Archdiocese of Atlanta

ABOUT the Archdiocese of Atlanta

The Archdiocese of Atlanta encompasses the northern half of Georgia covering 21,445 square miles. Specifically, it includes the 69 counties north of and including the following counties: Lincoln, McDuffie, Warren, Hancock, Baldwin, Putnam, Jasper, Monroe, Upson, Meriwether and Troup.

The Archdiocese of Atlanta is a vibrant, diverse and rapidly growing Catholic community.  As of 2018, there are 103 parishes and missions, 277 diocesan and religious priests, 62 seminarians, 18 archdiocesan Catholic schools, 1.2 million Catholics, and 7 million people in north central Georgia.

The History of the Archdiocese goes back the late 1700s.  Originally part of the Diocese of Savannah, Atlanta was made a Diocese in 1956 and made an Archdiocese in 1962. The Province of Atlanta is comprised of five dioceses.

The Most Reverend Wilton D. Gregory, S.L.D. is the Archbishop of Atlanta.

The Most Reverend Bernard E. Shlesinger III is the Auxiliary Bishop of Atlanta.

Mission Statement

We, the faithful of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, are a people of prayer, love and joy who are dedicated to the salvation of all. As disciples and believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we proclaim the good news and grow in faith, hope, love and service to others. We are unified in our commitment to sacramental life, pastoral care and life-long formation in our Roman Catholic faith. We express our love through evangelization, fellowship, Catholic education, social services and charity in the full pursuit of effective discipleship.

The Province of Atlanta

When the Diocese of Atlanta became the Archdiocese of Atlanta on February 21, 1962, the ecclesiastical Province of Atlanta came into being as well. The Archbishop of Atlanta thus holds the ex officio title of Metropolitan of the Province of Atlanta.

Dioceses of the Province (Provincial Sees):

Ecclesiastical Provinces

The largest territorial division of the Latin Church, an ecclesiastical province is an administrative district comprising several dioceses. It is united under the presidency of an archbishop or metropolitan who holds this position as a result of the recognition of his diocesan see as the metropolitan see (an archdiocese). The other sees are called suffragan or subordinate sees, each governed by its respective bishop. An ecclesiastical province answers directly to the Holy See.