About Diocese of Madison
The Diocese of Madison (Latin: Diœcesis Madisonensis) is a Roman Catholic diocese covering eleven counties in southwestern Wisconsin — Columbia, Dane, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Marquette, Rock, and Sauk — with St. Bernard Catholic Church in Madison serving as the current cathedral. Erected on January 9, 1946, by Pope Pius XII from territory taken from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Diocese of La Crosse, it is led by its fifth bishop, Donald J. Hying, and is a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The diocese serves roughly 167,000 Catholics across 102 parishes and 46 schools and runs the pastoral renewal initiative Into the Deep, which since 2023 has grouped parishes into 30 pastorates.
- Bishop
- Donald J. Hying
- Established
- 1946
- Cathedral
- St. Bernard Catholic Church, Madison
- Territory
- Eleven counties in southwestern Wisconsin: Columbia, Dane, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Lafayette, Marquette, Rock, and Sauk (approximately 8,070 sq mi / 20,900 km²)
- Parishes
- 102 parishes (2020), grouped into 30 pastorates as of July 1, 2023
- Province
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee (Ecclesiastical Province of Milwaukee; Metropolitan Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob)
About the Diocese of Madison
The Diocese of Madison is the Roman Catholic diocese for the eleven southwestern Wisconsin counties carved out of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Diocese of La Crosse in 1946. It is one of five dioceses in the Ecclesiastical Province of Milwaukee and is led by Bishop Donald J. Hying. The diocesan website (madisondiocese.org) serves as the hub for parish directories, Mass times, the bishop's schedule, diocesan news, schools, marriage and family resources, the Catholic Charities agency, and the Into the Deep pastoral plan.
- Diocesan website: madisondiocese.org
- Chancery: 702 S. High Point Road, Suite 225, Madison, WI 53719
- Phone: (608) 821-3011
- 102 parishes in 30 pastorates; 46 schools; 166,923 Catholics (2020)
Office of the Bishop
Bishop Donald J. Hying, the fifth Bishop of Madison, was born in West Allis, Wisconsin, on August 18, 1963, the youngest of six sons of Albert and Catherine Hying. He earned a bachelor's from Marquette University and a master's from St. Francis Seminary, was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1989, and later served as a missionary in the Dominican Republic, as rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary, and as Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee before being named Bishop of Gary, Indiana, in 2014. Pope Francis appointed him fifth Bishop of Madison on April 25, 2019; he was installed on June 25, 2019.
- Born August 18, 1963, West Allis, Wisconsin
- Ordained priest May 20, 1989 (Archdiocese of Milwaukee)
- Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee 2011
- Bishop of Gary, Indiana 2014
- Fifth Bishop of Madison, installed June 25, 2019
Cathedral — St. Bernard Catholic Church
St. Bernard Catholic Church in Madison, founded in 1907 and built in 1927, was designated the new cathedral of the Diocese of Madison by Pope Francis in September 2023 after Bishop Hying's petition. The diocese chose St. Bernard's over rebuilding on the St. Raphael's site or continuing to use parish facilities for diocesan liturgies because it represented a sustainable financial path. A $15 million renovation began in August 2023, with the church temporarily relocated to the former school gymnasium; consecration as a cathedral was scheduled for 2026.
- Founded 1907; current church built 1927
- Designated cathedral by Pope Francis in September 2023
- $15 million renovation campaign
- Consecration as cathedral planned for 2026
The Original Cathedral — St. Raphael's
St. Raphael's Cathedral, the 150-year-old mother church of the diocese from its 1854 construction until the 2005 fire, was destroyed by arson on March 14, 2005. Only months earlier a new spire had been raised on the building. Firefighters cut through debris to rescue the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle and carry it to Holy Redeemer Church nearby. The diocese operated without a cathedral for almost twenty years until St. Bernard's was named in 2023.
- Built 1854; mother church of southwestern Wisconsin Catholics
- Destroyed by arson March 14, 2005
- Arsonist William J. Connell sentenced to 15 years + 15 years supervision
- Blessed Sacrament rescued and taken to Holy Redeemer Church
Venerable Samuel Mazzuchelli
Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, OP (1806–1864), was an Italian-born Dominican missionary who evangelized the lead-mining region of southwestern Wisconsin in the 19th century, founding dozens of parishes and establishing the motherhouse at Sinsinawa Mound. Pope John Paul II declared him Venerable in 1993, recognizing his heroic virtue, and he is regarded as a spiritual patron of the Diocese of Madison. The Cathedral of the Diocese of Dubuque in Iowa is named for him.
- Born 1806 in Lombardy, Italy; died 1864 at Sinsinawa Mound, Wisconsin
- Dominican priest who founded parishes across the Driftless Area
- Declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II in 1993
Into the Deep & Go Make Disciples
Into the Deep is the Diocese of Madison's multi-year strategic pastoral plan, launched under Bishop Hying, to move the diocese 'from maintenance to mission.' Beginning July 1, 2023, all 102 parishes were grouped into 30 pastorates — each led by a team of priests rather than a single pastor — so clergy can collaborate and live healthier lives while parishes share resources and ministries. The companion initiative Go Make Disciples is the diocese's evangelization framework, grounding every parish in worship, formation, sacrament, and service.
- 102 parishes regrouped into 30 pastorates effective July 1, 2023
- Goal: realign physical, financial, and human resources for mission
- Companion evangelization initiative: Go Make Disciples
Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison
Catholic Charities of Madison, founded with the diocese in 1946, serves individuals and families across southern Wisconsin regardless of faith. Its programs include food assistance in partnership with Second Harvest Foodbank, the Catholic Multicultural Center (English classes, immigration legal services, food, community), the 5 Door Recovery substance-use treatment program, residential and community services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, services for seniors, support for people experiencing homelessness, and the Walking with Moms ministry supporting pregnant and parenting women.
- Catholic Multicultural Center (English classes, immigration legal services)
- 5 Door Recovery — substance use treatment
- Walking with Moms — parish-based support for pregnant women
- 18,000+ individuals served annually
- Homelessness, hunger, senior, and disability services
Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities
The Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities (APD), under the bishop's direction and alongside Catholic Charities, promotes the full inclusion of people with disabilities in parish and diocesan life. It supports ministries for people with sensory disabilities (deaf, hard of hearing, blind), intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental wellness, aging, and physical or mobility needs, including a grant program to help individuals with mobility issues participate in parish life.
- Sensory disabilities (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Blind)
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD)
- Mental wellness and aging ministries
- Mobility accommodation grant program
- Contact: [email protected] · (608) 821-3050
Catholic Schools
The Diocese of Madison operates 46 Catholic schools serving roughly 8,463 students at founding and growing since. The diocesan schools office supports parish elementary schools and high schools across the eleven counties, with foundation-based tuition assistance through the St. John Bosco Tuition Assistance fund. The Madison Catholic Herald covers diocesan school news, and the diocesan website lists schools by deanery and provides enrollment information.
- 46 diocesan Catholic schools
- St. John Bosco Tuition Assistance fund
- Enrollment at founding (1946): 8,463 students in 55 schools
- Schools listed by deanery on madisondiocese.org
Diocesan Foundation & Endowments
The Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation stewards endowments that support parishes, schools, and charitable causes across the diocese. Signature funds include the St. John Bosco Tuition Assistance Fund (making Catholic education accessible to families in need) and the Mary Catherine Matuska Pro-Life Endowment (supporting parish and community-based pro-life activities). The Foundation also manages dedicated endowments for specific parishes, such as two for St. Thomas Aquinas Parish.
- St. John Bosco Tuition Assistance Fund
- Mary Catherine Matuska Pro-Life Endowment
- Parish-specific endowments (e.g., St. Thomas Aquinas Parish)
- Web: diocesemadisonfoundation.org
Marriage and Family Life
The Office of Marriage and Family Life supports engaged and married couples, families, and individuals through marriage preparation, enrichment programs, and natural family planning resources, in line with Catholic teaching. The diocese links couples to parish-level programs and diocesan-wide retreats and formation opportunities.
- Marriage preparation and enrichment
- Natural family planning resources
- Family retreats and parish-based support
Bishops in Succession
The Diocese of Madison has had five bishops since its 1946 founding: William P. O'Connor (1946–1967), Cletus F. O'Donnell (1967–1992), William H. Bullock (1993–2003), Robert C. Morlino (2003–2018), and Donald J. Hying (2019–present). Each has shaped the diocese in distinct ways — O'Connor through institutional building, O'Donnell through specialized ministries, Bullock through consolidation, Morlino through liturgical renewal and surviving the cathedral arson, and Hying through the Into the Deep pastoral reorganization and the acquisition of a new cathedral.
- O'Connor: institutional founding and growth
- O'Donnell: deaf and disability ministries
- Bullock: closure of Holy Name Seminary
- Morlino: liturgical renewal; survived cathedral fire
- Hying: Into the Deep and new cathedral
Province & Episcopal Conference
The Diocese of Madison is a suffragan diocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Milwaukee, whose metropolitan see is the Archdiocese of Milwaukee (currently led by Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob). It is part of Region VII of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, covering Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The diocese's mailing abbreviation is MAD, and it depends on the Dicastery for Bishops in Rome.
- Ecclesiastical Province: Milwaukee (Metropolitan Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob)
- USCCB Region VII (IL, IN, WI)
- Diocesan abbreviation: MAD
- Depends on the Dicastery for Bishops
Archives & Records
The Diocese of Madison maintains an Archives office (madisondiocese.org/archives) that preserves sacramental, parish, and diocesan records. After the 2005 St. Raphael's Cathedral fire, the parish records stored in the rectory survived largely intact (only minor smoke damage), and the archives have continued to serve genealogical and administrative research requests.
- Diocesan Archives accessible via madisondiocese.org/archives
- Parish records of St. Raphael's survived the 2005 fire
- Sacramental records available for genealogical research
