About Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend (Latin: Dioecesis Wayne Castrensis–South Bendensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin rite covering fourteen counties in north-central and northeastern Indiana. Erected by Pope Pius IX on January 8, 1857, and long centered on the pioneer see city of Fort Wayne, it was renamed in 1960 after St. Matthew's Parish in South Bend was named co-cathedral. The mother diocese for northern Indiana — and the cradle of the University of Notre Dame, founded in 1842 by Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C. — it is today led by its ninth bishop, Kevin C. Rhoades, and remains the ecclesiastical home of Notre Dame, Holy Cross College, Saint Mary's College, the University of Saint Francis, and Ancilla Domini College.
- Bishop
- Kevin C. Rhoades
- Established
- 1857
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Fort Wayne)
- Territory
- Fourteen counties in north-central and northeastern Indiana: Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Fulton, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Marshall, Miami, Noble, St. Joseph, Starke (eastern portion remaining after Gary's erection), Steuben, Wabash, and Wells.
- Parishes
- 81 parishes, 2 chapels, and 4 oratories
- Province
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Ecclesiastical Province of Indianapolis)
About the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend is a Latin-rite Roman Catholic diocese covering fourteen counties in northern Indiana — the homeland of the Potawatomi and Miami peoples before French Jesuit missionaries arrived in 1674 with Jacques Marquette. Erected in 1857 by Pope Pius IX from the northern half of the old Diocese of Vincennes, it is suffragan to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and today numbers 81 parishes, two chapels, and four oratories, served by a Catholic population of more than 160,000. The see is led from Fort Wayne (the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception) with a co-cathedral at St. Matthew's in South Bend, and its territory includes the world-famous University of Notre Dame, founded by Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C., in 1842 — fifteen years before the diocese itself existed.
History and Heritage
Catholicism in the region dates to the 1674 voyage of Father Jacques Marquette and the 1697 French explorers at what became South Bend. Bishop Simon Bruté of Vincennes (1834) and his coadjutor Célestin de la Hailandière oversaw the slow Catholic settlement of the area until 1857, when Pope Pius IX created the Diocese of Fort Wayne and appointed John H. Luers as first bishop. Successive bishops built orphanages, schools, and parishes; invited religious congregations including the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ (1863), the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth (1902), the Sisters of St. Francis of Maryville (1906), and the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart; founded Our Sunday Visitor under Bishop Noll; and survived two twentieth-century territorial splits — the creation of Lafayette (1944) and Gary (1956) — before the see was renamed the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend in 1960 and St. Matthew's was named co-cathedral.
- 1857 – Diocese of Fort Wayne erected; John Luers first bishop
- 1863 – First diocesan synod held at Notre Dame
- 1944 – Territory lost to new Diocese of Lafayette
- 1956 – Diocese celebrates centennial; loses four counties to the Diocese of Gary
- 1960 – Diocese renamed Fort Wayne–South Bend; St. Matthew named co-cathedral
- 1998 – Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception rededicated after major restoration
- 2010 – Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades installed as ninth bishop
Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades
Kevin Carl Rhoades is the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. A native of Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Harrisburg in 1982 and served as a theology professor, vocation director, and auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia before being named Bishop of Harrisburg in 2004. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him to Fort Wayne–South Bend on November 14, 2009, and he was installed January 13, 2010. Bishop Rhoades serves nationally on several committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and is known for his emphasis on Catholic education, evangelization, and outreach to those in need.
- Installed January 13, 2010
- Previously Bishop of Harrisburg
- Former chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Fort Wayne)
The mother church of the diocese stands on the original Cathedral Square in downtown Fort Wayne, bounded by Jefferson Boulevard, Calhoun, Lewis, and Clinton Streets. Built 1859–1860 under the direction of Father Julian Benoit, with Bishop Luers laying the cornerstone June 19, 1859, it was dedicated December 8, 1860 — on the feast that has remained both the cathedral's patron and the diocesan patron. Renovated repeatedly, including a 1920s remodeling under Monsignor Thomas Conroy (the 'rebuilder of the Cathedral') that produced the renowned grotesque-Gothic hand-carved sanctuary reredos, and a major 1998 restoration that re-dedicated the building on the same patronal feast, the cathedral is on the National Register of Historic Places (1980) and is believed to be the oldest building in continuous public use in northern Indiana. It contains the tombs of five bishops and three rectors in the crypt, and a stone marker for Miami Chief Jean-Baptiste de Richardville.
- Dedicated December 8, 1860
- National Register of Historic Places (1980)
- 14 stained-glass windows by F.X. Zettler, Royal Bavarian Art Institute (1896)
- Münich-carved Stations of the Cross; marble communion rail
- Hand-carved reredos by Msgr. Thomas Conroy (1920s)
St. Matthew Co-Cathedral (South Bend)
St. Matthew Parish, established in South Bend in the pioneer era, was designated co-cathedral of the diocese when the see was renamed the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend in 1960. With this change, the second auxiliary bishop of the diocese, Bishop Joseph R. Crowley, was sent to St. Matthew's — a lasting sign that the Michiana side of the diocese now had a full-time episcopal presence. Today St. Matthew's serves as the south-side cathedral for the South Bend-area faithful, in the shadow of the University of Notre Dame.
Catholic Schools
The diocese operates 43 schools across its territory, including four diocesan high schools, making Catholic K-12 education one of its largest ministries. The Catholic Schools Office supports curriculum, faith integration, professional development, and accreditation for schools that span the fourteen-county region. The diocese's commitment to Catholic education — highlighted on its homepage with the tagline 'Your generosity sustains 79 parishes and 43 schools' — extends from rural parishes to South Bend and Fort Wayne campuses. Bishop Rhoades has named Catholic education as one of the pillars of his administration.
- 43 Catholic schools, including 4 high schools
- Catholic Schools Office staffed from the Archbishop Noll Catholic Center
- Diocesan support for curriculum, faith integration, and principal formation
University of Notre Dame and Holy Cross Heritage
The University of Notre Dame — founded November 26, 1842 by Father Edward Sorin, C.S.C., and seven Holy Cross brothers on land offered by Bishop de la Hailandière of Vincennes — predates the diocese by fifteen years and remains one of the most prominent Catholic universities in the world. Run today by a predominantly lay Board of Trustees (the transition from Holy Cross governance occurred under Father Hesburgh in 1967), Notre Dame is surrounded within the diocese by Saint Mary's College (1844, Sisters of the Holy Cross), Holy Cross College (1966), Ancilla Domini College in Donaldson, and the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne. The diocese's relationship to these colleges is expressed through campus ministry, vocations support, and shared liturgical and educational events, and through the centuries the Notre Dame campus has hosted diocesan synods, ordinations, and major Catholic gatherings.
- University of Notre Dame (1842) – founded by Fr. Edward Sorin, C.S.C.
- Saint Mary's College (1844) – Sisters of the Holy Cross
- Holy Cross College (1966)
- Ancilla Domini College (Donaldson, Indiana)
- University of Saint Francis (Fort Wayne)
Offices and Ministries
Daily pastoral, educational, and administrative work is carried out through a network of diocesan offices led by the Bishop and his staff. The Archbishop Noll Catholic Center in Fort Wayne houses the chancery, while the St. John Paul II Center in Mishawaka (1328 W. Dragoon Trail, 574-234-0687) hosts offices serving the South Bend region. Major ministries include the Catholic Schools Office, the Office of Worship, the Office of Youth Protection, the Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis, the Vocation Office, the Diocesan Tribunal (for marriage annulments), the Life, Marriage, and Family Formation office, the Office of Pastoral Care and Victim Assistance, Hispanic Ministry, and Young Adult Formation.
- Catholic Schools Office
- Office of Worship
- Office of Youth Protection
- Pastoral Care and Victim Assistance
- Diocesan Tribunal (marriage annulments)
- Vocation Office
- Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis
- Life, Marriage, and Family Formation
- Hispanic Ministry
- Young Adult Formation
Vocations and Seminary Formation
The diocesan Vocation Office provides resources and discernment support for men considering the priesthood and women considering religious life. The diocese counts Saint Meinrad School of Theology in southern Indiana as its primary seminary partner, with the director of seminarians overseeing their formation. Bishop Rhoades ordains new priests each year — including a recent ordination of five new priests — and the diocese also sponsors the St. Cyril of Jerusalem Catechetical Institute and the MIN 301: Introduction to Ministry summer course for parish staff and lay leaders.
- Saint Meinrad School of Theology — primary seminary partner
- Director of Seminarians
- St. Cyril of Jerusalem Catechetical Institute
- Annual Pentecost Collection for Seminarian Education
- MIN 301: Introduction to Ministry
Secretariat for Communications
The Secretariat for Communications oversees the diocese's official news outlets, including Today's Catholic — the official newspaper serving the diocese. The secretariat also manages social media, branding, web development, video production through 7th Floor Studios, graphic design, and media relations. Bishop Rhoades's diocesan spokesperson is the Secretary for Communications. The Secretariat is the communications arm of the diocese, proclaiming the Gospel and inviting deeper engagement through diocesan communications, marketing, and media.
- Today's Catholic newspaper
- 7th Floor Studios – video and audio production
- Graphic design, web development, and marketing strategy
- Media liaison for the Bishop
Youth Protection and Pastoral Care
The Office of Youth Protection works to create safe environments for children and youth in parishes and schools throughout the diocese, in conformity with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Office of Pastoral Care and Victim Assistance brings the compassion of Christ to those in emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual need and serves as a point of contact for survivors of abuse by Church personnel, helping restore hope, faith, and love.
- Safe environment training for volunteers and staff
- Background checks and reporting protocols
- Pastoral outreach to survivors of abuse
Office of Worship and Liturgy
The Office of Worship helps the faithful encounter Christ in the sacred liturgy and through the sacraments, offering formation for priests, deacons, and liturgical ministers; reviewing and approving liturgical translations; and supporting special diocesan celebrations such as ordinations, the Chrism Mass, and the annual Good Friday and Sacred Heart celebrations. Bishop Rhoades has hosted annual National Eucharistic Pilgrimage processions through the diocese, with perpetual pilgrims from the parish communities.
- Liturgical formation
- Chrism Mass and Holy Week celebrations
- National Eucharistic Pilgrimage participation
Parish Life and Worship
Across the diocese, the 81 parishes, two chapels, and four oratories form the lived core of the diocese. Parishes are encouraged to participate in the Annual Bishop's Appeal, which funds seminarian education, Catholic schools, charity, and evangelization. The diocese publishes a quarterly magazine to share the work of the Church across northeastern Indiana; parishes also organize parish schools of religion, RCIA, youth ministry, young adult gatherings, marriage preparation, and Hispanic ministry. The diocese maintains an active online directory and Mass-time finder, as well as a parish locator and school-finder on its website.
- Parish locator and directory on diocesefwsb.org
- Annual Bishop's Appeal
- Quarterly diocesan magazine
- RCIA, youth ministry, marriage preparation, parish schools of religion
Faith Formation and Catechesis
The Secretariat for Evangelization and Catechesis invites the faithful into a living encounter with Christ through faith formation for all ages, including youth formation, young adult formation, and parish-based catechetical programs. Summer institutes such as AFF 106: Sacraments, hosted in conjunction with the St. Cyril of Jerusalem Catechetical Institute, deepen the formation of catechists and lay ministers. The Office of Life, Marriage, and Family Formation provides pastoral care for couples and parents and promotes a culture of life in families, parishes, and the wider community.
- Youth Formation programs
- Young Adult Formation
- St. Cyril of Jerusalem Catechetical Institute
- Marriage preparation and family life ministries
Pilgrimages and Special Events
The diocese sponsors pilgrimages such as the upcoming World Youth Day 2027 pilgrimage, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, and the annual Anniversary Masses celebrated by the Bishop. The diocese also marks its major feast day on December 8 — the patronal feast of the Immaculate Conception — with the annual diocesan celebration at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, and joins the USCCB in events like the recent consecration of the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
- World Youth Day 2027 pilgrimage
- National Eucharistic Pilgrimage procession
- December 8 diocesan patronal feast
- Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Contact and Locations
The diocese's two operating centers are the Archbishop Noll Catholic Center, 915 South Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802 (phone 260-422-4611), and the St. John Paul II Center, 1328 W. Dragoon Trail, Mishawaka, IN 46544 (phone 574-234-0687). The Chancery Office mailing address is P.O. Box 390, Fort Wayne, IN 46801. The diocese is active across social media including Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram under the handle @diocesefwsb, with Today's Catholic as its official newspaper at todayscatholic.org.
- Archbishop Noll Catholic Center (Fort Wayne)
- St. John Paul II Center (Mishawaka)
- Today's Catholic newspaper – todayscatholic.org
- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram – @diocesefwsb
Noteworthy Catholic Institutions within the Diocese
Beyond parishes and schools, the diocese is home to a remarkable constellation of Catholic institutions that testify to its historical and continuing role in Catholic education, healthcare, and the apostolate of the press.
- Our Sunday Visitor – Catholic publishing, founded 1912 in Huntington by Bishop John F. Noll
- Saint Mary's College – Sisters of the Holy Cross, Notre Dame (1844)
- University of Notre Dame – Congregation of Holy Cross (1842)
- Ancilla Domini College – Donaldson, Indiana
- University of Saint Francis – Fort Wayne
- Holy Cross College – Notre Dame, Indiana
- Saint Meinrad School of Theology – primary seminary partner
