About Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Latin: Archidioecesis Cincinnatensis) is a metropolitan see of the Roman Catholic Church serving 19 counties in western and southwestern Ohio, with the mother church at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati. Erected on June 19, 1821 as the eighth Catholic diocese in the United States and elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese on July 19, 1850, it is the oldest Catholic diocese west of the Allegheny Mountains that has retained its name. Today the archdiocese counts roughly 440,000 Catholics, about 208 canonical parishes grouped into 57 Families of Parishes, and 109–111 Catholic primary and secondary schools — the fifth-largest Catholic school system in the country by enrollment. The current archbishop, appointed in 2025, is Robert G. Casey, the tenth head of the see.
- Archbishop
- Robert G. Casey
- Established
- 1821
- Cathedral
- Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains
- Territory
- 19 counties of western and southwestern Ohio: Mercer, Auglaize, Logan, Shelby, Darke, Miami, Champaign, Clark, Greene, Montgomery, Preble, Butler, Warren, Clinton, Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Highland, and Adams. Includes the cities of Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield, and Hamilton.
- Parishes
- 208 canonical parishes (organized into 57 Families of Parishes, 12 deaneries)
- Province
- Itself the metropolitan see of the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati, which includes the suffragan dioceses of Cleveland, Columbus, Steubenville, Toledo, and Youngstown — i.e., the entire state of Ohio.
History of the Archdiocese
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati traces its origins to the missionary frontier of 1821, when Pope Pius VII erected the eighth Catholic diocese in the United States by dividing the Diocese of Bardstown. Dominican priest Edward Fenwick, the first bishop, traveled on horseback through Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, founded the schools that became Xavier University and Mount St. Mary's Seminary, and launched The Catholic Telegraph in 1831. The diocese grew explosively under Archbishop John B. Purcell, the 'Patriarch of the West,' who welcomed Irish and German immigrants, built St. Peter in Chains Cathedral (consecrated 1845), and saw the see elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese on July 19, 1850. Over the next century the archdiocese shed territory to spawn the dioceses of Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo and others, while continuing to grow in parishes, schools and people. Key milestones include the 1957 renovation and rededication of the cathedral under Archbishop Karl Alter, the pontificate of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin (1972–82), and the launch of the Beacons of Light pastoral plan in 2020 by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, which reorganized 208 parishes into 57 Families of Parishes.
- 1821: Diocese of Cincinnati erected; Bishop Edward Fenwick, O.P. installed
- 1833: Bishop John B. Purcell succeeds Fenwick
- 1845: St. Peter in Chains Cathedral consecrated
- 1850: Elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese
- 1957: Cathedral rededicated after major renovation by Archbishop Alter
- 1972: Archbishop Joseph Bernardin installed; later created Cardinal
- 2009: Archbishop Dennis Schnurr installed; launches Beacons of Light
- 2020: Cathedral designated a minor basilica by Pope Francis
- 2025: Archbishop Robert G. Casey installed as tenth head of the see
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains is the third cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and the first large Catholic church built west of the Allegheny Mountains. Bishop (later Archbishop) John Baptist Purcell laid its cornerstone on May 20, 1841 on Plum Street in downtown Cincinnati and consecrated the Greek Revival structure on November 2, 1845. The cathedral's 224-foot single spire of pure white limestone was for many decades the tallest man-made structure in Cincinnati, and the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (since January 18, 1973). The interior is uniquely Greek-themed among American Catholic cathedrals, with Corinthian columns of French blue marble, dark green Italian marble floors, murals of the Stations of the Cross by Carl Zimmerman, and a massive Venetian-glass mosaic — 35 feet high and 40 feet wide, the largest in the United States — designed by Anton Wendling of Aachen, Germany, and installed in 1957 under the supervision of master craftsman Erhard Stoettner.
The cathedral's motto, inscribed beneath the papal shield, is 'In Vinculis Vinco' ('In chains, I conquer'), expressing the confidence that, bound like Saint Peter, the faithful are still victorious in Christ. The cathedral also holds a processional cross with a corpus by 16th-century Italian goldsmith Benvenuto Cellini, a 15th/16th-century missal stand once owned by Cardinal Ximenes de Cisneros (confessor to Queen Isabella I), and a replica of Michelangelo's Pietà in the baptistery. Pope Francis elevated the church to a minor basilica on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, 2020, marked by a red-and-gold ombrellino processional canopy above the basilica's shield.
- Cornerstone laid May 20, 1841; consecrated November 2, 1845
- First large Catholic church west of the Alleghenies
- 224-foot spire of pure white limestone
- Venetian-glass apse mosaic: 35 ft high × 40 ft wide (largest in U.S.)
- Corinthian columns of French blue marble; Italian green-marble floors
- Carl Zimmerman Stations of the Cross murals
- 1951–57: Five-year renovation and expansion by Archbishop Karl Alter; rededicated November 3, 1957
- Treasures include Benvenuto Cellini processional cross, Ximenes missal stand, Michelangelo Pietà replica
- Designated a minor basilica by Pope Francis, June 29, 2020
Bishops and Archbishops in Succession
Cincinnati has been led by two bishops and eight archbishops since 1821, including three who were elevated to cardinal (Henry K. Moeller, Joseph Bernardin, and Daniel Pilarczyk in pectore). Archbishop Robert G. Casey, the tenth head of the see, was appointed by Pope Francis on February 12, 2025 and installed on April 3, 2025. Casey previously served as an Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago under Cardinal Blase Cupich and was ordained a priest for Chicago in 1994. He is continuing the Beacons of Light pastoral planning initiative and has announced Synod 2027, the first archdiocesan synod since 1971.
- Bishops: Edward D. Fenwick, O.P. (1822–32); John B. Purcell (1833–50)
- Archbishops: John B. Purcell, William H. Elder, Henry K. Moeller (Cardinal), John T. McNicholas O.P., Karl J. Alter, Paul F. Leibold, Joseph Bernardin (Cardinal, later Chicago), Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Dennis M. Schnurr, Robert G. Casey (current)
The Beacons of Light Pastoral Plan and Families of Parishes
Beacons of Light is the archdiocese's comprehensive pastoral planning initiative launched by Archbishop Dennis Schnurr in 2020 to address three converging challenges: a projected 20 percent drop in the number of active archdiocesan priests available for assignment over the next five years, steadily declining religious practice, and parishes whose resources are 'spread too thin.' The plan reorganized the archdiocese's roughly 208 canonical parishes into 57 multi-parish 'Families of Parishes,' each led by a priestly moderator or pastor and a lay director of parish operations, who together shepherd the parishes as a single pastoral unit. The final configuration was announced publicly on December 5, 2021 at the Cathedral Basilica by Archbishop Schnurr after a two-year process that included a draft map, an open comment period that drew nearly 8,000 comments, and multiple rounds of modeling with a consulting group.
- Launched 2020 by Archbishop Schnurr
- 57 Families of Parishes promulgated December 5, 2021
- 12 deaneries, 208 canonical parishes
- Goal: stabilize priestly ministry, reverse decline in religious practice, position diocese for growth
Catholic Schools
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati operates the fifth-largest Catholic school system in the United States, with roughly 109–111 K-12 schools enrolling close to 40,000 students across the 19-county territory. The system includes 24 Catholic high schools and 87 elementary/middle schools, including 67 parish schools, 10 consolidated schools, 2 archdiocesan schools, 7 privately owned schools and 1 board-owned school. The archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office, led by a Superintendent of Schools, supports Catholic identity, accreditations, academic programs, assessments, financial planning, marketing and development, and access to government programs. Like most U.S. Catholic school systems, Cincinnati has seen enrollment decline about 13.7 percent from 2010/11 to 2020/21, and Beacons of Light projections anticipate another 5.1 percent drop by 2025/26, prompting ongoing consolidation — for example, the Bishop Leibold Consolidated schools in Miamisburg.
- Roughly 109–111 K-12 schools, ~40,000 students
- 24 Catholic high schools, 87 K-8 schools
- Among the high schools: Archbishop Moeller, Elder, St. Xavier, La Salle, Roger Bacon, Chaminade Julienne, Archbishop Alter, Archbishop McNicholas, Badin, Fenwick, Lehman, Archbishop Carroll, Seton, Mercy McAuley, Mt. Notre Dame, Purcell Marian, DePaul Cristo Rey, Catholic Central
- Greater Catholic League (GCL) — Moeller, Elder, St. Xavier, La Salle — is considered one of the premier high school conferences in the nation
Notable Catholic High Schools
Cincinnati is unusual in the United States for the depth and breadth of its Catholic high school system, several of which are nationally recognized in athletics and academics. Elder High School (1922) was Cincinnati's first Catholic diocesan high school and is named for Archbishop William Henry Elder; its motto is 'Altiora' (Strive for the higher things). Archbishop Moeller High School (opened September 1960, named for the third Archbishop Henry K. Moeller) is a Marianist-run all-male school whose athletic program has produced MLB stars Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr. and Buddy Bell. La Salle High School (1960) and Roger Bacon High School round out the Greater Catholic League South, often ranked among the best high school conferences in the country. In the Dayton area, Chaminade Julienne, Archbishop Alter, Archbishop Carroll, and Fenwick are leading Catholic high schools, while Lehman High School in Sidney and Catholic Central in Springfield serve more rural counties.
- Elder (1922) — oldest Catholic high school in the archdiocese
- Archbishop Moeller (1960) — Marianist, all-male, named for Archbishop Henry K. Moeller
- St. Xavier (Jesuit, all-male), La Salle (Christian Brothers, all-male), Roger Bacon (Franciscan, coed) — the core of the GCL
- Alter (Kettering), Chaminade Julienne (Dayton), Carroll (Dayton), Fenwick (Franklin), Lehman (Sidney), Catholic Central (Springfield)
Seminary Formation and Vocations
Mount St. Mary's Seminary & School of Theology, on Price Hill in Cincinnati, is the archdiocese's main seminary, founded in 1829 by Bishop Edward Fenwick as a literary institution and expanded in 1851 by Archbishop Purcell as a theological seminary. Today, as of 2024, 39 graduate-level seminarians and 8 college-level seminarians are in formation for the archdiocese, supported in part by the Catholic Ministries Appeal. During his tenure Archbishop Dennis Schnurr introduced a 'Prayer for Vocations' to be prayed at all churches in the archdiocese, and saw priestly vocations increase, prompting an expansion of the seminary.
- Mount St. Mary's Seminary & School of Theology (1829/1851)
- 39 graduate seminarians and 8 college seminarians in formation (2024)
Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA)
The Catholic Ministries Appeal is the archdiocese's annual collaborative fundraising campaign that unites all parishes in support of six shared ministries that 'teach, feed and heal.' Supported ministries include Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley, the Center for the New Evangelization, the Office of Prison Ministry, Hospital Ministry, and Campus Ministry at the University of Cincinnati, Miami University, Wright State University and other schools. The CMA also funds 100 retired priests of the archdiocese, supports St. Rita School for the Deaf, and provides tuition assistance to Mount St. Mary's seminarians. The 2023 appeal raised more than $6 million, enabling more than 300,000 meals served to the poor and more than 40,000 patient visits in hospitals; the 2024 goal was $5.5 million.
- CMA supports Catholic Charities SW Ohio and Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley
- Funds prison, hospital and campus ministry
- Supports 100 retired priests, St. Rita School for the Deaf, Mount St. Mary's seminarians
- 2023 raised $6+ million; 2024 goal $5.5 million
Catholic Charities, Social Services and Outreach
Two flagship social-service agencies — Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio and Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley — serve the hungry, homeless, elderly, at-risk youth, and families across the 19-county region. Supported in large part by the CMA, these agencies deliver food, rent and utility assistance, refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, counseling, and disaster response, putting the corporal works of mercy into practice throughout the archdiocese.
- Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio (Cincinnati)
- Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley (Dayton)
Campus, Hospital and Prison Ministry
CMA funding supports Catholic campus ministers at the University of Cincinnati, Miami University, Wright State University and other public universities, where they accompany Catholic students, offer Mass and the sacraments, and form peer ministers. Hospital ministry places trained lay and ordained chaplains in Catholic and secular hospitals across the region, while the Office of Prison Ministry extends pastoral care to those incarcerated in Ohio's state correctional facilities. The archdiocese also appoints campus ministers in all 23 Catholic high schools — a role formalized in 2024 by Father Jacob DuMont, L.C., the new Director of Faith Development in the Schools Office, who is working to expand access to Mass, Confession and Eucharistic adoration among students.
- Campus ministry at UC, Miami University, Wright State
- 23 Catholic high schools each have a campus minister
- Father Jacob DuMont, L.C., Director of Faith Development, focuses on Catholic identity in high schools
The Catholic Telegraph
The Catholic Telegraph, founded in 1831 by Bishop Edward Fenwick, is the oldest Catholic publication in continuous existence in the United States. Originally a weekly newspaper, today it appears as a monthly magazine and is mailed free of charge to every registered Catholic household in the archdiocese, covering archdiocesan news, faith formation, school features, and reflections on Catholic life in southwestern Ohio.
- Founded 1831 by Bishop Edward Fenwick
- Oldest continuously published Catholic periodical in the U.S.
- Mailed free to all registered Catholic households in the archdiocese
Office of the Archbishop and Chancery
The Chancery of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is housed at 100 East Eighth Street in downtown Cincinnati, adjacent to the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains. The current archbishop is Robert G. Casey, installed April 3, 2025; the vicar general is Reverend Steve Angi. Bishops emeriti include Dennis M. Schnurr and Joseph R. Binzer. The archdiocesan offices — including Catholic Schools, Stewardship, Communications, the Office of the Tribunal, Vocations, Marriage and Family Life, the Center for the New Evangelization, and many others — are coordinated from the chancery and listed on the official website at catholicaoc.org/offices.
- Chancery: 100 East 8th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
- Telephone: (513) 421-3131
- Archbishop: Robert G. Casey (installed April 3, 2025)
- Vicar General: Rev. Steve Angi
- Bishops Emeriti: Dennis M. Schnurr, Joseph R. Binzer
Ecclesiastical Province and Suffragan Dioceses
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the metropolitan see of the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati, which encompasses the entire state of Ohio. Its five suffragan dioceses are Cleveland (erected 1847), Columbus (1868), Steubenville (1944), Toledo (1910), and Youngstown (1943). The metropolitan archbishop of Cincinnati has ceremonial oversight of the province and serves as a link between the suffragan bishops and the Holy See.
- Cleveland, Columbus, Steubenville, Toledo, Youngstown — suffragan to Cincinnati
Saints, Blesseds and Servants of God from the Archdiocese
Although no canonized saint has been a member of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, several causes for canonization are associated with the local Church, the most prominent being Saint John Baptist Purcell, the second bishop and first archbishop, whose cause was opened by the archdiocese and who has the title of Servant of God. Sister Blandina Segale, a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, served on the New Mexico frontier in the 1880s and 1890s, befriended Archbishop (later Saint) John Baptist Purcell, and is a recognized Servant of God. Sister Mary of the Cross (Maria Teresa Chiramel Mankidiyan) and other holy men and women of southwestern Ohio are likewise part of the local tradition of sanctity.
- Servant of God John Baptist Purcell — cause for canonization opened by the archdiocese
- Servant of God Sister Blandina Segale, S.C. — frontier missionary and educator
Getting Involved: Parishes, Mass Times, and Confession
Parishioners and visitors can find Mass times, Confession schedules, adoration opportunities, and parish contact information through the archdiocesan website (catholicaoc.org) or the Cathedral Basilica's own site (cathedralaoc.org). Each Family of Parishes maintains its own schedule of weekend Masses in multiple languages (English, Spanish, and others as demographics require), weekday Masses, Reconciliation (Confession), Eucharistic Adoration, and Holy Day schedules. The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains itself offers daily Mass, Sunday Mass, and Confession; consult cathedralaoc.org for the current schedule. For information on becoming Catholic (OCIA / RCIA), marriage preparation, infant baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, or Holy Orders, the parish office or the archdiocesan Office of Evangelization and Discipleship is the first point of contact.
- Find a parish and Mass times at catholicaoc.org
- Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains: 325 West 8th Street, Cincinnati
- Reconciliation, Adoration, Anointing of the Sick available at every parish
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults seeking to become Catholic; marriage prep; youth and family ministry through parishes
