The Diocese of Phoenix (; ) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory or diocese in the state of Arizona in the United States. It was established on December 2, 1969, when it was split off from the Diocese of Tucson. Its jurisdiction includes Maricopa, Mohave, Yavapai, and Coconino counties (excluding the territorial boundaries of the Navajo Nation), and also includes the Gila River Indian Reservation in Pinal County. The incumbent Bishop is John P. Dolan. The Diocese of Phoenix is a suffragan diocese of the ecclesiastical province of Santa Fe. History Early history Jesuit priests began to work in northern Mexico in the 1610s in the lowlands near the coast. Originally, these missionaries worked out a peaceful compromise with the people of the Yaqui River valley allowing for the establishment of more than fifty mission settlements. This broke down when the Jesuits opposed the native shamanic religious tradition. The Opata people were more receptive to the missionaries and allied with them. After this, the Jesuits began to move into Pima and Tohono O'odham territories in present-day Arizona. Spanish exploration and missionary work was sufficient to consider the territory part of New Spain. An agreement between General Pedro de Perea and the viceroy of New Spain resulted in the general shaping of the province, initially called Nueva Navarra in 1637, but renamed Sonora in 1648. The most famous missionary of what is now the American Southwest was Eusebio Kino. He arrived in the province of Nueva Navarra in 1687 and started missionary work in the Pimería Alta area. He began his first mission at Cucurpe, then established churches and missions in other villages such as Los Remedios, Imuris, Magdalena, Cocóspera, San Ignacio, Tubutama and Caborca. To develop an economy for the natives, Father Kino also taught them European farming techniques. 20th century 21st century In 2009 the Diocese contributed $50,000 to the successful campaign by Stand For Marriage Maine to overturn an impending legalization of same-sex civil marriage in Maine. On June 11, 2014, the diocese was "stunned and deeply saddened" at an attack on two priests during a burglary at Mater Misericordiae Mission in Phoenix. Parochial vicar Rev. Kenneth Walker, FSSP, 28, ordained a priest just two years, was fatally shot. Rev. Joseph Terra, FSSP, was wounded. On October 13, 2017, marking the 100th Anniversary of the last apparition of Our Lady of Fatima, Bishop Omstead consecrated the diocese to