The Catholic Weekly - The Catholic Times at 1520 Court Street, Saginaw, MI 48602 US - History of the Diocese of Saginaw - Part I

In 1831, a French historian named Alexis de Tocqueville visited Saginaw . The United States was a young nation --about 50 years old --and he had come to record his impressions of America, its people, and their way of life. Saginaw was the northernmost point of his travels. At the time of his visit, Saginaw was considered a wilderness. A small community of about 30 people lived here, compared to Detroit which had 3,000 inhabitants. Pius VIII was pope, and Saginaw was part of the Diocese of Cincinnati. There were no parishes within the area that comprises the Diocese of Saginaw today. The Diocese of Saginaw was formed in 1938 out of 16 counties in the Thumb and Forefinger of Michigan, land which had been part of the Diocese of Grand Rapids and the Archdiocese of Detroit. When the Holy Father signed the decree establishing the new diocese, he appointed Msgr. William Murphy, pastor of St. David Parish in Detroit, to be its first bishop.The 1938 P.J. Kenedy Official Catholic Directory notes that the new Saginaw diocese had a Catholic population of 77,705 , 81 parishes, 31 missions, 112 priests, 41 parishes with schools (of which 17 were high schools), two hospitals, a children's home and a residence for working girls. To Bishop Murphy fell the task of organizing this new diocese. He purchased an episcopal residence and a chancery office, and then appointed officials needed in the administration of the diocese: Vicar-general, chancellor, deans of the four districts, secretary, marriagetribunal personnel. Early on the agenda was the formation of a Catholic Charities department, which was initially sponsored by a new League of Catholic Women. A special seminary collection was begun for the education of future priests, as well as a Clergy Benefit society to provide for retired and disabled priests. For the large migrant and resident Spanish-speaking population, the bishop established the Guadalupe Clinic and the Mexican Apostolate, and for the aging, the St. Francis Home.On Feb. 7, 1950, Bishop Murphy died. Pope Pius XII appointed Bishop Stephen Woznicki as head of the diocese on March 28, 1950.

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