Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
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The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States comprised of the state of West Virginia. It is a conjoined diocese with two centers of worship, one day expected to be split into two separate entities. The diocese is led by Bishop Michael J. Bransfield who serves as pastor of the mother church, Cathedral of Saint Joseph in the City of Wheeling. He is also pastor of the Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral in the City of Charleston.
The original Diocese of Wheeling was canonically erected on July 19, 1850 by Pope Pius IX. In response to the growth of Catholicism in the state, the ecclesiastical territory became a conjoined diocese and was consecrated with the current diocesan name on August 21, 1974 by Pope Paul VI.
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is home to Wheeling Jesuit University, an institution of higher learning administered by the Society of Jesus.
