The Diocese of Columbus ( la, Dioecesis Columbensis) is a

Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...

ecclesiastical territory or

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

covering 23

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

. The

episcopal see An episcopal see is, in a practical use of the phrase, the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, mak ...

of the diocese is situated at

Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...

. The diocese was erected on March 3, 1868, by

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX ( it, Pio IX, ''Pio Nono''; born Giovanni Maria Mastai Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878, the longest verified papal reign. He was notable for convoking the First Vatican ...

out of the

Archdiocese of Cincinnati The Archdiocese of Cincinnati ( la, Archidiœcesis Cincinnatensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese that covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan ...

. On October 21, 1944, the diocese lost territory when

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (; 2 March 18769 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death in October 1958. Before his e ...

erected the

Diocese of Steubenville The Diocese of Steubenville ( la, Dioecesis Steubenvicensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church covering thirteen counties in southeastern Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the Un ...

. The Diocese of Columbus is a

suffragan diocese A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria ...

in the

ecclesiastical province An ecclesiastical province is one of the basic forms of jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' + 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United State ...

of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

Geography

Overall, the Diocese of Columbus contains 108

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

es in 23

in central and south-central Ohio: Coshocton,

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

, Fairfield, Fayette,

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People * Franklin (given name) * Franklin (surname) * Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class Places Australia * Franklin, Tasmania, a township * Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...

, Hardin,

Hocking Hocking may refer to: Places * Hocking County, Ohio, United States * Hocking Township, Fairfield County, Ohio * Hocking Hills, Ohio * Hocking River, Ohio * Hocking Canal, a former canal that ran parallel to the Hocking River * Hocking, Western Aus ...

Holmes Holmes may refer to: Name * Holmes (surname) * Holmes (given name) * Baron Holmes, noble title created twice in the Peerage of Ireland * Chris Holmes, Baron Holmes of Richmond (born 1971), British former swimmer and life peer Places In the Uni ...

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Qu ...

, Knox,

Licking Licking is the action of passing the tongue over a surface, typically either to deposit saliva onto the surface, or to collect liquid, food or minerals onto the tongue for ingestion, or to communicate with other animals. Many animals both gro ...

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) *Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mario ...

Morrow Morrow is a word meaning "the next day" in literary English. It also means "morning" in archaic English Morrow may also refer to: Places in the United States and Canada United States * Morrow, Arkansas *Morrow, Georgia * Morrow, Louisiana *Morr ...

, Muskingum,

Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...

Pickaway Pickaway County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,539. Its county seat is Circleville. Its name derives from the Pekowi band of Shawnee Indians, who inhabited the area. (See List of Ohio county ...

Pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus of ...

Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

, Scioto, Tuscarawas,

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

, and Vinton.

History

Foundations

The diocese is home to the first Catholic chapel built in the state of Ohio, a log structure built in Perry County, which was dedicated and placed under the patronage of Saint Joseph on December 6, 1818, by then-Fr.

Edward Fenwick Edward Dominic Fenwick, (August 19, 1768 – September 26, 1832) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church, a Dominican friar and the first Bishop of Cincinnati. Early life Edward Fenwick was born August 19, 1768 on the family plantation ...

, O.P. The Dominicans of Bardstown, Kentucky were the first missionary and pastoral workers to care for the needs of the residents of what was then the

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...

. The Diocese of Cincinnati, the first in the state and that from which Columbus was eventually separated, was formed in 1821, with now-bishop Fenwick as its leader. The visit of Fenwick's successor, bishop John Purcell, to central Ohio in June 1836, began the activity of the Catholic Church in the city of Columbus. After saying Mass in a house on Canal Street on June 5, Purcell asked the Catholic men in attendance to meet regarding the construction of a church. A plan was developed to build a church on a lot already owned by the Catholics of the area—where Holy Cross Church now stands. In 1837, the Columbus area was sent a dedicated pastor, Fr. Henry Juncker, who also attended to the Catholics of Chillicothe. He set to building a church at the existing site, and by the 29th of April, 1838 a Sung Mass was offered by Juncker in the building, who dedicated the building to

Saint Remigius Remigius (french: Remi or ; – January 13, 533), was the Bishop of Reims and "Apostle of the Franks". On 25 December 496, he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks. The baptism, leading to about 3000 additional converts, was an important event ...

. By 1843, the congregation had grown to the point of needing multiple Masses on Sundays, and a parish school was soon to be built.

Establishment of the Diocese

At the close of the

Second Plenary Council of Baltimore The Plenary Councils of Baltimore were three national meetings of Catholic bishops in the United States in 1852, 1866 and 1884 in Baltimore, Maryland. During the early history of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States all of the diocese ...

in 1866, the bishops of the United States decided to petition

to establish a new Diocese with its seat in Columbus. On March 3, 1868, the Diocese of Columbus was formally established, encompassing the portions of Ohio "...lying south of 40' and 41" and between the Ohio River on the East and the Scioto River on the West together with the Counties of Franklin, Delaware and Morrow."

Sylvester Horton Rosecrans Sylvester Horton Rosecrans (February 5, 1827 – October 21, 1878) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1868 until his death in 1878. He previously served as an auxiliar ...

, former auxiliary of Cincinnati, was appointed its bishop. At the time, there were only three churches in the city—Holy Cross, St. Patrick's, and St. Mary's. The diocese was mostly agricultural, having been settled first by Maryland and Pennsylvania residents who had moved west, and then later German and Irish immigrants. Rosecrans established the Catholic Columbian, a newspaper for the diocese, in addition to St. Aloysius Seminary and St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum, and saw the construction of St. Joseph Cathedral to its consecration on October 20, 1878, before dying the following morning.

Bishop Watterson

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

appointed Fr. John Watterson as the second bishop of Columbus on March 14, 1880, and was consecrated a bishop on August 8, 1880, by bishop William Elder of Cincinnati. The major challenge facing the new leader of the diocese was the debt accrued by the construction of the new cathedral. During his 19-year-long tenure, Watterson increased the number of priests and schools in the diocese, oversaw the building of two

hospital A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...

s and the

Pontifical College Josephinum The Pontifical College Josephinum is a private Roman Catholic seminary and university in Columbus, Ohio. It was founded by Joseph Jessing in 1888 and was granted the status of a Pontifical College in 1892 by Pope Leo XIII, making it the only pont ...

, and erected many new missions and

parishes A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or m ...

Bishop Moeller

On April 6, 1900, Henry K. Moeller, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, was appointed the third Bishop of Columbus by Pope Leo XIII and consecrated a bishop on August 25. During his episcopacy, the diocesan debt was split among the parishes and nearly eliminated in three years and a diocesan

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

was convened. Moeller also established missions, parishes, and schools to serve the increasing immigrant population of the Diocese. Moeller became the

Coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...

of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 1903.

Bishop Hartley

Moeller's replacement, Fr. James Hartley, was appointed on December 10, 1903, and consecrated a bishop February 25 of the following year. He was formally installed as bishop in St. Joseph Cathedral on March 1, 1904. During his tenure, Hartley oversaw a significant growth of the Diocese of Columbus. In 1905, he erected his first parishes, Holy Rosary and St. Aloysius. In 1906, he retired the debt on St. Joseph Cathedral. Within the first five years of his episcopate, Hartley had begun or dedicated more than 25 churches, schools, and chapels. Hartley also established St. Charles Seminary, St. Joseph Cemetery, St. Ann Hospital, Mercy Hospital in

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

, Good Samaritan Hospital in

Zanesville Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and had a population of 24,765 as of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, down ...

, Mercy Hospital in

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...

, and

St. Therese ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

Shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...

, and renovated St. Joseph Cathedral. Toward the end of his term as bishop he consecrated Edward Gerard Hettinger as the first auxiliary bishop of the Columbus diocese.

Establishment of the Diocese of Steubenville

In 1945,

established the

from thirteen counties ( Carroll,

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

Harrison Harrison may refer to: People * Harrison (name) * Harrison family of Virginia, United States Places In Australia: * Harrison, Australian Capital Territory, suburb in the Canberra district of Gungahlin In Canada: * Inukjuak, Quebec, or " ...

Guernsey Guernsey (; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; french: Guernesey) is an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy that is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency. It is the second largest of the Channel Islands ...

, Belmont,

Noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Great B ...

, Monroe, Morgan,

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

, Meigs,

Gallia Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during Re ...

, and

Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...

) in the southeastern part of the Diocese. In the same document, the nine counties of Hardin, Marion, Union, Madison, Fayette, Pickaway, Ross, Pike and Scioto were transferred from the jurisdiction of Cincinnati to that of Columbus.

Parish groupings

In December 2020, then-bishop Robert J. Brennan announced the "Real Presence Real Future" strategic planning initiative, aiming at "increasing the presence of Christ throughout its 23 counties over the next three years and upholding the Faith for future generations." The initiative is in the process of releasing draft models grouping parishes and resources together due in part to the shortage of Catholic priests. According to Brennan, the process likely will result in some parishes closing. The process continued under bishop

Earl K. Fernandes Earl Kenneth Fernandes (born September 21, 1972) is a Catholic prelate who has served as the 13th Bishop of Columbus in Ohio since 2022. Fernandes is the first Indian-American bishop of the Latin Church in the United States, the first person ...

, with recommendations to be published on August 31, 2022. However, final decisions as to possible closures and consolidations will not be made until

Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the Ne ...

2023.

Museum of Catholic Art and History

The Diocese is also home to the Museum of Catholic Art and History, the largest institution of its kind in the United States according to Cardinal

Francesco Marchisano Francesco Marchisano (25 June 1929 – 27 July 2014) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal who worked in the Roman Curia from 1956 until his death. Biography Born in Racconigi, he was Holy Orders, ordained a priest in Turin by Cardinal ...

. Originally founded in 1998 as the Jubilee Museum, it occupies the site of the first

Wendy's Wendy's is an American international fast food restaurant chain founded by Dave Thomas (1932–2002) on November 15, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio. Its headquarters moved to Dublin, Ohio, on January 29, 2006. As of December 31, 2018, Wendy's was the ...

restaurant, which is now owned by the diocese.

Closure and repurposing of retreat centers

In February 2020, the Diocese announced the closure of two diocesan retreat centers, St. Therese's on the east side of Columbus, and Sts. Peter and Paul in

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

that same summer. The shuttering was due to dwindling use in part because of more parishes having parish centers, newer, non-diocesan facilities being built, and the necessity of repairs at both sites. Sts. Peter and Paul was constructed as a

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

for the

Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions The Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions or PIME ( la, Pontificium Institutum pro Missionibus Exteris; it, Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere) is a society of secular priests and lay people who dedicate their lives to missionary activitie ...

in 1957, and then closed in 1990. It was acquired by the Diocese and reopened as a retreat center in 2003. St. Therese was opened in 1931. However, both sites found new uses as homes for

religious sister A religious sister (abbreviated ''Sr.'' or Sist.) in the Catholic Church is a woman who has taken public vows in a religious institute dedicated to apostolic works, as distinguished from a nun who lives a cloistered monastic life dedicated to pr ...

s serving in the Diocese. St. Therese now houses Daughters of Holy Mary of the Heart of Jesus, a group ministering to girls and young women in the Columbus area, and Sts. Peter and Paul is now the convent for a group of Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual Rosary.

Possible Merger with Steubenville

In October 2022, priests and staff of the Diocese of Steubenville were informed that it would likely extinctively merge back into the Diocese of Columbus. Both the

USCCB The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Conference (US ...

and the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

would have to grant their approval.

Bishops

Bishops of Columbus

(1868–1878) # John Ambrose Watterson (1880–1899) #

Henry K. Moeller Henry K. Moeller (December 11, 1849 – January 5, 1925) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio (1900–1903) and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in Ohio (1904–192 ...

(1900–1903), appointed Coadjutor Archbishop and later Archbishop of Cincinnati #

James Joseph Hartley James Joseph Hartley (June 26, 1858 – January 12, 1944) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1904 until his death over 39 years later. His was the lo ...

(1903–1944) # Michael Joseph Ready (1944–1957) #

Clarence George Issenmann Clarence George Issenmann (May 30, 1907 – July 27, 1982) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in Ohio from 1954 to 1957 as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in ...

(1957–1964), appointed Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of Cleveland #

John Joseph Carberry John Joseph Cardinal Carberry (July 31, 1904 – June 17, 1998) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis, Archdiocese of St. Louis in Missouri from 1968 to 19 ...

(1965–1968), appointed Archbishop of Saint Louis (elevated to

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

in 1969) # Clarence Edward Elwell (1968–1973) #

Edward John Herrmann Edward John Herrmann (November 6, 1913 – December 22, 1999) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1973 to 1982. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archd ...

(1973–1982) # James Anthony Griffin (1983–2004) # Frederick Francis Campbell (2005–2019) # Robert J. Brennan (2019–2021), appointed

Bishop of Brooklyn The Diocese of Brooklyn is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the U.S. state of New York. It is headquartered in Brooklyn and its territory encompasses the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. ...

(2022–present)

Former auxiliary bishops of Columbus

* Edward Gerard Hettinger (1941–1977) * George Avis Fulcher (1976–1983), appointed Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana

Other priests of this diocese who became bishops

These bishops were priests in the diocese before consecration: * Nicholas Aloysius Gallagher, appointed Apostolic Administrator of Galveston in 1882 * Francis William Howard, appointed Bishop of Covington in 1923

Parishes

As of 2020, the Diocese of Columbus comprises 103 parishes and two missions. The parishes are divided into the following deaneries: ;Center - South Columbus Deanery * Community of Holy Rosary/St. John the Evangelist, Columbus (African American; 1979) *Corpus Christi, Columbus (1923) * Holy Cross, Columbus (German; 1846) *Sts. Augustine & Gabriel, Columbus (Vietnamese; 1925) *St. Dominic, Columbus (African American; 1889) * St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus (1866) *St. Ladislas, Columbus (Hungarian/Croatian; 1908) * St. Mary of the Assumption, Columbus (German; 1865) * St. Patrick, Columbus (Irish; 1852) *St. Thomas the Apostle, Columbus (1900) * St. Leo the Great (1902) ;Northwest Columbus Deanery

*Our Lady of Victory,

Marble Cliff Marble Cliff is a village in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 634 at the 2020 census. Marble Cliff was one of the first suburbs of Columbus, Ohio, settled as a community in 1890 and incorporated as the "Hamlet of Marble ...

(1922) *St. Agatha, Columbus (1940) *St. Andrew, Columbus (1955) * Saint Brendan the Navigator Church, Hilliard (1956) *St. Brigid of Kildare, Dublin (1987) *St. Christopher, Columbus (1947) *St. Joan of Arc, Powell (1987) * St. Margaret of Cortona, Columbus (Italian; 1921) *St. Peter, Columbus (1970) *St. Timothy, Columbus (1961) ;North High Deanery

*Holy Name, Columbus (1905) *Immaculate Conception, Columbus (1916) *Our Lady of Peace, Columbus (1946) *Parroquia Santa Cruz, Columbus (Hispanic; 1993) *

Sacred Heart The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus ( la, Cor Jesu Sacratissimum) is one of the most widely practised and well-known Catholic devotions, wherein the heart of Jesus is viewed as a symbol of "God's boundless and passionate love for mankind". This devo ...

, Columbus (1875) *

St. Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi ( it, Francesco d'Assisi; – 3 October 1226), was a mystic Italian Catholic friar, founder of the Franciscans, and one of the most venerated figures in Christianit ...

, Columbus (1892) * St. John the Baptist, Columbus (Italian; 1895) *St. Michael the Archangel, Worthington (1946) *St. Thomas More Newman Center, Columbus (1906) ;Northland Columbus Deanery Church of the Resurrection (New Albany, Ohio)

Church of the Resurrection (New Albany, Ohio)

*Church of the Resurrection, New Albany (1983) *St. Anthony, Columbus (1963) *St. Elizabeth, Columbus (1967) *St. James the Less, Columbus (1947) *St. John Neumann, Sunbury (1977) *St. Matthias, Columbus (1956) *St. Paul, Westerville (1913) ;West Columbus Deanery

* Holy Family Church (Columbus, Ohio) Columbus (Irish; 1877) *Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City (1954) *Sts. Simon & Jude, West Jefferson (German/Irish; 1867) *St. Agnes, Columbus (1954) *St. Aloysius, Columbus (1906) *St. Cecilia, Columbus (1882) *St. Joseph, Plain City (1864) *St. Mary Magdalene, Columbus (1928) *St. Patrick, London (German/Irish; 1866) *St. Stephen the Martyr, Columbus (Hispanic; 1963) ;East Columbus Deanery Saint Catharine of Siena Church (Columbus, Ohio) - exterior

Saint Catharine of Siena Church (Columbus, Ohio) - exterior

*St. John XXIII, Canal Winchester (2000) *Christ the King, Columbus (1946) *Holy Spirit, Columbus (1947) *Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Columbus (1967) *St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Pickerington (1978) * St. Catharine of Siena, Columbus (1931) *St. Mary, Groveport (1871) *St. Matthew, Gahanna (1959) *St. Philip the Apostle, Columbus (1956) *St. Pius X, Reynoldsburg (1958) ;Marion Deanery Immaculate Conception, Kenton, OH, exterior

Immaculate Conception, Kenton, OH, exterior

*Immaculate Conception, Kenton (1866) *Our Lady of Lourdes, Ada (1874) *Our Lady of Lourdes, Marysville (1866) *Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary, Cardington (1971) * St. Mary, Delaware (1854) *St. Mary, Marion (1864) ;Perry County-Zanesville Deanery *Church of the Atonement, Crooksville (1902) *Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mattingly Settlement (1856) *Holy Trinity, Somerset (1826) *St. Ann, Dresden (1877) *St. Bernard, Corning (1885) *

St. Joseph Joseph (; el, Ἰωσήφ, translit=Ioséph) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who, according to the canonical Gospels, was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. The Gospels also name some brothers ...

, Somerset (1818) *

St. Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre ...

, Zanesville (German; 1842) *St. Patrick, Junction City (1827) *St. Rose of Lima, New Lexington (1867) *

St. Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas, OP (; it, Tommaso d'Aquino, lit=Thomas of Aquino; 1225 – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest who was an influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the tradition of scholasticism; he is known ...

, Zanesville (Irish/Italian; 1842) ;Knox-Licking Deanery *Church of the Ascension, Johnstown (1912) *Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Newark (1904) *Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Buckeye Lake (1928) *St. Edward the Confessor, Granville (1947) *St. Francis de Sales, Newark (1844) *St. Leonard, Heath (1962) *St. Luke, Danville (1823) *St. Vincent de Paul, Mt. Vernon (1839) ;Tuscawaras-Holmes-Coshocton Deanery *Holy Trinity, Zoar (1995) *Immacualte Conception, Dennison (Irish; 1870) *Sacred Heart, Coshocton (1897) *Sacred Heart, New Philadelphia (1895) *Sts. Peter & Paul, Glenmont (1855) *St. Francis de Sales, Newcomerstown (1918) *St. Joseph, Dover (German/Italian; 1848) *St. Peter, Millersburg (1877) ;Lancaster Deanery StJohnComplexOhioHocking

*St. Bernadette, Lancaster (1963) *St. Mary, Bremen (1917) *St. Mark, Lancaster (1959) * Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster (1819) * St. John the Evangelist, Logan (1838) *St. Joseph, Sugar Grove (1892) ;Chillicothe Deanery Zaleski St

*Holy Trinity, Jackson (1880) *Sts. Peter & Paul, Wellston (1881) *St. Colman of Cloyne, Washington Courthouse (1881) *St. Joseph, Circleville (1845) *St. Mary, Chillicothe (1837) *St. Mary Queen of the Missions, Waverly (1878) *St. Peter, Chillicothe (German; 1846) *St. Sylvester, Zaleski (Irish; 1864) ;Scioto County Deanery

*Holy Redeemer, Portsmouth (Irish; 1853) *Holy Trinity, Pond Creek (French; 1854) * St. Mary of the Annunciation, (German; 1850) *St. Peter in Chains, Wheelersburg (1849)

Education

Colleges

* Mount Carmel College of Nursing, Columbus *

Ohio Dominican University Ohio Dominican University is a private Dominican liberal arts university in Columbus, Ohio. The university has approximately 1,700 students and offers undergraduate degrees in 40 majors as well as nine graduate degree programs. History The Co ...

, Columbus *

, Columbus (Jurisdiction of the Apostolic Nuncio) PCJ - exterior quarter view

High schools

* Bishop Hartley High School, Columbus * Bishop Ready High School, Columbus *

Bishop Rosecrans High School Bishop Rosecrans High School is a private, Catholic high school, operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, located in Zanesville, Ohio, Zanesville, in the U.S. state of Ohio. The school's athletic teams are known as the Bishops. School h ...

, Zanesville *

Bishop Watterson High School Bishop Watterson High School is a parochial, college preparatory high school located in Columbus, Ohio. History Bishop Watterson High School, founded in 1954 under the auspices of the Diocese of Columbus, is a co-educational college preparator ...

, Columbus * Cristo Rey Columbus High School, Columbus *

Newark Catholic High School Newark Catholic High School is a private, Catholic co-educational high school located in Newark, Ohio in Licking County. It is operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus. Clubs and activities The school's Latin Club functions as a local c ...

, Newark * Notre Dame High School, Portsmouth *

Saint Charles Preparatory School Saint Charles Preparatory School is a four-year Catholic college preparatory school (a type of high school) in Columbus, Ohio, US. It was founded in 1923 by the fourth bishop of Columbus, James Joseph Hartley, James J. Hartley, as a Roman Catholic ...

, Columbus * St. Francis DeSales High School, Columbus *

Tuscarawas Central Catholic High School Tuscarawas Central Catholic Junior/Senior High School is a private, Catholic high school in New Philadelphia, Ohio, United States. It is one of eleven secondary schools operated under the direction of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus. Athleti ...

, New Philadelphia *

William V. Fisher Catholic High School William V. Fisher Catholic High School is a private, Catholic high school in Lancaster, Ohio, USA. History St. Mary High School was founded in 1891 in Lancaster, Ohio. It was renamed Bishop Fenwick High School in 1961. Fisher Catholic was built i ...

, Lancaster

Closed schools

Marion Catholic High School Marion Catholic High School (sometimes referred to as Marion Catholic Junior/Senior Preparatory High School) was a private, Catholic high school in Marion, Ohio, United States that was established in 1879 by three sisters from the Sisters of Char ...

, Marion *St. Ladislas School, Columbus *Corpus Christi School, Columbus *St. Mary High School, Columbus *Holy Family School, Columbus *Holy Name School, Columbus *Bishop Flaget High School, Chillicothe (Currently a grade school) *Father Wehrle High School, Columbus *St. Leo School, Columbus *St. Peter, Chillicothe *St. Mary, Chillicothe *St. Aloysius Academy, New Lexington *St. Thomas the Apostle Grade School, Columbus *Holy Rosary (Grade School & High School) *St. Rose of Lima, New Lexington (closed 2021)

Elementary schools

*All Saints Academy, Columbus *Bishop Fenwick, Zanesville *Bishop Flaget, Chillicothe *Blessed Sacrament, Newark *Holy Spirit, Whitehall *Holy Trinity, Somerset *Immaculate Conception, Columbus *Immaculate Conception, Dennison *Notre Dame Elementary, Portsmouth *Our Lady of Bethlehem, Columbus *Our Lady of Peace, Columbus *Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City *Sacred Heart, Coshocton *St. Agatha, Columbus *St. Andrew, Columbus *St. Anthony, Columbus *St. Bernadette, Lancaster *St. Brendan, Hilliard *St. Brigid of Kildare, Dublin *St. Catharine, Columbus *St. Cecilia, Columbus *St. Francis de Sales, Newark *St. James the Less, Columbus *St. John, Logan *St. Joseph Montessori, Columbus *St. Mary Elementary, Lancaster *St. Mary Magdalene, Columbus *St. Mary, Columbus *St. Mary, Delaware *St. Mary, Marion *St. Matthew, Gahanna *St. Matthias, Columbus *St. Michael, Worthington *St. Patrick, London *St. Paul, Westerville *St. Pius X, Reynoldsburg *St. Timothy, Columbus *St. Vincent de Paul, Mt. Vernon *Sts. Peter and Paul, Wellston *Trinity Elementary, Columbus *Tuscarawas Central Catholic Elementary School, Dover

Hospitals

*Genesis HealthCare System, Zanesville (combination of Good Samaritan Hospital and Bethesda Hospital). Good Samaritan Hospital began in 1900 and is co-sponsored by the

Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity are a Congregation of Roman Catholic apostolic religious women. The congregation was founded in 1869 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, later part of the Roman Catho ...

of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. *Mt. Carmel Hospitals, Columbus (Mt. Carmel, East; Mt. Carmel, West; St. Ann, Westerville). Mt. Carmel opened in 1886, by the

Sisters of the Holy Cross The Sisters of the Holy Cross (CSC) are one of three Catholic congregations of religious sisters which trace their origins to the foundation of the Congregation of Holy Cross by the Blessed Basil Anthony Moreau, CSC, at Le Mans, France in 1837. ...

from St. Mary's, Indiana. In 1972, Mt. Carmel East opened to serve the suburbs. Also, St. Ann's Hospital was bought by Mt. Carmel in 1995. At one time, St. Ann's was operated by the

Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity The Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity is a Roman Catholic religious congregation for women. A third order secular group, the sisters are not cloistered nuns but active in the world, having historically been primarily involve ...

. *Trinity Hospital Twin City, Dennison. Bought by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania in May 2011. ;Former Hospitals The following list are the closed hospitals of the Diocese, which stopped operations due to high costs and other factors: *St. Francis Hospital, Columbus (1862–1955). Operated by the

Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis The Franciscan Sisters of the Poor ( la, Sorores Franciscanae Pauperorum, abbreviated to S.F.P.) are a religious congregation which was established in 1959 as an independent branch from the Congregation of the Poor Sisters of St. Francis, founded i ...

. The building was razed in 1957 and today it is the site of Grant Hospital. *St. Anthony's Hospital, Columbus (1891–1991). Also operated by the

. The original building was razed in 1971 and was finally sold in 1991. It is now part of the Ohio State University hospital system. *San Antonio Hospital, Kenton (1897–1963). The

Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati were founded in 1852 by Mother Margaret Farrell George, by the separation of the community from the Sisters of Charity in Emmitsburg, Maryland. the motherhouse of the community is at Mount Saint Joseph, Ohio. ...

owned the facilities. *Mercy Hospital, Mt. Vernon (1919–1975). Owned by the

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth The Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN) is a Roman Catholic order of nuns. It was founded in 1812 near Bardstown, Kentucky, when three young women responded to Bishop John Baptist Mary David's call for assistance in ministe ...

. This hospital closed and merged with the local public hospital of Mt. Vernon. *Mercy Hospital, Portsmouth (1917–1981). This hospital was owned by the Sisters of St. Francis of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes from Rochester, Minnesota. It was sold to the community hospital in the city.

Religious institutes

The Diocese of Columbus has many

religious institute A religious institute is a type of institute of consecrated life in the Catholic Church whose members take religious vows and lead a life in community with fellow members. Religious institutes are one of the two types of institutes of consecrate ...

s of men and women serving in parishes, schools, colleges, and hospitals.

Religious priests and brothers

Apostles of Jesus

Congregation of the Holy Spirit , image = Holy Ghost Fathers seal.png , size = 175px , caption = The seal of the Congregation depicting the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Trinity. , abbreviation ...

Congregation of Clerics Regular of the Divine Providence The Theatines officially named the Congregation of Clerics Regular ( la, Ordo Clericorum Regularium), abreviated CR, is a Catholic order of clerics regular of Pontifical Right for men founded by Archbishop Gian Pietro Carafa in Sept. 14, 1524. I ...

(Theatines) *St. Joseph, Dover *Holy Trinity , Zoar *Christ the King, Columbus

Fathers of Mercy The Congregation of the Priests of Mercy ( la, Congregatio Presbyterorum a Misericordia), commonly called Fathers of Mercy is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of Pontifical Right for men (missionary priests) founded by Jean-Baptiste Rauz ...

Glenmary Home Missioners Glenmary Home Missioners, also known as The Home Missioners of America Inc.; Latin: ''Societas Missionariorum Domesticorum Americæ''), is a Catholic society of priests and brothers founded in 1939 to serve the spiritual and material needs of peo ...

Heralds of the Good News
ref name=":0"> *St. John Neumann, Sunbury *Church of the Resurrection, New Albany

Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP; la, Institutum Christi Regis Summi Sacerdotis []; french: Institut du Christ Roi Souverain Prêtre []) is a Roman Catholic society of apostolic life of pontifical right in communion with ...

(ICKSP) *Saint Leo Oratory and Church (Columbus, Ohio), St. Leo, Merion Village

Institute of the Incarnate Word The Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) ( es, Instituto del Verbo Encarnado) is a Catholic religious institute founded in Argentina by Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela on March 25, 1984. It is a religious institute of diocesan right. The institute is t ...

Missionaries of the Precious Blood The Missionaries of the Precious Blood ( la, Congregatio Missionariorum Pretiosissimi Sanguinis) is a Catholic community of priests and brothers. The society was founded by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815. The Missionaries of the Precious Bl ...

*St. James the Less, Columbus Missionary Servants of the Word *St. Stephen the Martyr, Columbus *St. Agnes, Columbus

Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy The Royal, Celestial and Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy and the Redemption of the Captives ( la, Ordo Beatae Mariae de Mercede Redemptionis Captivorum, abbreviated O. de M.), also known as the Mercedarians, is a Catholic mendicant order es ...

(Mercerdarians) *

Holy Family The Holy Family consists of the Child Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph. The subject became popular in art from the 1490s on, but veneration of the Holy Family was formally begun in the 17th century by Saint François de Laval, the first ...

, Columbus

Order of Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachi ...

Order of Preachers The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...

(Dominicans) *Holy Trinity, Somerset *

* St. Joseph, Somerset * St. Patrick, Columbus

Society of the Catholic Apostolate The Pallottines officially named the Society of the Catholic Apostolate ( la, Societas Apostolatus Catholici), abbreviated SAC is a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right for men in the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1835 by the Roman C ...

(Pallottines) * Sacred Heart, Columbus *St. Christopher Sons of the Immaculate Conception Congregation *Mt. Carmel Hospitals *St. Elizabeth, Columbus

Religious sisters

*Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (from

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

), St. Peter Chillicothe * The Bridgettine Sisters (Order of the Most Holy Savior), Holy Family Church, Columbus *

Third Order of St. Francis The Third Order of Saint Francis is a third order in the Franciscan tradition of Christianity, founded by the medieval Catholic Church in Italy, Italian Catholic friar Francis of Assisi. The preaching of Francis and his disciples caused many ma ...

(Joliet), Columbus *Little Servant Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Columbus, St. John Paul II Education Center *

Salesian Sisters of Don Bosco , image = Maria Dominika Mazzarello jpg..jpg , image_size = 175px , caption = Maria Mazzarello: Founder , abbreviation = FMA , founder = Saint Sr. Maria Domenica Mazzarello, , type ...

, St. Francis DeSales High School, Columbus *

, Columbus and Mount Vernon *

Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (Congregationis Sororum a Domina Nostra Namurcensi) are a Catholic institute of religious sisters, founded to provide education to the poor. The institute was founded in Amiens, France, in 1804, but the opposi ...

, Columbus * Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Columbus *

, Columbus
Dominican Sisters of Peace
Columbus * Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Columbus *

Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm The Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm are a religious institute begun in 1929 by Mother Angeline Teresa (Bridget Teresa McCrory). The order is there to discern the differing needs of the aged, and to satisfy those needs to the best of thei ...

, Columbus *

Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist is a Catholic female religious institute of diocesan right based in Ann Arbor, Michigan which follows the charism of the Dominican Order. The congregation was founded in 1997 by four members of ...

, St. Michael School, Worthington * Dominican Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Columbus *

, Zanesville *Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary *Leaven of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Portsmouth *Daughters of Holy Mary of the Heart of Jesus

Catholic radio in the Diocese

* WVSG 820 AM Saint Gabriel Radio (the former

WOSU (AM) WVSG (820 kHz, " St. Gabriel Radio") is a non-commercial AM radio station in Columbus, Ohio. It airs local Catholic talk programming in addition to the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network. WVSG's schedule is simulcast on WSGR, 88.3 FM in N ...

) *

WFOT WFOT (89.5 FM) is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Lexington, Ohio, featuring a Catholic–based Christian format as a repeater station in the Annunciation Radio network. Owned by Our Lady of Guadalupe Radio, Inc. (d/b/a Annunciation ...

at 89.5 FM licensed to Lexington and serving the Mansfield area. Annunciation Radio airs programming from

EWTN The Eternal Word Television Network, more commonly known by its initials EWTN, is an American basic cable television network which presents around-the-clock Catholic-themed programming. It is not only the largest Catholic television network in ...

Global Catholic Radio. WFOT broadcasts as a simulcast of

WNOC Annunciation Radio is a regional network of five non-commercial radio stations in Ohio that feature a Catholic–based Christian format with programming from both EWTN Radio and Ave Maria Radio. The flagship station, WNOC (89.7 FM), is licensed ...

Other stations reaching the Diocese

WULM WULM " Radio Maria" 1600 AM (for "Under (Our) Lady's Mantle") is an American non-commercial AM radio station licensed in Springfield, Ohio serving the Springfield and Dayton area with Catholic inspirational programming. It operates at 1600&n ...

"Radio Maria" 1600 AM in Springfield which reaches towards Columbus in some areas during daylight hours and can also be heard 24/7 on the internet, Android, iPhone and

BlackBerry The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by many species in the genus ''Rubus'' in the family Rosaceae, hybrids among these species within the subgenus ''Rubus'', and hybrids between the subgenera ''Rubus'' and ''Idaeobatus''. The taxonomy of ...

via their respective phone applications which can be downloaded a
radiomaria.us
Radio Maria USA is based at originating station

KJMJ KJMJ (580 AM), also known as Radio Maria USA, is a Catholic American radio station broadcasting from Alexandria, Louisiana. It is the originating station of The World Family of Radio Maria's US operations, airing Catholic programming including ...

580 AM in Alexandria, Louisiana. * WNOP "Sacred Heart Radio" 720 AM licensed to Newport, Kentucky and based in Cincinnati which also airs local and EWTN programming...plus an FM sister, WHSS 89.5 in Hamilton.

Clergy abuse scandal

On March 1, 2019, the Diocese released a list of 36 of its clergy that had sexually abused children, and updated the liist to number nearly 50 in September of the same year Groups that support survivors of clergy child rape and sexual molestation expressed skepticism that the list was complete. I. Clergy incardinated in the Diocese of Columbus against whom a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor within the Diocese was made and investigated while the clergy was living. II. Clergy incardinated in the Diocese of Columbus against whom a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor within the Diocese was made after the clergy's death. III. Clergy incardinated in the Diocese of Columbus against whom a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor at a location outside the Diocese was made and investigated while the cleric was living. IV. Extern or religious clergy (clergy from other dioceses or religious orders) who served in the Diocese of Columbus who were credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors (alleged conduct occurred in the Diocese of Columbus). V. Extern or religious clergy who served in the Diocese of Columbus that were credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors elsewhere (alleged conduct occurred outside the Diocese of Columbus).

Settlement

On August 26, 2020, the Diocese of Columbus agreed to settle one sex abuse lawsuit by paying $1 million to alleged victim Kevin Heidtman. Heidtman who is by then in his 30s, said in the lawsuit that longtime St. Charles Preparatory School teacher Monsignor Thomas Bennett, who is deceased, sexually abused him and others and the diocese knowingly let it.

Counselor

Until 2020, the Diocese of Columbus was one of only three Catholic dioceses in the nation to have a priest serve as victim assistance coordinator. Victim advocates criticized this practice, saying it can re-traumatize survivors and discourage the reporting of abuse. An outside licensed counselor was hired in 2020, coinciding with the formation of a Safe Environment Task Force by then-bishop Brennan.

References

External links

Diocesan website
{{Authority control

Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati Religious organizations established in 1868 Religion in Columbus, Ohio

1868 establishments in Ohio