Alabama is the twenty-second state that joined the United States in 1819. Previously, this area was home to a number of Native American (Indian) tribes. During the colonial period, Spain and France explored the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and the interior. The state left the Union during the Civil War period and the Confederate States established their capital in Montgomery, Alabama.
After Civilization in the 1860s, the State returned to the Union, but its growth, along with most other countries in the Southeast, was slow. Alabama is rich in natural resources, but its ranking is low in terms of per capita income, social services and quality of life index.
The city of Birmingham did not appear until after the Civil War and its rapid growth could be attributed to the fact that it was an important railroad crossing, and the discovery of iron ore and coal around it provided it with labor-intensive industries for several years. In the period between 1900 and 1920 many Italian immigrants arrived in the area to work in the mine. They provide the nucleus for the city's current Catholic population.
Birmingham, in recent years, has experienced a total decline in its industrial base. This has been replaced by a number of service industries, in the form of expanded health care and medical research, banking and educational institutions. Railroading is no longer an important factor in the city's economic life. Birmingham is now an important highway intersection on the national network.
The second city of Diosis, Huntsville, in the northeastern corner of the State, has experienced tremendous growth over the past two decades. This is the center of Space Technology with many industries related to engineering and electronics. The area now supports six parishes, with some churches larger than average. There are also three Catholic primary schools and one new Catholic high school.
Birmingham diocese
Birmingham diocese is located almost in the center of the United States, traditionally known as the Bible Belt. The Bible belt refers to countries in the South and Southeast that are mostly fundamentalists in religious thought. All dioceses in this vast area are truly missionaries insofar as no more than 5% are Catholic.The churches in this region are mostly Baptists, Church of Christ, Church of God, Pentecostals and Methodists. By using certain church membership as a criterion, Alabama is a very religious country.
The last national census of the United States in 2010 showed that the regional population covered by the Birmingham Diocese in Alabama was 2.7 million, with a Catholic population of 90,135. This represents around 3% of the total. Most Catholics are located in two major cities, Birmingham and Huntsville, and several major cities. There are some Catholics who live in rural areas.
However, as in most large cities, there is considerable population movement from downtown areas to new suburbs. This poses certain pastoral challenges, because older and in-town parishes lose their populations and new housing developments require new parishes.
Founded in 1969 under the protection of St. Paul, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in the state of Alabama is missionary. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham is a community of disciples, representatives of many races and cultures, pastors, deacons, religious women and men, and lay people. As a Church, the service and outreach of Birmingham's Roman Catholic Diocese includes families, parishes, schools, associations, and a myriad of programs.
Birmingham's Roman Catholic dioceses are spread across 39 countries in a geographical area of 28,092 square miles in the northern part of Alabama. We are pilgrims, called to evangelize and be evangelized. Roman Catholic Diocese Birmingham is a Church that is committed to dealing with the many gifts of God that are responsible.
Vision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham
Message from Bishop Robert Baker.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, 2121 3rd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 838-8322 (voice) Fax: (205) 836-1910
Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, 2121 3rd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: (205) 838-8322 (voice) Fax: (205) 836-1910
The vision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham is to become an updated Church and renew the face of the earth as a baptized community empowered by the Spirit, loyal to the gospel, and committed to building the Kingdom of peace and justice.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham is the Birmingham, Alabama Catholic Church. We respond to God's call to declare Jesus Christ as the Eternal Son of the living God. We are witnesses of the gospel when we announce the Lord's death, proclaim His resurrection, and wait for His coming in glory. At the heart of the Christian Community, Birmingham's Roman Catholic Diocese is a celebration: from the Word, the Eucharist, the Sacrament. We travel with the Holy Spirit as our guide, with Mary, the Mother of God as our example, and in fellowship with the Holy Father, Bishop of Rome.
History of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is missionary, founded in 1969 under the protection of St. Paul. The church becomes a community of disciples, representatives of many races and cultures, pastors, deacons, religious women and men, and lay people. As a Church, ministry and church outreach includes families, parishes, schools, associations, and a myriad of programs.The church is spread in 39 countries in a geographical area of 28,091 square miles in the northern part of Alabama. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham are pilgrims, called to evangelize and be evangelized. Roman Catholic Diocese Birmingham is a Church that is committed to dealing with the many gifts of God that are responsible.
Commitment to Birmingham Roman Catholic Diocese
- Empower each other for the fullness of our sacramental commitments.
- Experience the love of the Triune God, and share that love with all people, especially the poor and unchurched.
- Helps heal our brothers and sisters in their destruction with Jesus' compassion and peace, regardless of religion, race, gender, age or social status.
- Promote people who are centered on God who respect the dignity of everyone, especially those who are not born, parents, and those who are marginalized.
- Work ecumenically with other religious traditions in an effort to reach out to our unmarried brothers and sisters.
- Appreciate God's gift for cultural diversity that expresses itself in worship, leadership, and in service.