Catholic Diocese of Richmond

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Former Bishops of the Diocese

bishop_kelly_smallRt. Rev. Patrick Kelly, D.D.
Ordained a priest July 18 1802.
Consecrated as first Bishop of Richmond August 24, 1820.
Transferred to the See of Waterford and Lismore, Ireland February 9, 1822.
Died October 8, 1829.


bishop_whelan_smallRt. Rev. Richard Vincent Whelan, D.D.
Ordained a priest May 1, 1831.
Consecrated as second Bishop of Richmond March 21, 1841.
Transferred to the See of Wheeling July 23 1850 and installed December 8, 1850.
Died July 7, 1874.


bishop_mcgill_smallRt. Rev. John McGill, D.D.
Ordained a priest June 13, 1835.
Consecrated as third Bishop of Richmond November 10, 1850.
Died January 14, 1872.


bishop_gibbons_smallRt. Rev. James Gibbons, D.D.
Ordained a priest June 30, 1861.
Consecrated as Titular Bishop of Adramyttium and Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina August 16, 1868.
Appointed fourth Bishop of Richmond July 30, 1872 and installed October 20, 1872.
Appointed Titular Archbishop of Ionopolis and Coadjutor Archbishop of Baltimore May 20, 1877.
Succeeded to the See of Baltimore October 3, 1877.
Created Cardinal June 7, 1886.
Died March 24, 1921.


bishop_keane_smallRt. Rev. John Joseph Keane, D.D.
Ordained a priest July 2, 1866.
Consecrated as fifth Bishop of Richmond August 25, 1878.
Resigned to become first rector of the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. August 14, 1888.
Appointed Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa July 24, 1900.
Resigned April 3, 1911.
Died June 22, 1918.


bishop_vandevyver_smallRt. Rev. Augustine Van de Vyver, D.D.
Ordained a priest July 24, 1870.
Consecrated as sixth Bishop of Richmond October 20, 1889.
Died October 16, 1911.


bishop_oconnell_smallRt. Rev. Denis Joseph O’Connell, D.D.
Ordained a priest May 26, 1877.
Consecrated as Titular Bishop of Sebaste and Auxiliary Bishop of San Francisco May 3, 1908.
Appointed seventh Bishop of Richmond January 19, 1912 and installed March 19, 1912.
Resigned January 15, 1926 and named Titular Archbishop of Mariamme.
Died January 1, 1927.


bishop_brennan_smallMost Rev. Andrew James Brennan, D.D.
Ordained a priest December 17, 1904.
Consecrated as Titular Bishop of Thapsus and Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania April 25, 1923.
Appointed eighth Bishop of Richmond May 28, 1926 and installed December 16, 1926.
Resigned April 14, 1945 and named Titular Bishop of Telmissus.
Died May 23, 1956.


bishop_ireton_smallMost Rev. Peter Leo Ireton, D.D.
Ordained a priest June 20, 1906.
Consecrated as Titular Bishop of Cime, Coadjutor Bishop and Apostolic Administrator of Richmond October 23, 1935.
Succeeded as ninth Bishop of Richmond April 14, 1945.
Named Assistant at the Pontifical Throne May 21, 1956.
Died April 27, 1958.


bishop_russell_smallMost Rev. John Joyce Russell, D.D.
Ordained a priest July 8, 1923.
Consecrated as Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina March 14, 1950.
Transferred to the See of Richmond July 3, 1958 and installed as tenth Bishop September 30, 1958.
Retired April 3, 1973.
Died March 17, 1993.


bishop_sullivan_smallMost Rev. Walter Francis Sullivan, D.D.
Ordained a priest May 9, 1953.
Ordained Titular Bishop of Selsey and Auxiliary Bishop of Richmond December 1, 1970.
Appointed eleventh Bishop of Richmond June 4, 1974 and installed July 19, 1974.
Retired September 16, 2003.
Died December 11, 2012.


Most Rev. Francis Xavier DiLorenzo, D.D., S.T.D. 
Ordained a priest May 18, 1968.
Ordained Titular Bishop of Tigia and Auxiliary Bishop of Scranton, Pennsylvania, March 8, 1988.
Appointed twelfth Bishop of Richmond March 31, 2004 and installed May 24, 2004.
Died August 17, 2017.