Diocese of Columbus

About the Diocese of Columbus

The Diocese of Columbus is the Catholic Church in central and south-central Ohio, a 23-county territory stretching from the Scioto River on the west to the Ohio River on the east. The Chancery at 198 East Broad Street in downtown Columbus oversees 81 parishes and 2 missions in 10 deaneries, 50 Catholic schools, the Pontifical College Josephinum, and a network of charitable, catechetical, and social-justice ministries. The diocese is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati within the Ecclesiastical Province of Cincinnati, and is led by Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, the 13th bishop and the first Indian-American Catholic bishop in the United States. The mission statement of the diocese emphasizes proclaiming Christ's good news, witnessing together with the Holy Father and the local bishop, and working toward a fuller realization of God's reign through worship, sacraments, teaching, service, community building, and the pursuit of justice.

• Erected March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX
• Suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
• 23 counties, 10 deaneries
• Chancery: 198 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215

History of the Diocese

Catholic life in central Ohio began with Dominican Father Edward Fenwick's 1808 visit to the Dittoe family, leading to the blessing of St. Joseph's Church in Somerset in 1818 — still the oldest Catholic parish in Ohio. As the region's Catholic population grew, the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore (1866) prompted a petition to Rome, and on March 3, 1868 Pope Pius IX erected the Diocese of Columbus, carving territory from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and naming Auxiliary Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans as the first bishop. Over the next century and a half the diocese weathered two world wars, the 1918 flu pandemic, the Great Depression, the postconciliar reforms of Vatican II, and the suburbanization of central Ohio. The 1944 creation of the Diocese of Steubenville redrew the map: 13 eastern counties along the Ohio River were detached and 9 central counties were added from Cincinnati, producing the 23-county footprint that remains. Bishops Watterson, Moeller, Hartley, Ready, Issenmann, Carberry, Elwell, Herrmann, Griffin, Campbell, Brennan, and Fernandes have each shaped the diocese — none more visibly than Bishop James A. Griffin, who founded the diocesan Foundation, led major capital campaigns, and served as president of Catholic Relief Services.

Our Bishop — Most Reverend Earl K. Fernandes

Bishop Earl Kenneth Mario Fernandes was born September 21, 1972 in Toledo, Ohio to Sydney and Thelma Fernandes, Indian immigrants from Mumbai. A graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School in Toledo and the University of Toledo (B.S. in biology), he later studied physiology at the University of Salford, England, and medicine at the University of Cincinnati before entering Mount Saint Mary's Seminary of the West in 1997. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati on May 18, 2002 and went on to earn a licentiate (2006) and doctorate (2007) in moral theology at the Alphonsian Academy in Rome. Appointed by Pope Francis on April 2, 2022 and installed on May 31, 2022 at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westerville, Bishop Fernandes is the 13th Bishop of Columbus, the first Indian-American Catholic bishop in the United States, the first person of color to lead the diocese, and — at the time of his appointment — the youngest diocesan bishop in the country. He is fluent in English, Italian, Spanish, and French and has reading knowledge of Latin. He currently serves on several USCCB committees, is vice-chancellor of the Pontifical College Josephinum, and chairs the diocesan Real Presence, Real Future pastoral planning process.

Cathedral & Patron

The mother church of the diocese is St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Columbus, consecrated on October 20, 1878 by Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans — the day before his death. The patron of the Diocese of Columbus is St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church, Bishop of Geneva and patron saint of writers, the Catholic press, and the deaf. The patronage is thought to have been established by Bishop (later Archbishop and Cardinal) Henry Moeller, who brought the tradition from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The diocese also celebrates the Cathedral Dedication Anniversary on October 20 each year and honors St. Anthony of Padua (June 13) and St. Anne (July 26) as additional patrons.

• St. Joseph Cathedral, Columbus — mother church, consecrated 1878
• Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption, Lancaster — Minor Basilica
• St. Francis de Sales — principal patron (feast: January 24)
• St. Anthony of Padua and St. Anne — additional patrons

Parishes, Deaneries & Worship Sites

Today the Diocese of Columbus maintains 81 parishes and 2 missions organized into 10 deaneries, serving Catholics in 23 counties throughout central Ohio. The diocese's 'Find a Parish' tool helps visitors locate nearby parishes, browse Mass and reconciliation times, and connect with parish life. Parish names reach back to the diocese's earliest days — Holy Cross, St. Patrick's, and St. Mary's were the three original 1868 churches — and reflect the heritage of successive waves of German, Irish, Italian, Hispanic, African, and Vietnamese Catholic immigrants.

Catholic Schools

Catholic education is a hallmark of the Diocese of Columbus, with 50 Catholic schools enrolling nearly 17,500 students as of fall 2025 — a 20-year high. The system includes diocesan elementary schools, regional K–8 schools, and a network of high schools. In 2025, Bishop Fernandes recognized the Chesterton Academy of St. Benedict as an independent Catholic school within the diocese, and the diocese announced a new elementary school (Ave Maria Academy at St. Peter St. Joan of Arc Parish) and a new middle school at Cristo Rey Columbus for the 2026–27 academic year. The Emmaus Road Scholarship Fund provides need-based aid, with diocesan schools awarding more scholarships than ever as overall scholarship revenue has grown in recent years.

• Bishop Hartley High School — Columbus
• Bishop Ready High School — Columbus
• Bishop Rosecrans High School — Zanesville
• Bishop Watterson High School — Columbus
• Cristo Rey Columbus High School — Columbus
• Newark Catholic High School — Newark
• Notre Dame Schools — Portsmouth
• St. Charles Preparatory School — Columbus
• St. Francis DeSales High School — Columbus
• Tuscarawas Central Catholic Jr./Sr. High School — New Philadelphia
• William V. Fisher Catholic High School — Lancaster
• Chesterton Academy of St. Benedict (independent, recognized 2025)
• Ave Maria Academy (opening 2026–27)
• Cristo Rey Columbus Middle School (opening 2026–27)

Offices & Ministries

The Chancery curia of the Diocese of Columbus coordinates a broad range of offices and ministries: Vocations, Evangelization and Catechesis, Catholic Schools, Safe Environment, the Vicariate for Catholic Social Doctrine, Family Ministry, Missions, Worship, Communications, Cemeteries, Charities, Outreach, Administration, and The Appeal — the annual diocesan fundraising campaign that supports evangelization, education, and pastoral care across the 23-county diocese.

Real Presence, Real Future — Parish Reorganization

'Real Presence, Real Future' is the multi-year pastoral planning and parish reorganization process launched in 2019 under Bishop Robert J. Brennan and finalized under Bishop Earl K. Fernandes. Faced with declining Mass attendance, fewer young priests, rural population loss, and shifting demographics in the Columbus suburbs, the process engaged thousands of parishioners in deanery-level consultation. Final recommendations presented to the bishop in fall 2022 proposed 19 parish closures; Bishop Fernandes ultimately confirmed 15 parish closures and 2 school closures, while emphasizing new growth opportunities — particularly in Hispanic, African, and French-speaking communities — and the potential construction of new schools in growth corridors.

Administration & Diocesan Staff

The diocesan curia is led by Bishop Earl K. Fernandes and includes two Vicars General (Reverend William Hahn, Vicar General and Director of Priestly Life and Vocations; Reverend Michael Hartge, Vicar General, Moderator of Mission Advancement, and Moderator of the Curia); Chancellor Deacon Thomas M. Berg, Jr.; Vicar for Hispanic Ministry Rev. David Arroyo, CR; Vicar for Evangelization Rev. Adam Streitenberger; Delegate for Religious Sr. Antoinette Cedrone, FMA; and Secretary to the Bishop Julie Greer. Bishop Emeritus Frederick F. Campbell (2005–2019) and Bishop Emeritus James Anthony Griffin (1983–2004) remain active in support of the diocese.

• Diocese of Columbus Chancery, 198 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215
• Phone: (614) 224-2251 | Email: [email protected]
• Victim Assistance Coordinator: 866-488-0217
• Bishop Fernandes serves as president of the diocesan corporation; Vice President Msgr. Stephan J. Moloney; Secretary/Treasurer Dcn. Thomas M. Berg, Jr.

Find a Parish, Mass Times & Confession

Parish Mass schedules, reconciliation (confession) times, Eucharistic adoration, and devotions are published on each parish's page within the diocesan website. The 'Find a Parish' directory lets visitors search by city, zip code, or school to find the nearest Catholic community, along with weekend and daily Mass times, holy day schedules, and contact information for the pastor and parish office. Visitors are encouraged to contact parishes directly for the most up-to-date information on Holy Week, Christmas, and special diocesan liturgies.