The Diocese
In 2012 the Diocese of Oakland will celebrate its Golden Jubilee. At the time of its creation in 1962 there were an estimated 329,000 Catholics among the East Bay’s population of 1.3 million people.
Today within its 1,467 square miles the current estimated population of Alameda and Contra Costa counties is over 2.6 million people with a Catholic population projected above 700,000.
Serving the needs of the faithful are 84 parishes and 16 pastoral centers, 45 elementary schools, nine high schools, two Catholic colleges and several schools of religious formation, along with a range of service ministries assisting the elderly, the young, the poor, and the oppressed.
The Catholic Church within the Diocese of Oakland is the largest provider of social services in the East Bay, offering shelter, meals, counseling, education and other critical services free of charge to over 400,000 people of all faiths each year.