Early History

As the first Catholic parish established in Indianapolis, St. John was its pro-cathedral from 1871 to 1907.  The diocesan Chancery was housed here until 1968 and the Metropolitan Tribunal was here until 1982, when all Archdiocesan offices moved into the original Cathedral High School building at 14th & Meridian Streets, across from SS. Peter & Paul Cathedral (which was built in 1906 to become the cathedral of the newly-established Diocese of Indianapolis, founded in 1834 as the Diocese of Vincennes).

DIOCESE of VINCENNES established by Pope Gregory XVI on May 6, 1834Rt. Rev. Simon Guillaume Gabriel Bruté de Rémur, first Bishop of Vincennes (1834-1839)
Rt. Rev. Célestin René Laurent Guynemer de la Hailandière, second Bishop of Vincennes (1839-1847)
Rt. Rev. John Stephen Bazin, third Bishop of Vincennes (Oct 1847-Apr 1848)
Rt. Rev. Jacques M. Maurice Landes d’Aussac de Saint-Palais, fourth Bishop of Vincennes (1848-1877)
Rt. Rev. Francis Silas Marean Chatard, fifth Bishop of Vincennes (1878-1898)

title changed to DIOCESE of INDIANAPOLIS on March 28, 1898Rt. Rev. Francis Silas Marean Chatard, first Bishop of Indianapolis (1898-1918)
Most Rev. Joseph Chartrand, second Bishop of Indianapolis (1918-1933)
Most Rev. Joseph Elmer Ritter, third Bishop of Indianapolis (1934-1944)

elevated to ARCHDIOCESE of INDIANAPOLIS by Pope Pius XII on October 21, 1944
Most Rev. Joseph Elmer Ritter, first Archbishop of Indianapolis (1944-1946)
Most Rev. Paul C. Schulte, second Archbishop of Indianapolis (1946-1970)
Most Rev. George J. Biskup, third Archbishop of Indianapolis (1970-1979)
Most Rev. Edward T. O’Meara, STD, fourth Archbishop of Indianapolis (1979-1992)
Most Rev. Daniel M. Buechlein, OSB, fifth Archbishop of Indianapolis (1992-2011)
Most. Rev. Christopher J. Coyne, Apostolic Administrator, (Sep 2011-)
Most Rev. Joesph W. Tobin, sixth Archbishop of Indianapolis (Oct 2013-)

Return to History Page

Photo from 1964

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Previous Pastors of St. John's: 
Rev. Vincent Bacquelin, Nov 1837 – Sep 1846
Rev. John Ryan, Sep 1846 – Dec 1846
Rev. John McDermott, Jan 1847 – Jun 1847
Rev. Patrick Joseph R. Murphy, Jun 1847 – Feb 1848
Rev. John Guéguen, Mar 1848 – Jan 1853
Rev. Daniel Molony, Feb 1853 – Oct 1857
Msgr. Augustus Bessonies, Nov 1857 – Jun 1890
Msgr. Francis H. Gavisk, Jun 1890 – Oct 1932
Msgr. Clement M. Bosler, Nov 1932 – Jan 1940
Msgr. Bernard P. Sheridan, Jan 1940 – Oct 1966
Msgr. Cornelius B. Sweeney, Oct 1966 – Jun 1969
Msgr. Charles P. Koster, Jun 1969 – 1978
Rev. William F. Stineman, 1978 – 1993
Rev. Thomas J. Murphy, 1993 – Sep 2003
Rev. Noah J. Casey, Sep 2003 – Jun 2008
Rev. Paul D. Etienne, Jul 2008 – Jun 2009 (now Bishop of the Diocese of Cheyenne (Wyoming)
Rev. Stephen W. Giannini, Jul 2009 – Feb 2011
Rev. Eric (Rick) Nagel, Feb 2011-present