Columbus (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Earl Kenneth Mario Fernandes, Bishop
Frederick Francis Campbell, Bishop Emeritus
James Anthony Griffin, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Erected: 3 March 1868
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: Ohio
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 29,293 (11,314 Square Miles)
Conference Region: VI (OH, MI)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: COL
Official Web Site: http://www.colsdioc.org/
Mailing Address: 198 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215, USA
Telephone: (614)224-2251
Fax: 224-6306

Past and Present Ordinaries

Sylvester Horton Rosecrans † (3 Mar 1868 Appointed - 21 Oct 1878 Died)
John Ambrose Watterson † (6 Apr 1880 Appointed - 17 Apr 1899 Died)
Henry Moeller † (6 Apr 1900 Appointed - 27 Apr 1903 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio)
James Joseph Hartley † (19 Dec 1903 Appointed - 12 Jan 1944 Died)
Michael Joseph Ready † (11 Nov 1944 Appointed - 2 May 1957 Died)
Clarence George Issenmann † (5 Dec 1957 Appointed - 7 Oct 1964 Appointed, Coadjutor Bishop of Cleveland, Ohio)
John Joseph Carberry † (16 Jan 1965 Appointed - 17 Feb 1968 Appointed, Archbishop of Saint Louis, Missouri)
Clarence Edward Elwell † (24 May 1968 Appointed - 16 Feb 1973 Died)
Edward John Herrmann † (22 Jun 1973 Appointed - 18 Sep 1982 Resigned)
James Anthony Griffin (4 Feb 1983 Appointed - 14 Oct 2004 Resigned)
Frederick Francis Campbell (14 Oct 2004 Appointed - 31 Jan 2019 Retired)
Robert John Brennan (31 Jan 2019 Appointed - 29 Sep 2021 Appointed, Bishop of Brooklyn, New York)
Earl Kenneth Mario Fernandes (2 Apr 2022 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
3 March 1868	Erected	Archdiocese of Cincinnati	Diocese of Columbus (erected) (Territory from Ohio River to the Scioto River plus the Counties of Franklin, Delaware, and Morrow)
21 October 1944	Territory Lost	Diocese of Columbus (Carroll, Jefferson, Harrison, Guernsey, Belmont, Noble, Monroe, Morgan, Washington, Athens, Meigs, Callia, and Lawrence)	Diocese of Steubenville (erected)
21 October 1944	Territory Added	Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Hardin, Marion, Union, Madison, Fayette, Pickaway, Ross, Pike, and Scioto)	Diocese of Columbus

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 105,500 1,337,520 7.9% 169 99 268 393 125 1,405 91 ap1951

1966 176,000 1,718,683 10.2% 232 79 311 565 62 1,100 122 ap1967

1970 177,268 1,784,466 9.9% 253 70 323 548 112 955 110 ap1971

1976 195,426 1,833,000 10.7% 255 61 316 618 2 150 769 113 ap1977

1980 204,816 1,901,100 10.8% 238 62 300 682 18 103 750 108 ap1981

1990 202,077 2,022,800 10.0% 206 59 265 762 47 74 524 121 ap1991

1999 193,955 2,243,099 8.6% 194 40 234 828 64 5 388 107 ap2000

2000 195,931 2,181,632 9.0% 193 41 234 837 60 50 373 106 ap2001

2001 202,577 2,283,842 8.9% 197 40 237 854 73 49 373 107 ap2002

2002 203,967 2,362,815 8.6% 189 41 230 886 70 50 356 107 ap2003

2003 236,402 2,383,015 9.9% 201 44 245 964 76 54 348 106 ap2004

2004 240,682 2,408,079 10.0% 184 41 225 1,069 76 46 333 107 ap2005

2006 252,103 2,447,972 10.3% 176 40 216 1,167 80 43 291 106 ap2007

2013 266,776 2,603,068 10.2% 167 30 197 1,354 118 30 230 106 ap2014

2016 273,827 2,671,870 10.2% 164 37 201 1,362 102 39 227 106 ap2017

2019 280,878 2,740,672 10.2% 152 33 185 1,518 108 35 216 105 ap2020

2021 289,920 2,828,514 10.2% 130 43 173 1,675 120 44 218 104 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	105,500	1,337,520	7.9%	169	99	268	393		125	1,405	91	ap1951
1966	176,000	1,718,683	10.2%	232	79	311	565		62	1,100	122	ap1967
1970	177,268	1,784,466	9.9%	253	70	323	548		112	955	110	ap1971
1976	195,426	1,833,000	10.7%	255	61	316	618	2	150	769	113	ap1977
1980	204,816	1,901,100	10.8%	238	62	300	682	18	103	750	108	ap1981
1990	202,077	2,022,800	10.0%	206	59	265	762	47	74	524	121	ap1991
1999	193,955	2,243,099	8.6%	194	40	234	828	64	5	388	107	ap2000
2000	195,931	2,181,632	9.0%	193	41	234	837	60	50	373	106	ap2001
2001	202,577	2,283,842	8.9%	197	40	237	854	73	49	373	107	ap2002
2002	203,967	2,362,815	8.6%	189	41	230	886	70	50	356	107	ap2003
2003	236,402	2,383,015	9.9%	201	44	245	964	76	54	348	106	ap2004
2004	240,682	2,408,079	10.0%	184	41	225	1,069	76	46	333	107	ap2005
2006	252,103	2,447,972	10.3%	176	40	216	1,167	80	43	291	106	ap2007
2013	266,776	2,603,068	10.2%	167	30	197	1,354	118	30	230	106	ap2014
2016	273,827	2,671,870	10.2%	164	37	201	1,362	102	39	227	106	ap2017
2019	280,878	2,740,672	10.2%	152	33	185	1,518	108	35	216	105	ap2020
2021	289,920	2,828,514	10.2%	130	43	173	1,675	120	44	218	104	ap2022