Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus

Diocese of Columbus
Dioecesis Columbensis

St. Joseph's Cathedral, Columbus
Location
Country United States
Territory 23 counties in Central and Southern Ohio.
Ecclesiastical province Province of Cincinnati
Metropolitan Columbus, Ohio
Population
- Catholics

252,103
Information
Denomination Catholic
Rite Latin Rite
Established March 3, 1868
Cathedral St. Joseph Cathedral
Patron saint St. Francis de Sales
Current leadership
Pope Benedict XVI
Bishop Frederick Francis Campbell
Bishop of Columbus
Metropolitan Archbishop Dennis Marion Schnurr
Archbishop of Cincinnati
Emeritus Bishops James Anthony Griffin
Map

Diocesan map of Ohio with the Diocese of Columbus in light yellow.
Website
colsdioc.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus (Latin: Dioecesis Columbensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati covering 23 counties in Ohio. The episcopal see of the diocese is situated at Columbus, Ohio. The diocese was erected on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX out of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. On October 21, 1944 the diocese lost territory when Pope Pius XII erected the Diocese of Steubenville.

Contents

Early history

The Catholic faith was brought in the area by the Dominican Order in Somerset, Ohio. They established St. Joseph's Parish in Somerset, which is the oldest parish in the state of Ohio, while under the direction of Edward Fenwick. These Dominican friars spread the faith in various areas of Central and Southern Ohio. Pennsylvania Germans and Irish immigrants settled in this part of the state, which led to the establishment of the older parishes. While the Germans and Irish settled in the southeastern part of Ohio, French immigrants came to the northern part of the diocese. In addition, small groups of Italians, Hungarians, and Slovaks moved into farming communities or in the city of Columbus.

Bishops

The bishops of the diocese, in the order they served, are:

  1. Sylvester Horton Rosecrans (1868–1878) died
  2. John Ambrose Watterson (1880–1899) died
  3. Henry Moeller (1900–1903) appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Cincinnati
  4. James Joseph Hartley (1903–1944) died
  5. Michael Joseph Ready (1944–1957) died
  6. Clarence George Issenmann (1957–1964) appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Cleveland
  7. John Joseph Carberry (1965–1968) appointed Archbishop of Saint Louis and elevated to Cardinal in 1969
  8. Clarence Edward Elwell (1968–1973) died
  9. Edward John Herrmann (1973–1982) retired
  10. James Anthony Griffin (1983–2004) retired
  11. Frederick Francis Campbell (2005—)

Affiliated Bishops

Parishes

As of 2011, the Diocese of Columbus compromises of 106 parishes and 3 missions. The parishes are divided into the following deaneries:

Center - South Columbus Deanery
Northwest Columbus Deanery
North High Deanery
Northland Columbus Deanery
West Columbus Deanery
East Columbus Deanery
Marion Deanery
Perry County-Zanesville Deanery
Knox-Licking Deanery
Tuscawaras-Holmes-Coshocton Deanery
Lancaster Deanery
Chillicothe Deanery
Scioto County Deanery

Education

Colleges

High schools

Elementary schools

Hospitals

Former Hospitals

The following list are the closed hospitals of the Diocese, which stopped operations due to high costs and other factors:

Religious orders

The Diocese of Columbus has many religious men and women orders serving in parishes, schools, colleges, and hospitals.

Religious priests and brothers

Dominicans (Province of St. Joseph)
Paulist Fathers
Precious Blood Fathers
Society of Jesus
Sons of the Immaculate Conception Congregation

Religious Sisters

Catholic radio within the Diocese

Other stations reaching into portions of the Diocese

External links