Bishop Richard Scannell came to the diocese in 1891. Under Bishop Scannell, the western part of the diocese became the Diocese of Kearney in 1912. Five years later, the See city was changed to Grand Island.
During Bishop Scannell's administration, the cornerstone for St. Cecilia's Cathedral was laid in 1907. He also oversaw the diocese's expansion to 95 parishes, with the parishes serving more than 80,000 Catholics.
