About Diocese of Rochester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester (Latin: Dioecesis Roffensis) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church serving a 12-county region of western and central New York State, including the Greater Rochester metro area on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes region, and the Southern Tier. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of New York. The diocese is home to roughly 300,000 Catholics worshipping in 86 parishes across seven deaneries, with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Rochester as its mother church. Established on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX, Rochester is one of the older inland dioceses of New York and is currently led by its tenth bishop, John S. Bonnici, installed in 2026.
- Bishop
- John S. Bonnici
- Established
- 1868
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Rochester, New York
- Territory
- Twelve counties of western and central New York State: Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga, Yates, Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, Tioga, and Steuben.
- Parishes
- 86 parishes
- Province
- Archdiocese of New York (Province of New York)
About the Diocese of Rochester
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester is the visible presence of the Catholic Church in a 12-county region of western and central New York State. It includes the Greater Rochester metro area on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier, and serves more than 300,000 Catholics through 86 parishes organized into seven deaneries. The diocese is in communion with the Apostolic See of Rome and the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, and is led by His Excellency, the Most Reverend John S. Bonnici, the tenth Bishop of Rochester. Its mother church and seat of the bishop is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Rochester.
- Established March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX
- 12 counties across western/central New York
- 86 parishes, 7 deaneries
- Approximately 300,000 Catholics
- 14 diocesan Catholic elementary schools
- Pastoral Center at 1150 Buffalo Road, Gates (Rochester suburb)
History of the Diocese
The Diocese of Rochester was erected on March 3, 1868 by Pope Pius IX, who carved eight counties from the Diocese of Buffalo to form the new see. Its first bishop, Bernard J. McQuaid, served for 41 years and built the institutional foundations of the diocese, including its parochial school system, St. Bernard's Seminary (1893), and an extensive Catholic Charities network. In 1896 four southern counties were added from Buffalo, fixing the present 12-county boundaries. The diocese is now led by its tenth bishop, John S. Bonnici, installed in March 2026.
- 1868 — diocese erected from the Diocese of Buffalo
- 1896 — Schuyler, Tioga, Chemung, Steuben counties added from Buffalo
- 1909 — Bishop McQuaid dies after 41 years; succeeded by Hickey
- 1966–1969 — Bishop Fulton J. Sheen serves
- 2017 — diocese opens sesquicentennial celebration
- 2019 — diocese files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
- 2025 — $246 million abuse-survivor settlement approved
- 2026 — Bishop John S. Bonnici installed as tenth bishop
Bishops of the Diocese in Succession
Ten bishops have led the Diocese of Rochester since 1868. The list includes future Cardinal Edward Mooney (later first Archbishop of Detroit), the television evangelist Fulton J. Sheen, and the current ordinary, Bishop John S. Bonnici.
- 1. Bernard J. McQuaid (1868–1909)
- 2. Thomas F. Hickey (1909–1928)
- 3. John F. O'Hern (1928–1933)
- 4. Edward A. Mooney (1933–1937; later Cardinal)
- 5. James E. Kearney (1937–1966)
- 6. Fulton J. Sheen (1966–1969; later titular Archbishop)
- 7. Joseph L. Hogan (1969–1978)
- 8. Matthew H. Clark (1979–2012)
- 9. Salvatore R. Matano (2014–2026)
- 10. John S. Bonnici (2026–present)
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is the mother church of the Diocese of Rochester and the seat (cathedra) of the diocesan bishop. The parish was founded in 1911 to serve the growing Catholic population of northwest Rochester; the cornerstone of the current neo-Gothic church, designed by Chicago architect Charles H. Prindeville, was laid in 1925 and the building was completed in 1927. When downtown St. Patrick's Cathedral was sold to Eastman Kodak and demolished in 1937, Sacred Heart was named pro-cathedral; on June 21, 1952, Pope Pius XII officially constituted it as the cathedral church of the diocese. The cathedral contains more than 100 angel figures and a historic bishop's chapel in the west transept. A radical and controversial $11 million renovation completed in January 2005 removed the pews, relocated the tabernacle to a side Eucharistic chapel, installed a rood beam and crucifix, and added reconciliation rooms; in 2008 a Paul Fritts organ was installed in the former sanctuary. Sacred Heart parish was clustered with nearby Holy Rosary and Most Precious Blood in 2005; those churches celebrated their closing Masses in 2008.
- Parish founded 1911
- Cornerstone laid 1925, completed 1927
- Pro-cathedral 1937; full cathedral 1952
- Designed by Charles H. Prindeville of Egan & Prindeville
- Major renovation and re-dedication 2005
- Paul Fritts organ installed 2008
Catholic Schools
The Diocese of Rochester Department of Catholic Schools oversees 14 accredited elementary schools spanning the 12-county region from the south shores of Lake Ontario through the Finger Lakes to the Southern Tier and the New York-Pennsylvania border. All 14 schools are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and integrate STEM-focused curriculum with Catholic identity, beginning the day with morning prayer and including community service projects. Independent Catholic secondary schools in the diocese include Aquinas Institute (Rochester), McQuaid Jesuit (Brighton), and several Nazareth schools. The superintendent of Catholic Schools is Frank Arvizzigno; the schools website is dorschools.org.
- 14 diocesan elementary schools
- STEM-focused academics; computer literacy from kindergarten
- Faith-based community with daily prayer and Mass participation
- Service-learning projects with the homeless and impoverished
- Family Ambassador Program offering tuition credits for referrals
- Independent Catholic high schools: Aquinas Institute, McQuaid Jesuit
Faith Formation, Evangelization & Catechesis
The diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, directed by Leslie Barkin, supports parish-based religious education, sacramental preparation, and adult faith formation across the 12-county region. The diocese publishes Catholic identity resources for schools and parishes, including prayers to practice at home (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, How to Pray the Rosary, the Fatima Prayer, Guardian Angel Prayer, Memorare, Grace Before Meals) and resources tied to the diocesan Year of the Eucharist. New diocese-wide online courses have recently been launched to support lifelong faith formation.
Parishes, Deaneries & Mass Times
The 86 parishes of the diocese are organized into seven deaneries by geographic region, serving worshippers across Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga, Yates, Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, Tioga, and Steuben counties. The diocese maintains a Parish and Mass Times listing on its website; the Pastoral Center recommends that visitors confirm times directly with the parish, as schedules may change without notice. Parishes also offer reconciliation, adoration, and other services not always published online.
- 86 parishes in 7 deaneries
- Online parish finder at dor.org
- Mass, confession, and adoration times listed per parish
St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry
St. Bernard's traces its origins to the diocesan seminary opened by Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid in 1893 on a 20-acre Lake Avenue site adjoining Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Designed by Warner & Brockett in Gothic style and built of red Medina sandstone, it became one of the largest seminaries in the country, enrolling 233 seminarians by 1910. After priestly formation ended in 1981, the institution became St. Bernard's Institute, moved to the Colgate Rochester Divinity School campus, and ultimately was renamed St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry, now located on French Road in Rochester, where it continues to offer lay and ecumenical theological education.
- Seminary founded 1893 by Bishop McQuaid
- Cornerstone laid August 20, 1891 (feast of St. Bernard)
- Closed 1981; institution moved and renamed
- Now St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry on French Road
Catholic Charities & Outreach
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rochester, directed by Karen Dehais, provides a wide range of services to people in need across the 12-county region, serving more than 250,000 people annually. Local Catholic Charities agencies assist with food, housing, mental-health counseling, immigration services, and family support. The diocese also operates Camp Stella Maris on Conesus Lake, which offers summer camp and retreat programs to people of all ages.
- Catholic Charities agencies in multiple counties
- Serves more than 250,000 people each year
- Camp Stella Maris – summer camp and retreat programs
- Diocesan Propagation of the Faith and Office of Stewardship
Communications & Catholic Courier
The official newspaper of the Diocese of Rochester is the Catholic Courier, the principal source of diocesan news, feature reporting, and parish announcements. The diocese also maintains an active presence on Facebook and YouTube and publishes an Office/Ministry Directory online. The Pastoral Center is located at 1150 Buffalo Road in the Rochester suburb of Gates.
Sexual Abuse Response & Bankruptcy
On September 12, 2019 the Diocese of Rochester filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York after a wave of new civil suits followed passage of New York's Child Victims Act, which expanded the statute of limitations for childhood sexual-abuse survivors. The case was the first diocesan bankruptcy filed in New York under the Act. After nearly six years of litigation and mediation with multiple insurers, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Paul Warren approved a $246 million settlement on September 5, 2025, distributing funds to roughly 470 to 500 survivors (about $500,000 per survivor). Of the total, $120 million was paid by Continental Insurance Company (CNA), $55 million by the diocese and affiliated entities, $50 million by Interstate, $19.5 million by London Market Insurers, $1.1 million by LMI Underwriters, and $750,000 by First State. Bishop Salvatore Matano publicly apologized to survivors at the confirmation hearing.
- Chapter 11 filing: September 12, 2019
- Approved settlement: September 5, 2025
- $246 million total, ~470–500 survivors
- $120 million from CNA, $55 million from diocese
Contact & Visiting the Diocese
The Diocese of Rochester Pastoral Center is located at 1150 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY 14624. The main office number is 585-328-3210. The diocesan website (dor.org) hosts a Parish and Mass Times directory, an Office/Ministry Directory, and contact forms for inquiries about sacraments (including annulments), Catholic schools, Catholic Charities, vocations (rocpriest.org), and donations (including the diocesan CMA appeal). Sacred Heart Cathedral is located on Flower City Park in Rochester.
- Pastoral Center: 1150 Buffalo Road, Rochester, NY 14624
- Main phone: 585-328-3210
- Parish and Mass Times directory at dor.org
- Catholic Schools: dorschools.org
- Vocations: rocpriest.org
- Catholic Charities: ccdor.org
