Link via Don Jim and Amy Welborn and whoever else has linked to this already today.
This has been a rumor for years in these parts. Speculation abounded for a time about where the split would occur, who would be the new Bishop, whether it would affect Arlington as well, what would become of the Richmond or Arlington priests who might be around, etc. I am very glad all this has been put to rest, at least for now. Bishop DiLorenzo has plenty of work to do without splitting the Diocese.
Look whose bright idea this was:
The idea of creating a new diocese in eastern Virginia was raised in 2001 by the Rev. Thomas J. Quinlan of Holy Family Catholic Church in Virginia Beach. The diocese’s Council of Priests subsequently agreed. Sullivan backed the initiative and sent it to the papal nuncio, the Vatican’s representative in the United States.
Wow. That article is so misguided I feel like slapping myself.
33,000 sq. miles is large, but not that large. My diocese (Tucson) is almost 43,000 sq. miles.
The Cheyenne diocese takes up the entire state of Wyoming.