History of our Diocese

1528

1539

1559

Panfilo de Narvaez’ ill-fated 1528 expedition likely spent several weeks traversing Taylor, Jefferson and Wakulla counties before evacuating into the Gulf at Apalachee Bay. This is likely the first instance of Catholic Christians stepping foot in what is now our diocese.

Led by Don Tristán de Luna y Arellano, 1500 Spanish colonists, accompanied by five Dominican priests and a lay brother, set out from Veracruz, Mexico to form a colony along the Gulf Coast. Arriving in what is now Pensacola Bay on August 14, Mass was offered on August 15, 1559. This is regarded as the first verified moment that Christ in the Eucharist was made present in this part of the world. Devastated by a hurricane in September 1559, the settlement was abandoned two years later.

1633

1656

1674

Two Franciscan friars responded to the Apalachee people’s invitation to settle among them in what is now the eastern portion of our diocese.

Mission San Luis de Talimali (Apalache) was established in modern Tallahassee close to Anhaica where de Soto had spent the winter of 1539-40. Numerous smaller missions also sprouted up in the surrounding areas.

Gabriel Diaz Vara Calderon, bishop of Santiago de Cuba, visited the Franciscan missions in present-day Madison, Jefferson and Leon counties, along the Apalachicola River. He administered the sacrament of confirmation to Native American converts. He wrote the following reflection on the religious devotion of the indigenous Catholics: 

‘As for religion, they are not idolaters, and they embrace with devotion the mysteries of Our Holy Faith, they attend Mass punctually at eleven on the feast days they observe, which are the Sundays of the year, and the days of Nativity, Circumcision, Epiphany, Purification of Our Lady, Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and All Saints' Day...They celebrate the Birth of Our Lord with great festivity and devotion, with everyone attending the Midnight Mass, with an offering of egg buns and other edible things. They do extraordinary penances during Holy Week and during the twenty-four hours of Holy Thursday and Good Friday when Our Lord is in the Urn of the Monument, twenty-four men, twenty-four women, and as many children of both sexes attend standing and silently praying the rosary, changing places for hours. The children, both boys and girls, attend church on workday mornings to learn the Christian Doctrine taught to them by one of their teachers, and they call them Athequi of the church, whom the religious have for this ministry, and a prosecutor to keep an account of all the parishioners who live poorly.’

1698

Pensacola was resettled by Spain and troops built the Presidio of Santa Maria de Galve which includes a chapel for soldiers.

1763

With the Treaty of Paris, an exodus of Spanish Catholics took place during the British occupation of Florida.

1781

On May 11, Spain captured Pensacola, and the Church’s presence was restored when Father Pedro Velez was sent to minister at the Spanish Garrison. St. Michael Parish was established and has served continuously since that time.

1787

The Diocese of San Cristobal of Havana was established, and Bishop Jose de Trespalacios y Verdeja assumed jurisdiction of Cuba and the territories of Louisiana and the Floridas.

1791

Bishop Cyril of Barcelona visited Pensacola and found 245 Catholics among the 572 residents.

1795

The east and west of Florida were placed in the new Diocese of New Orleans. The first bishop was Luis Penalver y Cardenas, former vicar general of Havana. He visited Pensacola in 1798.

1806

The Floridas returned to the Diocese of Havana.

1823

St. Michael Parish, Pensacola, was incorporated under the territorial laws of Florida, now a possession of the United States. The Floridas returned to the Diocese of Louisiana and the Floridas.

1825

Vicariate of Alabama and the Floridas established.

1829

The new Diocese of Mobile was established and included both Alabama and the Floridas. Bishop Michael Portier, first bishop, traveled from Pensacola to St. Augustine and back amid great hardship and hostility, seeking to strengthen the Church across north Florida.

1837

Bishop Portier established the first parish school and, by 1870, 100 pupils were enrolled at St. Michael Academy.

1845

First attempt at a permanent church in Tallahassee; it burned down in two years.

1850

All of Florida east of the Apalachicola River was transferred to the jurisdiction of the newly established Diocese of Savannah with Bishop Francis X. Gartland, first bishop. The ten western counties of North Florida remained in the Diocese of Mobile.

1851

St. John Parish was formed in Warrington near the Pensacola Navy Yard and St. Patrick Parish began in Apalachicola. Apalachicola was then a flourishing cotton export center.

1861

The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, at the request of the Confederate general, arrived in Pensacola and staffed an infirmary until 1865. The Sisters returned in 1915 when Sacred Heart Hospital was founded.

1870

The Diocese of St. Augustine was established and included all of Florida east of the Apalachicola River. Bishop Augustin Verot was named first bishop and participated in the First Vatican Council.

1877

The Sisters of Mercy arrived to staff St. Michael School, Pensacola, and in the following year, they opened St. John School, Warrington.

1885

After the destruction of three previous buildings by fire, the present St. Michael Church was built and dedicated the following year by Bishop Jeremiah O'Sullivan of Mobile.

1891

At the request of Mercedes Ruby, a structure known as St. Joseph Church was dedicated by Bishop O’Sullivan. It served as a church and school. Reverend Robert Fullerton was pastor of this first black parish in the Diocese of Mobile which served the local community. In 1894, the present church building was dedicated.

1927

Bishop Thomas J. Toolen became sixth bishop of Mobile and guided the Church in Alabama and Northwest Florida for more than 40 years, traveling extensively by automobile and establishing numerous parishes, schools and institutions.

1939

At the request of Father John J. Raleigh, the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth from New Jersey arrived to reopen St. Joseph School

1958

The Diocese of Miami was established to include 16 counties in South Florida.

1967

In May, the present Sacred Heart Church, Pensacola, was dedicated by Archbishop Thomas J. Toolen of Mobile. In September, St. Thomas More Church, near the campus of Florida State University, Tallahassee, was dedicated by Archbishop Joseph P. Hurley of St. Augustine.

1968

In February, Bishop Paul F. Tanner was named seventh bishop of St. Augustine. In June, the Diocese of Miami was raised to Archdiocese and the province of Miami was established to include all of the dioceses of Florida. At the same time, the new Dioceses of St. Petersburg and Orlando were created. The ten counties of northwest Florida, formerly a part of the Diocese of Mobile, were transferred now to the Diocese of St. Augustine.

1975

The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee was established on November 6, by dividing the Diocese of Saint Augustine, which consisted of 35 counties. Until May 8, 1968, the ten counties west of the Apalachicola River were part of the Diocese of Mobile while the eight counties east of the river were part of the Saint Augustine Diocese from its establishment in 1870.

On November 6,  Bishop Rene H. Gracida, former auxiliary bishop of Miami, was installed as first bishop. Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Pensacola, was named the Cathedral and St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Tallahassee, the Co-Cathedral. The new diocese was placed under the Patronage of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Thomas More.

1983

In July, Bishop Rene H. Gracida was transferred to the Diocese of Corpus Christi, Texas. Msgr. James Gallagher served as diocesan administrator for four months. On November 8,  Bishop J. Keith Symons, former auxiliary bishop of St. Petersburg, was installed as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee.

1984

In October, the new Dioceses of Palm Beach and Venice were established in South Florida. The State of Florida now numbers seven dioceses.

1990

On June 2,  Bishop J. Keith Symons was appointed second Bishop of Palm Beach where he was installed on July 31, 1990. The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee remained vacant for a period of one year. Msgr. James Amos served as diocesan administrator.

1991

Bishop John Mortimer Smith, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, was appointed on June 25, to be the third bishop of Pensacola- Tallahassee. He was installed in the Civic Center at Pensacola on July 31. Bishop Smith was appointed bishop of Trenton in November 1995 and installed in February of 1996. Msgr. James Amos served as administrator from February 1996 until March 1997.

1995

Bishop Smith was reassigned by Pope John Paul II as the bishop of Trenton, New Jersey. The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee remained vacant for a period of one year. Monsignor James Amos served as diocesan administrator.

1997

Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ was installed as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee on Thursday, March 13, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Pensacola. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II and succeeded Bishop John M. Smith. Bishop Ricard resigned due to health issues on March 11, 2011, and is the first bishop emeritus of Pensacola. Archbishop Thomas Wenski served as apostolic administrator until a new bishop was appointed.

2000

Pensacola-Tallahassee celebrates 25 years as a diocese. 

2011

Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, retires as diocesan bishop due to ill health. Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami is appointed episcopal administrator of the diocese.