Rachel Evans
Ohio, which became a state in 1803, has a long history of Catholicism. The first Catholic ministry in the state was established in the town of Somerset in 1818 by Father Edward Fenwick, a Dominican priest. Since then, the number of Catholic priests in Ohio has grown alongside the Catholic population, which stood at 41,000 in the Diocese of Columbus in the late 19th century and reached 137,000 by 1940. The state's Catholic population growth led to the establishment of the Diocese of Cleveland in 1847 and the Diocese of Columbus in 1868, each with its own bishop and associated priests.
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What You'll Learn
The first Catholic ministry in Ohio
There were approximately 1,176 Catholic priests serving in the state of Ohio as of 2010. Now, let's delve into the history of the first Catholic ministry in this state.
The roots of the Catholic Church in Ohio can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when a small but dedicated group of priests and missionaries began their efforts to establish the faith in the region. The very first Catholic ministry in Ohio was initiated by a priest named Father Edward Fenwick. In 1808, Father Fenwick, along with a small band of pioneers, established a settlement along the banks of the Great Miami River, in what is now known as Cincinnati. This settlement, aptly named 'Losantiville', served as the foundation for the Catholic Church in Ohio and the surrounding regions.
Father Fenwick was a charismatic and dedicated priest who had previously served in Maryland and Kentucky. He was invited to establish a mission in the Ohio territory by Bishop Flaget of Kentucky, who recognized the potential for growth and the need for spiritual guidance in the region. With a small group of pioneers, many of whom were also Catholic, Father Fenwick made the arduous journey westward. They faced numerous challenges, including dangerous terrain, hostile natives (although friendly interactions with Native Americans were also recorded), and the constant threat of wild animals.
Upon their arrival, they quickly set about establishing a place of worship. The first Catholic mass in Ohio was celebrated by Father Fenwick in a modest log cabin, which also served as the first church in Losantiville. This humble beginning marked the start of a vibrant Catholic community that would go on to flourish in the coming decades. Father Fenwick was known for his dedication to education and social welfare, and he established the first Catholic school in the state, laying the foundation for a comprehensive Catholic education system.
As the settlement of Losantiville grew and prospered, so too did the Catholic community. Within a few years, a more permanent church was constructed, dedicated to St. Francis Xavier. This church served as the centerpiece of the Catholic community and became a beacon of faith for Catholics across the region. The growth of the Catholic Church in Ohio was also closely tied to the influx of Catholic immigrants, particularly from Ireland and Germany, who began arriving in significant numbers during the 1830s and 1840s. These immigrants brought with them a strong faith and a determination to establish and maintain their religious traditions in their new homeland.
In conclusion, the establishment of the first Catholic ministry in Ohio was a pivotal moment in the religious history of the state. The dedication and perseverance of Father Edward Fenwick and his pioneering companions laid the foundation for a vibrant and thriving Catholic community that continues to this day. Their efforts ensured that the Catholic faith took root and flourished, shaping the religious landscape of Ohio and providing a spiritual home for countless Catholics across the state.
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The Diocese of Cincinnati
Cincinnati's first Catholic church, Christ Church, was organised in 1819 just beyond the city boundaries. Reverend Emmanuel Thienpont pioneered many parishes in the archdiocese, and Father Fenwick founded the first known Catholic ministry in Ohio in what would become the town of Somerset. St. Joseph's Church was built and blessed in Somerset on December 6, 1818, and it remains the oldest Catholic parish in the state.
As the Catholic population in Ohio continued to grow, the Diocese of Cincinnati was elevated to an archdiocese in 1850 by Pope Pius IX, with the dioceses of Louisville, Detroit, and Cleveland as its suffragans. However, in 1847, Pope Pius IX had also erected the Diocese of Cleveland, taking northeastern Ohio from the Diocese of Cincinnati. This change simplified the administration of multiple counties and established a more defined boundary between the dioceses of Cincinnati and Cleveland.
The second bishop of Cincinnati, Reverend John Purcell, founded Holy Trinity Parish in 1834, the first German language church in the diocese. He also began the construction of Saint Peter in Chains Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1846. In 1851, Purcell constructed Mount St. Mary's of the West Seminary on Price Hill in Cincinnati to replace the smaller St. Francis Xavier seminary. He invited the Jesuit Fathers into the diocese to staff the new seminary and school. Purcell's tenure as bishop and archbishop ended in scandal, as he alienated some of Cincinnati's Protestants with his views on taxation for public schools and invited a controversial emissary of Pope Pius IX, Cardinal Gaetano Bedini, to visit the city in 1853, leading to a protest march that turned violent.
Today, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati proclaims the goodness, beauty, and truth of the Catholic faith, seeking to guide its community towards peace, joy, and fullness of life with Christ as their instructor.
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The Diocese of Cleveland
Rappe soon established the city's first parochial school, which doubled as a chapel. He purchased an episcopal residence in 1848 and converted a frame house on the property into St. Mary's Seminary. Rappe also laid the cornerstone of St. John's Cathedral in 1848 and consecrated it on November 7, 1852. In 1849, he travelled to Europe to recruit clergy for the diocese, returning in 1850 with four priests, five seminarians, two Sisters of Charity, and six Ursuline nuns.
Rappe introduced several religious institutes to the diocese during his tenure, including the Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Augustine, the Grey Nuns, the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Little Sisters of the Poor, the Friars Minor, and the Jesuits. He also established St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland in 1865. Rappe retired in 1870 after 33 years as bishop of Cleveland.
In 1872, Pope Pius IX appointed Reverend Richard Gilmour of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as the second bishop of Cleveland. Gilmour served until his death in 1891, during which time he faced opposition from the Ladies Land League, a women's organization that assisted tenants facing eviction. In 1892, Pope Leo XIII named Reverend Ignatius Horstmann of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as the new bishop of Cleveland. Horstmann founded several institutions in the diocese, including St. John's College in Toledo (1898) and St. Anthony Home for Working Boys in Cleveland.
During his tenure, Horstmann faced two schisms within the Diocese of Cleveland. The first involved Polish parishioners at St. Stanislaus Parish in Cleveland, who demanded more control over their parish and sensitivity to their customs. The second schism occurred in 1907 with Slovenian Catholics, following the removal of Reverend Kasimir Zakrajsek as pastor of St. Vitus Parish in Cleveland. Horstmann died in 1908.
Today, the Diocese of Cleveland is the 17th-largest diocese in the United States by population, encompassing the counties of Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, and Wayne. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in Cleveland, is the mother church of the diocese. As of September 2020, the bishop is Edward Malesic.
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The Diocese of Columbus
The new diocese encompassed counties in central, south-central, and southeastern Ohio, including Franklin, Delaware, and Morrow. It was bounded by the Scioto River to the west and the Ohio River to the east. The first bishop of Columbus was Sylvester Rosecrans, who served from 1868 to 1878. During his tenure, Bishop Rosecrans established the Catholic Columbian newspaper, St. Aloysius Seminary, and St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum. He also oversaw the construction of St. Joseph Cathedral, which was consecrated in 1878.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Diocese of Columbus experienced significant growth and development. Under the leadership of Bishop John Watterson, who served from 1880 to 1899, the number of priests and schools in the diocese increased. Bishop Watterson also oversaw the construction of two hospitals and the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, as well as the establishment of new missions and parishes.
The growth of the diocese continued under subsequent bishops, such as James Hartley, who was appointed in 1903. Bishop Hartley was responsible for the establishment of numerous churches, schools, and chapels, including Holy Rosary and St. Aloysius parishes. He also retired the debt on St. Joseph Cathedral and founded several institutions, such as St. Charles Seminary in Columbus and St. Ann Hospital in Westerville.
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Black southern Ohioans' conversion to Catholicism
Catholicism among Black Southern Ohioans has a long and complex history. The roots of Black Catholicism or African-American Catholicism can be traced back to the earliest converts to Christianity, including Mark the Evangelist, the unnamed Ethiopian eunuch, and Simon of Cyrene. In the context of Ohio, the story of Black Southern Ohioans' conversion to Catholicism is closely tied to the state's history of racial segregation and the struggle for racial justice.
In several small southern Ohio cities during the mid-20th century, Black Americans were denied access to public high schools. As a result, many chose to convert to Catholicism, which offered educational opportunities in private Catholic schools. This trend was not unique to Ohio, as there has been a continuing attraction for African Americans to convert to Catholicism through the mid-20th century.
One notable figure in the history of Black Southern Ohioans' conversion to Catholicism is Daniel Rudd (1854–1903). Born into slavery in Kentucky, Rudd migrated to Springfield, Ohio, where he attended high school. He became a prominent advocate for Black Catholicism, publishing the American Catholic Tribune, a black Catholic weekly newspaper, in Cincinnati and later in Detroit. Rudd believed that the Catholic Church held the key to overcoming racism in the nation through its teachings and structure. He organized several black Catholic lay congresses between 1889 and 1894, including one in Cincinnati in 1890.
The growth of industrial cities in Ohio during the early 20th century, such as Toledo, led to a rapid increase in the state's Catholic population, including Black Catholics. This influx of Catholics, including various cultural and immigrant groups, presented both challenges and opportunities for the Catholic Church in Ohio. The Diocese of Toledo, established in 1910, and the expansion of other dioceses, such as Columbus, accommodated the diverse needs of the growing Catholic community.
Today, there are around three million Black Catholics in the United States, comprising 6% of the total African American population and 4% of American Catholics. While the majority of African Americans are Protestant, Black Catholics have played a significant role in shaping the religious landscape of Ohio, particularly in southern regions like Chillicothe, where families such as the Menefees, Mitchells, and Hairstons are important members of the black Catholic community.
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