Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus


The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus is a Roman Catholic diocese in the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati covering 23 counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The episcopal see of the diocese is situated at Columbus. 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.

Early history

The Catholic faith was brought in the area by the Dominican Order in Somerset. They established St. Joseph's Parish in Somerset, the state's oldest parish, 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

Bishops of Columbus

  1. Sylvester Horton Rosecrans
  2. John Ambrose Watterson
  3. Henry K. Moeller, appointed Coadjutor Archbishop and later Archbishop of Cincinnati
  4. James Joseph Hartley
  5. Michael Joseph Ready
  6. Clarence George Issenmann, appointed Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of Cleveland
  7. John Joseph Carberry, appointed Archbishop of Saint Louis
  8. Clarence Edward Elwell
  9. Edward John Herrmann
  10. James Anthony Griffin
  11. Frederick Francis Campbell
  12. Robert J. Brennan

    Auxiliary Bishops

These bishops were priests in the diocese before consecration:
As of 2011, the Diocese of Columbus comprises 106 parishes and three 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

Colleges

High schools

;Former Hospitals
The following list are the closed hospitals of the Diocese, which stopped operations due to high costs and other factors:
The Diocese of Columbus has many religious institutes of men and women serving in parishes, schools, colleges, and hospitals.

Religious priests and brothers

;
;Paulist Fathers
;Precious Blood Fathers
; Sons of the Immaculate Conception Congregation
On March 1, 2019, the Diocese released a list of 36 of its clergy that had sexually abused children. 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.
NameOrdainedStatus
Fr. Ronald Atwood1969Deceased
Fr. Thomas Brosmer1969Removed from ministry
Fr. R. Michael Ellifritz1967Laicized
Fr. Roger Emmert1962Deceased
Msgr. Joseph Fete1974Laicized
Fr. Michael Hanrahan1971Laicized, deceased
Dcn. James Hutson1982Deceased
Fr. Philip Jacobs1974Laicized
Fr. Raymond Lavelle1957Deceased
Fr. Frederick Loyd1970Laicized
Fr. Robert Luchi1957Left ministry
Fr. Bernard McClory1953Deceased
Fr. Thomas McLaughlin1956Laicized, deceased
Fr. Samuel Ritchey1973Laicized, deceased
Fr. Francis Schaefer1955Deceased
Fr. George Tumeo1965Laicized
Fr. Martin Weithman1980Laicized

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.
NameOrdainedStatus
Msgr. Harry Estadt1932Deceased
Fr. John Geiger1957Deceased
Fr. Louis Hoffman1943Deceased
Fr. Robert Schmidt1943Deceased
Fr. Ted Spires1961Laicized, deceased
Fr. Alan Sprenger1960Deceased
Fr. John Tague1951Deceased

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.
NameOrdainedStatus
Fr. Carl Drake1964Removed from ministry

IV.  Extern or religious clergy who served in the Diocese of Columbus who were credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.
NameOrdainedStatus
Fr. Hector Bellinato, PIME1935No longer in Diocese
Fr. David Heimann1958Deceased
Dcn. Gabriel Hernandez2008Dismissed from the Josephinum, laicized
Fr. Robert Hunt, C.PP.S.1954Deceased
Fr. Timothy Keane, SS.CC.1950No longer in ministry

V.  Extern or religious clergy who served in the Diocese of Columbus that were credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors elsewhere.  
NameOrdainedStatus
Fr. Pierre Albalaa, MSM1995Removed from ministry
Fr. Frank Benham1963Left ministry
Fr. Aaron J. Cote, OP1986Deceased
Fr. Kenneth France-Kelly, OP1981