Wheeling-Charleston (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Mark Edward Brennan, Bishop
Michael Joseph Bransfield, Bishop Emeritus

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese
Name Changed: 21 August 1974
Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Baltimore
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
State: West Virginia
Country: United States of America
Square Kilometers: 62,755 (24,239 Square Miles)
Conference Region: IV (DC, DE, MD, VA, VI, WV)
Catholic Directory Abbreviation: WH
Official Web Site: http://www.dwc.org/
Mailing Address: Chancery Office, 1311 Byron St., P.O. Box 230, Wheeling, WV 26003, USA
Telephone: (304)233-0880
Fax: 233-0890

Historical Details

Diocese of Wheeling
- Latin Name: Vhelingensis
- Erected: 19 July 1850
- Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Baltimore
- State: West Virginia
- Country: United States of America
- Square Miles: 29,172

Past and Present Ordinaries

Richard Vincent Whelan † (23 Jul 1850 Appointed - 7 Jul 1874 Died)
John Joseph Kain † (12 Feb 1875 Appointed - 16 Jun 1893 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Louis, Missouri)
Patrick James Donahue † (22 Jan 1894 Appointed - 4 Oct 1922 Died)
John Joseph Swint † (11 Dec 1922 Appointed - 23 Nov 1962 Died)
Joseph Howard Hodges † (23 Nov 1962 Succeeded - 27 Jan 1985 Died)
Francis Bible Schulte † (4 Jun 1985 Appointed - 6 Dec 1988 Appointed, Archbishop of New Orleans, Louisiana)
Bernard William Schmitt † (29 Mar 1989 Appointed - 9 Dec 2004 Retired)
Michael Joseph Bransfield (9 Dec 2004 Appointed - 13 Sep 2018 Retired)
Mark Edward Brennan (23 Jul 2019 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Wheeling
19 July 1850	Erected	Diocese of Richmond	Diocese of Wheeling (erected) (Virginia west of the Allegheny Mountains and West of Maryland)
28 May 1974	Territory Lost	Diocese of Wheeling (area in Virginia)	Diocese of Richmond
28 May 1974	Territory Added	Diocese of Richmond (area in West Virginia)	Diocese of Wheeling
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
21 August 1974	Name Changed	Diocese of Wheeling	Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

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

Diocese of Wheeling

1950 89,251 2,338,270 3.8% 99 39 138 646 520 84 ap1951

1966 104,364 2,191,942 4.8% 107 84 191 546 83 694 103 ap1967

1970 98,062 2,191,942 4.5% 126 78 204 480 97 575 103 ap1971

Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

1976 95,602 1,744,237 5.5% 122 64 186 513 2 70 465 104 ap1977

1980 102,098 1,810,000 5.6% 130 88 218 468 11 107 453 121 ap1981

1990 105,890 2,097,200 5.0% 122 61 183 578 32 68 373 126 ap1991

1999 97,232 1,815,787 5.4% 122 42 164 592 30 14 304 113 ap2000

2000 97,232 1,815,787 5.4% 109 60 169 575 29 73 260 113 ap2001

2001 69,614 1,806,928 3.9% 114 66 180 386 29 82 251 108 ap2002

2002 69,614 1,806,926 3.9% 111 61 172 404 32 81 247 112 ap2003

2003 83,325 1,801,916 4.6% 98 80 178 468 32 98 236 103 ap2004

2004 100,614 1,801,916 5.6% 105 66 171 588 31 85 221 100 ap2005

2010 112,960 1,901,137 5.9% 108 52 160 706 46 64 153 111 ap2011

2014 116,500 1,958,000 5.9% 109 45 154 756 45 55 122 110 ap2015

2017 111,670 1,858,650 6.0% 101 39 140 797 41 43 102 110 ap2018

2020 109,260 1,818,470 6.0% 105 40 145 753 50 45 86 91 ap2021

2022 110,000 1,826,000 6.0% 108 36 144 763 37 41 76 92 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Diocese of Wheeling
1950	89,251	2,338,270	3.8%	99	39	138	646			520	84	ap1951
1966	104,364	2,191,942	4.8%	107	84	191	546		83	694	103	ap1967
1970	98,062	2,191,942	4.5%	126	78	204	480		97	575	103	ap1971
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
1976	95,602	1,744,237	5.5%	122	64	186	513	2	70	465	104	ap1977
1980	102,098	1,810,000	5.6%	130	88	218	468	11	107	453	121	ap1981
1990	105,890	2,097,200	5.0%	122	61	183	578	32	68	373	126	ap1991
1999	97,232	1,815,787	5.4%	122	42	164	592	30	14	304	113	ap2000
2000	97,232	1,815,787	5.4%	109	60	169	575	29	73	260	113	ap2001
2001	69,614	1,806,928	3.9%	114	66	180	386	29	82	251	108	ap2002
2002	69,614	1,806,926	3.9%	111	61	172	404	32	81	247	112	ap2003
2003	83,325	1,801,916	4.6%	98	80	178	468	32	98	236	103	ap2004
2004	100,614	1,801,916	5.6%	105	66	171	588	31	85	221	100	ap2005
2010	112,960	1,901,137	5.9%	108	52	160	706	46	64	153	111	ap2011
2014	116,500	1,958,000	5.9%	109	45	154	756	45	55	122	110	ap2015
2017	111,670	1,858,650	6.0%	101	39	140	797	41	43	102	110	ap2018
2020	109,260	1,818,470	6.0%	105	40	145	753	50	45	86	91	ap2021
2022	110,000	1,826,000	6.0%	108	36	144	763	37	41	76	92	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Patrick James Donahue † (Bishop: 22 Jan 1894 to 4 Oct 1922)
Joseph Howard Hodges † (Coadjutor Bishop: 24 May 1961; Bishop: 23 Nov 1962 to 27 Jan 1985)
John Joseph Kain † (Priest: 2 Jul 1866; Bishop: 12 Feb 1875 to 16 Jun 1893)
Joseph Mary Marling, C.Pp.S. †
Thomas John McDonnell † (Coadjutor Bishop: 7 Mar 1951 to 25 Feb 1961)
James Edward Michaels, S.S.C.M.E. † (Auxiliary Bishop: 3 Apr 1973 to 22 Sep 1987)
Bernard William Schmitt † (Priest: 28 May 1955; Auxiliary Bishop: 27 May 1988; Bishop: 29 Mar 1989 to 9 Dec 2004)
Francis Bible Schulte † (Bishop: 4 Jun 1985 to 6 Dec 1988)
John Joseph Swint † (Priest: 23 Jun 1904; Auxiliary Bishop: 22 Feb 1922; Bishop: 11 Dec 1922; Archbishop (Personal Title): 12 Mar 1954 to 23 Nov 1962)
Richard Vincent Whelan † (Bishop: 23 Jul 1850 to 7 Jul 1874)

Source(s)

Diocese of Wheeling
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 171
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 66, Page 455, to Page 457
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
- Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 66, Page 501, and Page 502

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Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

Dioecesis Vhelingensis-Carolopolitana