VICTORIA, CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF. The Diocese of Victoria, Texas, was established on May 29, 1982. It was taken from territory previously in the Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio, the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, and the Diocese of Corpus Christi.^qv The cathedral city is Victoria, and the area under the jurisdiction of the diocese comprises Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Matagorda, Victoria, and Wharton counties and those parts of Colorado and Fayette counties which lie west of the Colorado River. Charles V. Grahmann was installed as the first bishop of the Diocese of Victoria. The Diocese of Victoria was established to divide the Archdiocese of San Antonio, which covered thirty-two counties and was having difficulty bringing diocesan services to places distant from San Antonio. The need to make a smaller administrative unit and to bring the bishop closer to the people was also a factor in establishing the new diocese. After occupying temporary headquarters in public offices in Victoria, diocesan officials dedicated a new chancery office on September 8, 1985. A residence had been donated for the bishop. Like all church organizations, the diocese received its funding from the Catholic people of the area, mostly through the parishes. In 1994 the bishop of the Diocese of Victoria was David E. Fellhauer. There were 108,562 Catholics, 15 Catholic schools, 49 parishes, 75 priests, 151 sisters, 11 permanent deacons, and 23 missions in the diocese. The diocese published a newspaper called the Catholic Lighthouse.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Catholic Archives of Texas, Files, Austin.

Thomas C. McLaughlin