Ohio's Catholic Diocese: A Comprehensive Overview

how many catholic diocese in ohio

Ohio is home to several Catholic dioceses, including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. Additionally, there is an Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion represented in the United States by the Episcopal Church. Each diocese plays an important role in ministering to their respective communities and parishes, providing resources and organizing religious events and activities.

Characteristics Values
Number of Catholic Dioceses in Ohio 7
Names of Catholic Dioceses Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville, Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo, Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
Other Types of Diocese in Ohio Anglican Communion (Episcopal Church)

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Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati

There are six Catholic dioceses in Ohio: Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Steubenville, Youngstown, and Cincinnati. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati was erected as the Diocese of Cincinnati by Pope Pius VII in 1821, taking all of Ohio from the Diocese of Bardstown. The first bishop of Cincinnati was Reverend Edward Fenwick, who travelled to Europe in 1823 to raise funding for the new diocese.

Cincinnati's first Catholic church, Christ Church, was established in 1819, just outside the city boundaries. Emmanuel Church, Dayton's first Catholic church, opened in 1837, and soon after, additional parishes were formed in Hamilton and St. Martin, Brown County. Reverend Emmanuel Thienpont was responsible for pioneering many parishes in the archdiocese.

In 1850, Pope Pius IX elevated the diocese to an archdiocese, with the dioceses of Louisville, Detroit, and Cleveland as its suffragans. Purcell became the first archbishop of Cincinnati. During his tenure, Purcell made controversial statements, including arguing that Catholics should not be taxed to support public schools, and inviting Cardinal Gaetano Bedini, the emissary of Pope Pius IX, to visit Cincinnati in 1853. German Protestant "Forty-Eighters", who had fled Europe after the failed 1848 revolutions, saw Bedini as a symbol of oppression due to his role in quelling a revolution in the Papal States in 1849. This led to a protest march on Christmas Day 1853, which resulted in injuries and one death.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has had several notable archbishops over the years, including Bishop Henry K. Moeller, who was appointed by Pope Pius X in 1903, and Bishop John T. McNicholas of the Diocese of Detroit, who was appointed by Pope Pius XI in 1925. During his time as archbishop, McNicholas addressed concerns about the influence of the Church hierarchy in Rome on policy, declaring that American Catholics owed no civil allegiance to the Vatican State.

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati proclaims the goodness, beauty, and truth of the Catholic faith, which leads to peace, joy, and fullness of life. It seeks to guide people on a journey to know, love, and serve God, walking together in the peace, love, and joy gifted to them as beloved children of God.

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland was erected on April 23, 1847, by Pope Pius IX, with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The diocese originally included counties stretching west to Toledo and south to Youngstown. Reverend Louis Rappe was appointed as the first bishop of Cleveland and took charge of 42 churches and 21 priests. During his tenure, he established the city's first parochial school, purchased an episcopal residence, and laid the cornerstone of St. John's Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1852. Rappe also introduced several religious orders to the diocese, including the Grey Nuns and the Good Shepherd Sisters. He retired in 1870 after serving as bishop for 33 years.

In 1872, Pope Pius IX appointed Reverend Richard Gilmour as the second bishop of Cleveland. Gilmour founded The Catholic Universe newspaper in 1874. In the early 1890s, the Diocese of Cleveland faced a schism led by Reverend Anton Kolaszewski, who sought more autonomy and cultural sensitivity for Polish parishioners at St. Stanislaus Parish. This dispute resulted in excommunications and the eventual formation of a new independent parish, which was later accepted by the diocese.

In 1921, Bishop Joseph Schrembs was appointed by Pope Pius XI, and during his tenure, he erected 27 parishes within Cleveland and 35 outside the city. In 1943, Pope Pius XII established the Diocese of Youngstown, reducing the territory of the Diocese of Cleveland. After Schrembs' death in 1945, Bishop Edward Hoban succeeded him. As of September 2020, the bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland is Edward Malesic.

The Diocese of Cleveland is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory and is currently the 17th-largest diocese in the United States by population. It encompasses several counties in northeastern Ohio, including Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, and Wayne.

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus

There are six Catholic dioceses in Ohio: Toledo, Cleveland, Youngstown, Columbus, Steubenville, and Cincinnati.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus

Columbus is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, which was erected by Pope Pius IX in 1866. Initially, the diocese comprised only three churches, all located within the city of Columbus: Holy Cross, St. Patrick's, and St. Mary's. The first bishop of Columbus was appointed in 1880 by Pope Leo XIII. Over the years, the diocese has undergone territorial changes, with counties being added and removed to form new dioceses, such as the Diocese of Steubenville in 1945.

The Catholic Diocese of Columbus has a rich history that dates back to the early 19th century. In 1808, Pope Pius VII established the Diocese of Bardstown in Kentucky, which held jurisdiction over the state of Ohio and other Midwest states. The first missionaries and clergy in the Columbus area were Dominican priests from Bardstown. In 1821, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Cincinnati, which encompassed all of Ohio. It wasn't until 1836 that Catholic activity truly began in Columbus when Bishop John Purcell of Cincinnati visited the city and celebrated Mass on Canal Street.

The construction of the Holy Cross Church, the first Catholic church in Columbus, was made possible by the dedication of the local Catholic community and was completed in 1838. By 1843, the Holy Cross parish was thriving, with multiple masses being held on Sundays and the establishment of a school. The growth of the Catholic community in Columbus led to the establishment of the Diocese of Columbus, which has since played a significant role in the religious and social fabric of the city and its surrounding areas.

The diocese has been under the leadership of several bishops throughout its history, each of whom has made significant contributions to its development. One notable figure was Bishop Michael Ready, appointed in 1945, who oversaw the establishment of the Catholic Welfare Bureau and the construction of new churches and schools. The Catholic Columbian, a newspaper serving the diocese, was also founded during this time. The current bishop's residence and diocesan chancery building were constructed in 1949, reflecting the growth and stability of the diocese.

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Roman Catholic Diocese of Steubenville

There are several Roman Catholic dioceses in Ohio, including the Diocese of Steubenville, which covers 13 counties in southeastern Ohio. Pope Pius XII erected the Diocese of Steubenville on October 21, 1944, from 13 counties that were previously part of the Diocese of Columbus. The pope appointed Reverend Anthony Mussio of Cincinnati as the first bishop of Steubenville. During his tenure, Mussio established 73 parishes and 20 missions, as well as several educational and social service institutions. He also opposed a "right to work" amendment to the Ohio Constitution, which would have outlawed mandatory union membership.

The Diocese of Steubenville is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The seat for the diocese is Holy Name Cathedral in Steubenville. In 1992, Auxiliary Bishop Gilbert Sheldon of the Diocese of Cleveland was appointed bishop of Steubenville by Pope John Paul II. Sheldon served until 2002, when he was replaced by Reverend R. Daniel Conlon of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Conlon announced plans to construct a new Triumph of the Cross Cathedral in Steubenville, combining six parishes in the city into a centrally located cathedral parish. However, after raising $8.5 million, Conlon shelved the plan due to the financial risk.

In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named Conlon as the bishop of the Diocese of Joliet, and he was replaced in Steubenville by Reverend Jeffrey Monforton of the Archdiocese of Detroit. In June 2013, Monforton announced that the diocese would retain and renovate the current cathedral, upgrading technology and security, and restoring the towers removed in a previous renovation. Monforton also committed to employing local residents and firms for the work and collaborating with nearby institutions to revitalize the neighborhood.

The Diocese of Steubenville has a rich history that dates back to the 17th century when present-day Ohio was part of the French colony of New France. The Diocese of Quebec had jurisdiction over the region until 1763 when, after the French-Indian War, the Ohio Country became part of the British Province of Quebec. In 1808, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Bardstown in Kentucky, which had jurisdiction over the state of Ohio. In 1821, the Diocese of Cincinnati was established, taking the entire state of Ohio from the Diocese of Bardstown. The first Catholic church in Steubenville, St. Peter's, was dedicated in 1835.

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Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio

There are a total of three Catholic dioceses in Ohio: Columbus, Southern Ohio, and another Diocese of Ohio (which may or may not be the Diocese of Northern Ohio, but that is unclear).

The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio is one of 15 dioceses that make up the Province of the Midwest (Province 5). It was created in 1875 from the Diocese of Ohio and has jurisdiction over 40 counties in the southern half of the state. The diocese comprises 71 churches with more than 18,000 members in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, and in farm towns, county seats, and suburban centres across its area.

The offices of the Bishop of Southern Ohio and the cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, are both located in downtown Cincinnati. The diocese's original cathedral, St. Paul Episcopal Cathedral, was also located in downtown Cincinnati but was demolished in 1937 due to structural problems. Thomas A. Jaggar became the first bishop of the diocese in 1875. The current bishop is Kristen Uffelman White, who became the first female bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio on 17 February 2024.

The Rt. Rev. Kristin Uffelman White, the Tenth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, is known for her work with the people of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Granville, Ohio. St. Luke's is one of many churches in the diocese, including:

  • St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Delaware
  • St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Columbus
  • St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Columbus
  • St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, Fairborn
  • St. Francis Episcopal Church, Springboro
  • St. George's Episcopal Church, Dayton
  • St. James Episcopal Church, Piqua
  • St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Trotwood
  • St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Dayton
  • St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Waynesville
  • St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Dayton
  • St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Greenville
  • St. James Episcopal Church, Zanesville
  • St. John's Episcopal Church, Cambridge
  • St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Marietta
  • St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Gallipolis
  • St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Hillsboro
  • St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chillicothe
  • St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Circleville

Frequently asked questions

There are seven Catholic Dioceses in Ohio: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Steubenville, Toledo, Youngstown, and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio.

A Diocese is a territorial entity in the Catholic Church, administered by a Bishop, that contains a group of parishes.

An Episcopal Diocese is part of the Anglican Communion and is represented in the United States by the Episcopal Church.

Yes, there is also an Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania and Western New York that covers parts of Ohio.

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