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Facts & Backgrounders
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The Gulf Coast's largest Archdiocese and Catholic School System
The Archdiocese at a glance
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston serves more than 1.7 million Catholics in 10 counties. It is the largest Roman Catholic diocese in Texas and the 5th largest in the United States.
The Archdiocese has the largest private school system in Texas, with more than 19,000 students enrolled in 56 schools throughout the counties of the Archdiocese. Archdiocesan schools, all of which offer need-based tuition assistance for students, serve students PreK-3 through 12th grade.
A deeper look
The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston...
- serves more than 1.7 million-plus Catholics.
- is the first and oldest diocese in Texas, established by Pope Pius IX in 1847, when Galveston was named the mother diocese of the Lone Star State.
- is home to the only cardinal in the Southern United States. Daniel Cardinal DiNardo was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2007.
- includes 146 parishes in 10 counties: Harris, Galveston, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Montgomery, Austin, Grimes, San Jacinto, Walker and Waller.
- has 428 priests, 380 religious sisters, 6 religious brothers and 399 permanent deacons.
- includes some of Texas' largest churches, such as Sacred Heart parish in Conroe, with over 8,900 registered families, and Prince of Peace Catholic Church in Houston, with over 7,800 families. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Northwest Houston is the largest parish in the Archdiocese, with 9,660 families. At least 30 other parishes have 3,000 families or more.
- reflects the region’s multicultural character with one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the nation. Mass is celebrated in 14 different languages in the Archdiocese.
- is one of the largest social service providers in Texas, offering specialized children’s services, housing programs, food banks, protective shelters, half-way houses, immigration and refugee programs and countless other ministries to people in need. In 2022, more than 650,000 people of all creeds and backgrounds were served at local Catholic hospitals, health care centers, social services agencies, daycare centers, schools and the Archdiocesan nursing care facility.
- oversees the largest private school system in Texas. More than 19,000 students are educated in the Archdiocese’s 56 Catholic schools, which includes 39 diocesan grade schools, five private elementary schools and 11 private high schools.
- is one of the fastest-growing Archdioceses in the nation, welcoming more than 2,650 new Catholics over Easter weekend in April 2025.
Backgrounders
Deeper information about today's topics...
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Media Relations
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Jonah Dycusjdycusarchgh.orgSecretariat Director for Communications -
Elizabeth Moralesemoralesarchgh.orgMedia Relations Specialist
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