
- Archdiocese of Miami (Ecclesiastical Province of Miami)
Diocesan History & Statistics
Erected June 16, 1984 by Pope John Paul II and taking territory from the Archdiocese of Miami and the Diocese of Orlando, the Diocese of Palm Beach opened with 38 parishes and roughly 103,000 Catholics. By its 40th anniversary in 2024 the diocese had grown to 50 parishes, three missions, a Hispanic Pastoral Center and a Vietnamese Apostolate, serving a Catholic population of approximately 260,000 across the five counties of Palm Beach, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie.
- Established: June 16, 1984 by Pope John Paul II
- First bishop installed: October 24, 1984 (Thomas V. Daily)
- Cathedral dedicated: October 6, 1984 (St. Ignatius Loyola)
- 50 parishes, 3 missions, 1 Hispanic Pastoral Center, 1 Vietnamese Apostolate
- 106 diocesan priests, 17 religious priests, 100 permanent deacons, 37 religious sisters
- 6 seminarians, 3 high schools, 12 diocesan elementary schools, 2 private elementary schools, 3 pre-schools
Mission of the Diocese
The Diocesan Mission statement commits the Church of Palm Beach to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ across the five counties of Palm Beach, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie, in communion with the Bishop of Rome and the diocesan bishop. With stewardship of human and material resources, the diocese pledges to discern God's will in meeting the spiritual, moral, sacramental, educational and basic needs of all people with justice and respect for the dignity of each person, promoting faith, hope and love through pastoral, charitable, educational and administrative services.
Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola
Located in Palm Beach Gardens, the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola serves as the mother church of the Diocese of Palm Beach. Founded in 1970 with 400 families, the parish outgrew its multi-purpose building and a new structure was begun in September 1983; before it was finished, word came that it would become the diocesan cathedral. Dedicated October 6, 1984 — three weeks before Bishop Daily's installation — the cathedral seats 1,400 worshipers and was designed around the bishop's cathedra as its focal point, featuring native Florida coral rock walls, stained glass, and a 2005 sanctuary renovation that added wood and Italian marble.
- Address: Palm Beach Gardens, FL (contact 561-622-2565, [email protected])
- St. Ann Parish, West Palm Beach (1892) is the oldest parish in the territory
Parishes, Missions and Ethnic Apostolates
The diocese organizes its 50 parishes, three missions, Hispanic Pastoral Center and Vietnamese Apostolate into four deaneries: Northern, Cathedral, Central, and Southern. Parishes span Sebastian, Fellsmere, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Jensen Beach, Stuart, Palm City, Hobe Sound, Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, North Palm Beach, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Lake Worth and Wellington, plus a host of others along the Treasure and Palm Beach coasts. A list of all parish contact details is published on the diocesan website.
- Northern Deanery — 14 parishes/missions from Sebastian to Okeechobee
- Cathedral Deanery — 14 parishes from Jensen Beach to West Palm Beach
- Central Deanery — parishes in West Palm Beach and Lake Worth area (including Basilica of St. Edward, Palm Beach)
- Southern Deanery — parishes from Boynton Beach to Boca Raton
Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez (2026–present)
On December 19, 2025 Pope Leo XIV accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito and appointed Father Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, LL.B., J.C.D., a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn then serving as pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in Corona, Queens, New York, as the sixth Bishop of Palm Beach. A native of the Dominican Republic, Bishop Rodríguez was ordained and installed at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola on February 24, 2026, taking charge of a diocese of approximately 260,000 Catholics and 54 parishes and missions across five counties.
- Born in the Dominican Republic
- Holds LL.B. and J.C.D. degrees
- Previously pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Corona (Queens), New York
- Installed February 24, 2026
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito (2003–2025)
Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito, born in Brooklyn, New York, was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1976, served as an auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn from 1994, was named Bishop of Ogdensburg in 1999 and was installed there January 7, 2000. He was named the fifth Bishop of Palm Beach on July 1, 2003 and installed at the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola on August 28, 2003. He submitted his retirement letter to the Holy Father on his 75th birthday, January 4, 2025, and Pope Leo XIV accepted it December 19, 2025, at which point Barbarito became Bishop Emeritus and Apostolic Administrator until Bishop Rodríguez's ordination.
- Fifth bishop of Palm Beach
- Installed August 28, 2003
- Bishop Emeritus and Apostolic Administrator from December 2025
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach
Established in 1984 as the social service arm of the diocese, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach is a comprehensive nonprofit family service organization with offices in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. Through 15 programs and ministries it serves the homeless, people at risk of homelessness, survivors of human trafficking, immigrants, refugees, the incarcerated, and families facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies, without discrimination on religion or any other protected classification. Accredited through Nonprofits First, its mission is grounded in Catholic social teaching that every person has the right to be treated with dignity and every human life is sacred.
- Founded 1984 alongside the diocese
- Offices in all five diocesan counties
- 15 programs and ministries
Catholic Schools
The Office of Catholic Schools supports 3 high schools, 12 diocesan elementary schools, 2 private elementary schools and 3 pre-schools educating more than 6,800 students across the five counties. The annual Lumen Christi Schools Appeal raises funds to support and enhance these schools — the 2025–26 appeal raised more than $637,000.
- Office of Catholic Schools website: diocesepbschools.org
- Instagram: @dopbcatholicschools
- Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops accreditation
Faith Formation, Marriage and Youth Ministry
Among the diocesan ministries listed on diocesepb.org are Marriage, Family Life, Faith Formation and Youth Ministry, Marriage Preparation, and Hispanic and Vietnamese Apostolates. These offices serve the formation needs of the diocese's diverse Catholic population, including sacramental preparation, family life programs, and youth ministry across the parishes.
Vocations and Seminarians
The diocese currently counts 6 seminarians preparing for priestly ministry. The Office of Vocations coordinates discernment and formation, and the broader region is served by St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, founded by the Vincentian Fathers in 1963 and used today by all the Florida dioceses.
- Vocations office reachable via the Pastoral Center at 561-775-9500
- Regional seminary: St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Boynton Beach
Communications and Media
The diocese publishes the diocesan newspaper The Florida Catholic and broadcasts 'The Catholic Mass' on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WTVX CW34 (Channel 4 on most cable systems). News and updates are also posted at news.diocesepb.org under the diocese's 'News and Notes' banner.
- TV: 'The Catholic Mass,' Sundays 10:30 a.m. on WTVX CW34
- Newspaper: The Florida Catholic
- Cemetery: Our Lady Queen of Peace, Royal Palm Beach
Protection and Safeguarding
Following the abuse revelations of the early 2000s and consistent with the U.S. bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, the diocese maintains a dedicated Office for the Protection and Safeguarding of the People of God to oversee safe-environment compliance, background checks, training and response to allegations across all parishes, schools and ministries.
Pastoral Center and Staff
All diocesan ministries and offices are housed at the Diocesan Pastoral Center at 9995 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (mailing address P.O. Box 109650, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410-9650). Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The general phone is 561-775-9500; fax 561-775-9556; general email [email protected]. A current Pastoral Center Staff Directory is published on the diocesan website.
- Address: 9995 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
- Phone: 561-775-9500
- Fax: 561-775-9556
- Email: [email protected]
