over 87,000. He held the first diocesan synod in February 1889. Diocese of Springfield in Illinois After James Ryan died in 1923, Pope Pius IX dissolved the Diocese of Alton and erected the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois in its place on October 26, 1923. He appointed Reverend James Griffin of the Diocese of Chicago as the first bishop of the new diocese. Griffin dedicated the new Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield in 1928. During his tenure as bishop, Griffin erected 51 new churches, schools, convents and charitable institutions; the total cost spent in his first ten years was close to $6.5 million. He established Marquette Catholic High School in Alton and Springfield Junior College in Springfield. Griffin died in 1948. Pope Pius XII in 1948 appointed William O'Connor from the Archdiocese of Chicago as the second bishop of Springfield. O'Connor instituted the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine in 1950, initiated the diocesan development fund in 1952 for missionary work within the diocese, and founded the diocesan Latin School in 1954 for training young men preparing to enter the priesthood. He held diocesan synods in 1953 and 1963. After 27 years as bishop, O'Connor died in 1975. The next bishop of Springfield was Auxiliary Bishop Joseph McNicholas of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, appointed by Pope Paul VI in 1975.He hosted the first Midwest Regional Meeting of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to be held in downstate Illinois, and in 1978 appointed the first nun to the position of superintendent of Catholic schools. He also renamed the diocesan newspaper as Time and Eternity. After McNicolas' death in 1983, Pope John Paul II named Reverend Daniel L. Ryan of the Diocese of Joliet as his successor. Ryan resigned in 1999. In 1999, Pope John Paul II appointed George Joseph Lucas of the Archdiocese of St. Louis as bishop of Springfield. In 2001, Lucas established a diaconate formation program for the diocese. The five-year program prepared men to become deacons was run by the diocesan Office for the Diaconate, in cooperation with Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois. On June 24, 2007, Lucas ordained the first class of eighteen men. In January 2002, Lucas launched an endowment/capital campaign called Harvest of Thanks, Springtime of Hope. The program raised over $22.1 million, used to support Catholic education, Catholic Charities, the formation of seminarians and deacon candidates, and the care of retired priests.