Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen

Diocese of Metuchen Dioecesis Metuchenis
The coat of arms of the Diocese of Metuchen
Location
Country	United States
Territory	Counties of Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren, New Jersey
Ecclesiastical province	Metropolitan Province of Newark
Metropolitan	Metuchen, New Jersey
Population - Catholics	556,682
Information
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	November 19, 1981
Cathedral	Saint Francis of Assisi Cathedral
Current leadership
Pope	Benedict XVI
Bishop	Paul Gregory Bootkoski Bishop of Metuchen
Metropolitan Archbishop	John Joseph Myers Archbishop of Newark
Emeritus Bishops	Edward Thomas Hughes
Map
Website
diometuchen.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen (Latin: Dioecesis Metuchenis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in New Jersey, centered in the borough of Metuchen. It was erected on November 19, 1981, from the territory of the Diocese of Trenton.

The Bishop of Metuchen presides from the Saint Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Metuchen.

The diocese encompasses the New Jersey counties of Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren.

Its coat of arms is blazoned Quarterly, Or and Argent, in dexter chief a tongue of fire Gules; in sinister base the letter "M" Azure, crowned Argent; overall a cross Moline Azure. The cross is taken from the arms of the See of Trenton from which the diocese was formed; the tongue of fire refers both to "metachen," Lenni Lenape for firewood, and the descent of the Holy Spirit; the crowned M refers to the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the diocesan patron, founding bishop Theodore McCarrick's arms, and Pope John Paul II's arms. Its four quarters represent the four counties comprising the diocese.

The diocese counts 600,000 Catholics within its purview, distributed across more than one hundred parishes, serviced by 160 priests residing in the diocese, with 100 non-resident priests and 150 deacons assisting. Six hundred religious serve the schools and various organizations throughout the diocese.

In 2006, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the diocese's founding, it began preparations for a synod, the First Synod of the Diocese of Metuchen.

Bishops of the Diocese of Metuchen (terms of service)

1. Theodore Edgar McCarrick (1981–1986) (appointed auxiliary bishop of New York on May 24, 1977; ordained a bishop on June 29, 1977; appointed founding bishop of Metuchen on November 19, 1981; installed on January 31, 1982; appointed Archbishop of Newark on May 30, 1986; appointed Archbishop of Washington on November 21, 2000; created Cardinal on February 21, 2001; retired on May 16, 2006)
2. Edward Thomas Hughes (1986–1997) (appointed auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia on June 14, 1976; ordained a bishop on July 21, 1976; appointed bishop of Metuchen on December 11, 1986; installed on February 5, 1987; retired on July 7, 1997)
3. † Vincent DePaul Breen (1997–2002) (appointed bishop in July 1997; ordained a bishop in 1997; resigned in 2002; died on March 30, 2003)
4. Paul Gregory Bootkoski (2002– ) (appointed auxiliary bishop of Newark on July 8, 1997; ordained a bishop on September 5, 1997; appointed bishop of Metuchen in 2002)

† = deceased

High schools

• Bishop George Ahr High School, Edison
• Cardinal McCarrick High School, South Amboy
• Immaculata High School, Somerville
• Mount St. Mary Academy, Watchung
• St. Peter the Apostle High School, New Brunswick (closed 2007)
• St. Pius X High School, Piscataway (closed 1990)

Sponsored hospital

• Saint Peter's University Hospital

Ecclesiastical province

Further information: List of the Catholic bishops of the United States#Province of Newark

See also

• List of the Catholic cathedrals of the United States
• List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States
• Plenary Councils of Baltimore
• Roman Catholicism in the United States
• Catholicism and American politics
• History of Roman Catholicism in the United States

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen official website
• Synodal home page
• New Jersey Provincial Directory website