Pope Benedict XV named Michael Gallagher as coadjutor bishop of the diocese in 1915 to assist Richter.

Gallagher served in Grand Rapids less than two years before being appointed bishop of the Diocese of Detroit by Benedict XV in 1918.

The pope appointed Auxiliary Bishop Edward D. Kelly from the Diocese of Detroit to replace Gallagher in Grand Rapids.

[11][12] He also encouraged the practice of communal confessions, and allowed divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the sacraments.

[11] Some parishes strongly resisted changing the language of the mass from Latin to English; St. Isidore's Church even took Breitenbeck and the diocese to court over the issue.

St. Adalbert Church in Grand Rapids was raised to the rank of minor basilica by Pope John Paul II in 1979.

[13] In the 1980s, Breitenbeck created policies and procedures for handling allegations of clerical sexual abuse; these rules remained in force until major revisions in the early 21st century.

[11] He also helped establish the Deposit & Loan Cooperative Investment Program, which allowed parishes to borrow money from diocesan funds at a lower interest rate, and supported the Michigan Catholic Conference's efforts to provide retirement benefits for priests and laity.

[14] Rose created lay leadership programs, revamped the Hispanic ministry and presented forums and events focused on racism in the diocese.

Walkowiak released a statement on November 27, 2019, supporting the decision of Reverend Scott Nolan, pastor of St. Stephen Parish in East Grand Rapids, to withhold the eucharist from Sara Smolenski.

A town judge, Smolenski told the local media that Nolan notified her before mass that she could not receive communion because of her same-sex marriage.

[17][18] In 2002, the Diocese of Grand Rapids acknowledged that it had paid a $500,000 settlement in 1994 to three sisters who were sexually abused as minors by Reverend John Sullivan during the late 1950s.

[21] In May 2021, Reverend William Langlois from Grand Haven was laicized after sexual abuse allegations against him were deemed as "credible.

The diocese immediately suspended Langlois from ministry, notified local authorities, and started an internal investigation.