About the Diocese 

The Diocese of Dallas currently encompasses an area of 7,523 square miles stretched across Dallas, Collin, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall Counties. Its 69 parishes and five missions serve approximately 1.3 million Catholics and a larger North Texas community of more than four million people.

The Diocese of Dallas was established in 1890 and formerly encompassed a 120,000 square mile area spreading from Texarkana to the Panhandle, and El Paso, Culbertson, and Hudspeth Counties. Over time, the Dioceses of El Paso, Lubbock, Amarillo, Tyler, and Fort Worth were carved out of the Diocese of Dallas. 

The Diocese is led by Bishop Edward J. Burns, the eighth bishop of the diocese. 

History of the Diocese

Diocese Archives Department

Statistical Overview
(from the 2017 Official Catholic Directory)

Parishes

Parishes: 69

Missions: 5

Seminaries: 2

Clergy and Religious

Number of Diocesan Priests: 106

Religious Priests in Diocese: 81

Total Priests in Diocese: 187

Permanent Deacons in Diocese: 176

Total Brothers: 16

Total Sisters: 85

Educational

Colleges and Universities: 1

High Schools, Diocesan and Parish: 3

High Schools, Private: 5

Elementary Schools, Diocesan and Parish: 26

Elementary Schools, Private: 2

Catechesis/ Religious Education Students: 50,878

Total Students under Catholic Instruction: 66,301

Vital Statistics

Receptions into the Church:

Infant Baptism Totals: 14,447

Adult Baptism Totals: 955

Received into Full Communion: 515

First Communions: 13,413

Confirmations: 10,067

Marriages:

Catholic: 1,519

Interfaith: 382

Total Marriages: 1,901

Deaths: 1,537

Total Catholic Population: 1,299,042

Total Population: 4,134,022