ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT historical documents in the diocesan archives is the Apostolic Constitution establishing the Diocese of Orange. Dated March 24, 1976, and signed by Cardinal James Villot, secretary of state, it states in part, “From the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California we separate the County of Orange and constitute it as a diocese to be called Orange in California, to have the same limits as the County of Orange.”
The document, written in Latin, uses the pronoun “we” to denote that Pope Paul VI, speaking with the “royal plural,” used a formal way of speaking when expressing the solemnity and authority of the occasion. To be sure, establishing a new diocese is one of those occasions. And it has a lead seal, wrapped in a small paper envelope, guaranteeing the authenticity of the decree.
The document goes on to describe the cathedral (originally Holy Family in Orange, now Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove), the organization of offices, the rights of the clergy, and the establishment of a diocesan archive in which to receive anything relating to the work of the Church in Orange County prior to 1976.
So, here are a couple of things to note from this decree: First, the official name of our diocese is “Orange in California,” not just Orange (to distinguish it from a “Diocese of Orange” which was in France and was dissolved in 1801). Second, it refers specifically to Cardinal Timothy Manning, who at the time was the Archbishop of Los Angeles, and who requested a new diocese to be formed from a portion of his diocese “for the eternal salvation of souls.” After a period of study, during which Los Angeles determined the viability of a new diocese, many others were consulted before Pope Paul agreed to the request, namely the bishops in the United States, the cardinals in Rome, and the Apostolic Nuncio (essentially the Ambassador of the Vatican to the United States) Archbishop Jean Jadot. And third, the only diocesan office specifically mentioned in this decree is the archives.
Although this decree was signed March 24, 1976, the Diocese of Orange in California did not officially begin until the installation of its first bishop, William Johnson, on Friday, June 18, 1976, at Holy Family Cathedral in Orange. Promulgating a document is not always the same as beginning a new entity. In this case, until Bishop Johnson sat in his cathedral, there was no Diocese of Orange in California. That singular event was the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Church in California, in the United States, and in the Universal Church. It is well worth taking the time to thank God for what He has done in Orange County, and what He has done through the instruments of His people and clergy in the 50 years that have passed. It was indeed for the salvation of souls that our diocese was created, and we continue this great work today.