Significant Dates in Diocese of Dallas History

  • 1859 – First Recorded Mass at Guillot Residence, Fr. Sebastian Augagneur from Nacogdoches
  • 1859 – Dallas and North Texas Catholics visited by circuit riding priests from Nacogdoches
  • 1869 – St. Paul Mission Station established in Collin County by Father Joseph Martiniere
  • 1871 - Immaculate Conception Parish, Corsicana, first parish in the diocese.
  • 1872 - Sacred Heart Parish, first parish in Dallas erected by Bishop Claude Dubuis of Galveston.
  • 1874 – Sacred Heart first Parochial School opens
  • 1888 – Ursuline Academy Opens
  • 1890 – Diocese of Dallas erected by Pope Leo XIII
  • 1891- Thomas Francis Brennan, First Bishop
  • 1891 – Sacred Heart named ProCathedral
  • 1891 – Diocesan Orphanage Opens – (later St. Joseph Orphanage) Beginning of Catholic Charities
  • 1892 - Bishop Brennan Resigns
  • 1893 – Edward Joseph Dunne, named Second Bishop
  • 1896 – Daughters of Charity open first St. Paul Hospital in temporary building
  • 1898 – St. Paul Hospital Completed
  • 1898 – Ground Broken for new Sacred Heart Cathedral
  • 1902 – Dedication of Sacred Heart Cathedral
  • 1906 – Daughters of Charity open soup kitchen for poor and Hispanic refugees
  • 1907 – Holy Trinity College (later first University of Dallas) opened by Vincentian Fathers
  • 1910 – Bishop Dunne dies in Wisconsin
  • 1911 – Joseph Patrick Lynch named Third Bishop of Dallas
  • 1911 – First Diocesan Synod
  • 1914 - Our Lady of Guadalupe begins as storefront to serve refugees from Mexican revolution
  • 1917 – Dunne Memorial Home for Boys separated from St. Joseph Home for Girls
  • 1928 – First University of Dallas closes
  • 1936 – Catholic Exhibit at Texas Centennial Celebration, Fair Park
  • 1936 – Second Diocesan Synod
  • 1940 – Catholic Charities formally established
  • 1942 – Augustine Danglmayr named Auxiliary Bishop
  • 1942 – Jesuit High School opens
  • 1952 – Thomas Keily Gorman named Co-Adjutor Bishop of Dallas
  • 1953 – Diocese becomes Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth
  • 1954 – Texas Catholic restored as diocesan newspaper
  • 1954 – Bishop Joseph Patrick Lynch dies
  • 1954 – Thomas K. Gorman becomes Fourth Bishop of Dallas
  • 1955 – University of Dallas established
  • 1955 – St. Joseph Residence opens
  • 1956 – Catholic Foundation established
  • 1958 - Cistercian Monastery opened
  • 1961 – Bishop Dunne opens as Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, name changed in 1963
  • 1961 – School Sisters of Notre Dame Dallas Province established
  • 1962 – Bishop Gorman to Second Vatican Council as Council Father
  • 1963 – Bishop Lynch High School opens
  • 1963 – President John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas
  • 1963 – New St. Paul Hospital opens in Southwestern Medical Center
  • 1965 – Holy Trinity Seminary founded
  • 1968 – Bishop John Cassata named auxiliary to Bishop Gorman
  • 1969 – Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth divided into Diocese of Dallas and Diocese of Fort Worth
  • 1969 – Bishop Gorman retires
  • 1969 – Bishop Thomas Tschoepe appointed Fifth Bishop of Dallas – first native son.
  • 1971 - Diocese closes schools to transfer students to prevent “white flight”
  • 1973 – First Permanent Deacons ordained
  • 1980 – Bishop Gorman dies
  • 1986 – Diocese of Tyler established
  • 1987 – Institute for Religious and Pastoral Studies (later School of Ministry) launched by University of Dallas
  • 1990 – Diocesan Centennial
  • 1990 – Bishop Tschoepe retires
  • 1990 – Bishop Charles V. Grahmann becomes Sixth Bishop of Dallas
  • 1991 – Diocesan Parish Consultation
  • 1993 – Catholic Conference and Formation Center opens
  • 1994 – Diocese-wide Pastoral Visitation of parishes
  • 1997 – Trial against Diocese because of actions of Fr. Rudy Kos
  • 1999 – Bishop Joseph Galante named coadjutor with right of succession
  • 2004 – Redemptoris Mater Seminary established
  • 2004 – Bishop Galante named Bishop of Camden
  • 2005 – Cathedral Bell Tower and Steeple dedicated
  • 2005 – Pope John Paul II High School opens
  • 2006 – First University of Dallas Ministry Conference
  • 2007 – Bishop Grahmann retires
  • 2007 – Bishop Kevin J. Farrell becomes Seventh Bishop of Dallas
  • 2009 – Bishop Tschoepe dies
  • 2010 – Auxiliary bishops, Bishop Mark Seitz and Bishop J. Douglas Deshotel appointed for Dallas
  • 2011 – Bishop Farrell Invitational launched
  • 2012 – Bishop’s Award for Service to the Church instituted
  • 2013 – Bishop Mark Seitz made Bishop of El Paso
  • 2014 – Our Faith…Our Future, 125th Anniversary Campaign
  • 2015 – St. Paul Hospital closed and demolished
  • 2015 – Cristo Rey Academy High School opens
  • 2015 – 125th Anniversary
  • 2016 – Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly appointed for Dallas
  • 2016 – Bishop Douglas Deshotel made Bishop of Lafayette

Diocese of Dallas Archives 3/15/2016