The Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior covers the city of Superior, Wisconsin, as well as the counties of Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Iron, Lincoln, Oneida, Price, Polk, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn in Wisconsin. In area it covers 15,715 square miles, and has its episcopal residence in the city of Superior. The diocese was established on May 3, 1905 by Pope Pius X from the northern part of the Diocese of La Crosse and the northwestern part of the Diocese of Green Bay. The Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior is the episcopal see of the Diocese. The following is a list of the Roman Catholic Bishops of the Diocese of Superior and their terms of service:
- Augustine Francis Schinner (1905–1913)
- Joseph M. Koudelka (1913–1921)
- Joseph G. Pinten (1922–1926)
- Theodore H. Reverman (1926–1941)
- William Patrick O'Connor (1942–1946)
- Albert Gregory Meyer (1946–1953)
- Joseph John Annabring (1954–1959)
- George Albert Hammes (1960–1985)
- Raphael Michael Fliss (1985–2007)
- Peter F. Christensen (2007-present)
History
When Superior, which is a suffragans diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, was formed, there were 39 secular and 17 regular priests attending to the needs of the people in 93 churches and 33 stations. The Catholic population at the time was about 40,000. The first bishop of the diocese, the Rt. Rev. Augustin Francis Schinner, was consecrated 25 July, 1905, and appointed to the see of Superior 13 May of the same year. He came to Superior from Milwaukee, where he had held the position of vicar-general of the archdiocese.
