The Diocese of Cleveland () is a

Latin Church The Latin Church () is the largest autonomous () particular church within the Catholic Church, whose members constitute the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Catholics. The Latin Church is one of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical ...

ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in northeastern

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

in the United States. , the bishop is Edward Malesic. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

, is the

mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral church, or ...

of the diocese. The Diocese of Cleveland is a

suffragan diocese A suffragan diocese is one of the dioceses other than the metropolitan archdiocese that constitute an ecclesiastical province. It exists in some Christian denominations, in particular the Catholic Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandr ...

in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan

Archdiocese of Cincinnati The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church that covers all of the dioceses in the State of Ohio. As of 2025, the archbishop of Cincinnati is Robert Casey. T ...

Territory

The Diocese of Cleveland is currently the 17th-largest diocese in the United States by population, encompassing the counties of Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga,

Lake A lake is often a naturally occurring, relatively large and fixed body of water on or near the Earth's surface. It is localized in a basin or interconnected basins surrounded by dry land. Lakes lie completely on land and are separate from ...

, Lorain,

Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...

Summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used only for ...

, and Wayne.

History

Early history

During the 17th century, present day Ohio was part of the French colony of

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

. The Diocese of Quebec, had jurisdiction over the region. However, unlike other parts of the future

American Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern c ...

, there were no attempts to found Catholic missions in Ohio. In 1763,

Ohio Country The Ohio Country (Ohio Territory, Ohio Valley) was a name used for a loosely defined region of colonial North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and south of Lake Erie. Control of the territory and the region's fur trade was disputed i ...

became part of the British

Province of Quebec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

, forbidden from settlement by American colonists. After the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

ended in 1783,

Pope Pius VI Pope Pius VI (; born Count Angelo Onofrio Melchiorre Natale Giovanni Antonio called Giovanni Angelo or Giannangelo Braschi, 25 December 171729 August 1799) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 February 1775 to hi ...

erected in 1784 the Prefecture Apostolic of the United States, encompassing the entire territory of the new nation. In 1787, the Ohio area became part of the

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from part of the unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolution. Established ...

of the United States. Pius VI created the

Diocese of Baltimore The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore () is the archdiocese of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in northern and western Maryland, western Maryland in the United States. It is the Metropolis (religious jurisdiction)#Western Catholic Ch ...

, the first diocese in the United States, to replace the prefecture apostolic in 1789. In 1808,

Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...

erected the Diocese of Bardstown in Kentucky, with jurisdiction over the new state of Ohio along with the other midwest states.

on June 19, 1821, erected the Diocese of Cincinnati, taking all of Ohio from Bardstown.

Diocese of Cleveland

1840 to 1870

Pope Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...

erected the Diocese of Cleveland on April 23, 1847, with territory taken from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. At that point, the diocese included counties going west to Toledo and south to

Youngstown Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...

He named Reverend Louis Rappe as the first bishop of Cleveland. When Rappe took office, the diocese contained 42 churches and 21 priests; the first and only Catholic church in

was St. Mary's on the Flats. He soon established the city's first

parochial school A parochial school is a private school, private Primary school, primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathem ...

, which doubled as a chapel. Rappe purchased an episcopal residence in 1848. He converted a frame house on the property into St. Mary's Seminary. Rappe also laid the cornerstone of St. John's Cathedral in 1848. In 1849, Rappe went to Europe to recruit clergy for the diocese. He returned in 1850 with four priests, five

seminarians A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clerg ...

, two

Sisters of Charity Many religious communities have the term Sisters of Charity in their name. Some ''Sisters of Charity'' communities refer to the Vincentian tradition alone, or in America to the tradition of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton (whose sisters are also of ...

and six Ursuline

nun A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service and contemplation, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 5 ...

s. The Daughters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary opened St. Mary's Orphan Asylum for Females in 1851. Rappe in 1852 organized the Sisters of Charity of Saint Augustine, a new religious institute in Cleveland. That same year, the sisters opened St. Joseph's Hospital, the first general hospital in Cleveland Rappe consecrated St. John's Cathedral on November 7, 1852. The Sisters of Charity of Saint Augustine opened St. Vincent's Asylum for Boys in 1852. He also introduced the

Grey Nuns The Sisters of Charity of Montreal, formerly called The Sisters of Charity of the Hôpital Général of Montreal and more commonly known as the Grey Nuns of Montreal, is a Canadian religious institute of Roman Catholic religious sisters, found ...

to the diocese in 1856. In 1865, Rappe established St. Vincent Charity Hospital in Cleveland. He brought in the

Good Shepherd Sisters The Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, also known as the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, is a Catholic religious order that was founded in 1835 by Mary Euphrasia Pelletier in Angers, France. The religious sisters belong to a ...

(1869), the Little Sisters of the Poor (1870), the

Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (commonly called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the t ...

(1867) and the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

(1869) Rappe retired in 1870 after 33 years as bishop of Cleveland.

1870 to 1900

In 1872,

appointed Reverend

Richard Gilmour Richard Gilmour (September 28, 1824 – April 13, 1891) was a Scottish-born Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Cleveland from 1872 until his death in 1891. Biography Early life Gilmour was born in Dumbarton, Scotland to John and Maria ...

of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as the second bishop of Cleveland. In 1873, the Sisters of Charity of Saint Augustine opened St. Ann's Hospital in Cleveland for maternity patients and newborn babies. As bishop, Gilmour founded ''The Catholic Universe'' newspaper in 1874. In 1877, the

Cuyahoga County Cuyahoga County ( or , see ) is a large urban county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. The county seat and most populous city is Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, its population was 1,264,817, making it the second ...

audit An audit is an "independent examination of financial information of any entity, whether profit oriented or not, irrespective of its size or legal form when such an examination is conducted with a view to express an opinion thereon." Auditing al ...

or announced plans to tax Catholic churches and schools. Gilmour fought the auditor in court, winning his case six years later. He was also wary of the public school system. He established St. Ann's Asylum and Maternity Home, St. Michael Hospital, and St. John Hospital. In 1882, Gilmour condemned the Ladies Land League chapter in Cleveland. Founded in Ireland, the League was a women's organization that assisted tenants facing

eviction Eviction is the removal of a Tenement (law), tenant from leasehold estate, rental property by the landlord. In some jurisdictions it may also involve the removal of persons from premises that were foreclosure, foreclosed by a mortgagee (often ...

. After Gimour died in 1891,

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII (; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2March 181020July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of Peter the Ap ...

named Reverend Ignatius Horstmann of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia as the new bishop of Cleveland. Horstmann founded the following institutions in the diocese: * Loyola High School in

(1902), * St. John's College in Toledo (1898), * St. Anthony Home for Working Boys in Cleveland. * The Catherine Horstmann Home in Cleveland for homeless women In the early 1890s, Horstmann faced a schism within the Diocese of Cleveland. Polish parishioners at St. Stanislaus Parish in Cleveland, led by Reverend Anton Kolaszewski, were demanding more control over their parish and more sensitivity to their customs. Despite Horstmann's refusal, Kolaszewski continued to press for independence and accused the bishop of

sexual abuse Sexual abuse or sex abuse is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using physical force, or by taking advantage of another. It often consists of a persistent pattern of sexual assaults. The offender is re ...

crimes. In 1892, Horstmann relieved Kolaszewski of his post. When the new pastor arrived at St. Stanislaus Church for his first mass, a brawl broke out among the parishioners. In 1894, a group of parishioners started a new independent parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary, with Kolaszewski as pastor; Horstmann

excommunicated Excommunication is an institutional act of religious censure used to deprive, suspend, or limit membership in a religious community or to restrict certain rights within it, in particular those of being in communion with other members of the con ...

all of them. Years later, after the deaths of both men, the diocese accepted the new church.

1900 to 1945

In 1907, Horstmann faced a second schism, this time with Slovenian Catholics. After removing Reverend Kasimir Zakrajsek as pastor of St. Vitus Parish in Cleveland, he faced violent protests. After the parish rectory was stoned, the replacement priest was forced to flee. Over 100 people were arrested. On September 22, 1907, 5,000 Polish protesters marched on Horstmann's residence, demanding Zakrajsek's reinstatement and

home rule Home rule is the government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governan ...

for St. Vitus. Horstmann died in 1908.

named Reverend John Farrelly of the Diocese of Nashville as bishop of Cleveland in 1909. The next year, Pius IX erected the Diocese of Toledo, removing the Toledo area counties from the Diocese of Cleveland. During his 12-year-long tenure as bishop, Farrelly improved the

system; organized

Catholic Charities The Catholic Church operates numerous charitable organizations. Catholic spiritual teaching includes spreading the Gospel, while Catholic social teaching emphasises support for the sick, the poor and the afflicted through the corporal and spir ...

; and erected 47 churches and schools, including Cathedral Latin High School in Chardon, Ohio. During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Farrelly was appointed by Cleveland Mayor Harry L. Davis to the Cleveland War Commission. Farrelly also ordered English to be spoken at all German-language churches and schools in the diocese. Farrelly served as bishop until his death in 1921. Bishop

Joseph Schrembs Joseph Schrembs (March 12, 1866 – November 2, 1945) was a German-born prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in Michigan for five months in 1911, as bishop of the Diocese of Toledo i ...

of the Diocese of Toledo was appointed bishop of Cleveland in 1921 by

Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI (; born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, ; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939) was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 until his death in February 1939. He was also the first sovereign of the Vatican City State u ...

. In 1925, the pope presented the

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

s of St. Christine to Schrembs. Christine, a 13-year-old girl who died for her Catholic faith around 300 AD, was moved from the

Roman catacombs The Catacombs of Rome () are ancient catacombs, underground burial places in and around Rome, of which there are at least forty, some rediscovered since 1578, others even as late as the 1950s. There are more than fifty catacombs in the underg ...

to St. John's Cathedral in Cleveland. The diocese had previously donated money to the Vatican for the establishment of the House of Catacombs outside Rome. During his tenure, Schrembs erected 27 parishes in Cleveland and 35 outside the city. In 1942, as Schrembs'

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

worsened,

Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (; born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli; 2 March 18769 October 1958) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2 March 1939 until his death on 9 October 1958. He is the most recent p ...

named Bishop Edward Hoban from the Diocese of Rockford as Schrembs' coadjutor bishop to help him with his duties. In 1943, Pius XII erected the

Diocese of Youngstown The Diocese of Youngstown () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern Ohio in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cin ...

. taking counties from the Youngstown area away from the Diocese of Cleveland.

1945 to 1980

After Schrembs died in 1945, Hoban automatically succeeded him as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland. As bishop, Hoban encouraged refugees displaced by

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

to settle in

. He also established national and ethnic

parishes A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

, but insisted that their

s only teach in English. He helped rebuild and remodel St. John's Cathedral, and enlarged St. John's College, both in Cleveland. Hoban centralized Parmadale Family Services, constructed additional nursing homes, and opened Holy Family Cancer Home, a hospice in

Parma Parma (; ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmesan, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,986 inhabitants as of 2025, ...

. Hoban opened a

minor seminary A minor seminary or high school seminary is a secondary day or boarding school created for the specific purpose of enrolling teenage boys who have expressed interest in becoming Priesthood (Catholic Church), Catholic priests. They are generally ...

and expanded the Newman Apostolate for Catholic students attending public universities and colleges. During Hoban's 21-year-long tenure, the number of Catholics in the diocese increased from 546,000 to 870,000. Hoban also established 61 parishes, 47 elementary schools, and a dozen high schools.

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

appointed Bishop Clarence Issenmann of the Diocese of Columbus as

coadjutor bishop A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) ("co-assister" in Latin) is a bishop in the Latin Catholic, Anglican and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in administering the diocese. The coa ...

of Cleveland on October 7, 1964. When Hoban died in 1966, Issenmann automatically became his replacement in Cleveland. As bishop, Issenmann constructed the following schools in the diocese: * Villa Angela Academy in Cleveland * Lake Catholic High School in Mentor *

Lorain Catholic High School Lorain Catholic High School was a private Catholic high school located in Lorain, Ohio, 30 miles west of Cleveland. It was run by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland until 2001. Lorain Catholic then was governed by an independent board of directors ...

in Lorain * St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron In November 1968, Issenmann asked all adults attending mass in the diocese to sign petitions of support for ''

Humanae vitae (Latin, meaning 'Of Human Life') is an encyclical written by Pope Paul VI and dated 25 July 1968. The text was issued at a Vatican press conference on 29 July. Subtitled ''On the Regulation of Birth'', it re-affirmed the teaching of the Catho ...

,'' Pope Paul VI's 1969 encyclical against artificial birth control. Issenmann was the only bishop in the country to make that request of parishioners. issenmann retired in 1974 due to poor health.

in 1974 named Auxiliary Bishop James Hickey of the

Diocese of Saginaw The Diocese of Saginaw () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in Michigan in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Detroit. The D ...

as the new bishop of Cleveland. Six years later, in 1980, the pope named him as archbishop of the

Archdiocese of Washington In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...

1980 to present

John Paul II appointed Auxiliary Bishop

Anthony Pilla Anthony Michael Pilla (November 12, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1979 to 1981 and as bishop of the same diocese from ...

to replace Hickey as bishop of Cleveland in 1980. In 2005, 36 lay members of the diocese sued Pilla, accusing him of allowing $2 million in diocesan funds to be stolen. The judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying that the plaintiffs did not have the

legal standing In law, standing or ''locus standi'' is a condition that a party seeking a legal remedy must show they have, by demonstrating to the court, sufficient connection to and harm from the law or action challenged to support that party's participation in ...

to sue in this case. After 26 years as bishop, Pilla resigned in 2006. In 2004, Pilla received an anonymous letter accusing Joseph Smith, the assistant

treasurer A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization. Government The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...

for the diocese, of theft. After meeting with Pilla, the bishop put Smith administrative leave; Smith later resigned his position. In 2005, 36 parishioners sued the diocese, claiming that Smith and two other diocesan officials had diverted $2 million of diocese funds to their own businesses. On April 5, 2006,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

named Auxiliary Bishop

Richard Lennon Richard Gerard Lennon (March 26, 1947 – October 29, 2019) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 2006 to 2016. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdio ...

of the

Archdiocese of Boston The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Boston () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. Its mother church is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Boston), Cathedral o ...

as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland. In August 2007, Smith and Anton Zgoznik, a consultant hired by the diocese, were charged with 17 counts of

money laundering Money laundering is the process of illegally concealing the origin of money obtained from illicit activities (often known as dirty money) such as drug trafficking, sex work, terrorism, corruption, and embezzlement, and converting the funds i ...

and

tax evasion Tax evasion or tax fraud is an illegal attempt to defeat the imposition of taxes by individuals, corporations, trusts, and others. Tax evasion often entails the deliberate misrepresentation of the taxpayer's affairs to the tax authorities to red ...

. Smith steered contracts worth $17.5 to Zgonik, who gave Smith kickbacks of $784,000. Zgoznik was convicted in October 2007 of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and

mail fraud Mail fraud and wire fraud are terms used in the United States to describe the use of a physical (e.g., the U.S. Postal Service) or electronic (e.g., a phone, a telegram, a fax, or the Internet) mail system to defraud another, and are U.S. fede ...

. In December 2008, Smith was acquitted of

embezzlement Embezzlement (from Anglo-Norman, from Old French ''besillier'' ("to torment, etc."), of unknown origin) is a type of financial crime, usually involving theft of money from a business or employer. It often involves a trusted individual taking ...

, but convicted of

; he received one year in federal prison. In 2009, the diocese announced the closing or merging of 52 parishes, due to the shortage of priests, the migration of Catholics to the suburbs, and the financial difficulties of some parishes. The diocese also closed or merged several number of parish schools. The hardest hit were urban parishes in

, Akron,

Lorain Lorain may refer to: Places * Lorain, Ohio * Lorain, Pennsylvania * Lorain, Wisconsin * Lorain County, Ohio ** Lorain County Community College * Lorain Township, Minnesota People * René Lorain (born 1900), French athlete * Sophie Lorain, Canadi ...

, and Elyria. Parishioners from 13 urban parishes appealed Lennon's action to the

Congregation for the Clergy The Dicastery for the Clergy, formerly named Congregation for the Clergy (; formerly the Sacred Congregation for the Clergy and Sacred Congregation of the Council), is the dicastery of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regard ...

in Rome. In 2012, the Congregation for the Clergy overturned all 13 closings because Lennon did not follow proper procedure or

canon law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...

. Lennon resigned in 2016 due to poor health.

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

in 2017 appointed Auxiliary Bishop Nelson J. Perez of the

Diocese of Rockville Centre The Diocese of Rockville Centre () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in the Long Island region of New York State in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the me ...

to replace Lennon. Three years later, the pope name Perez as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. As of 2023, the current bishop of Cleveland is Bishop Edward C. Malesic of the Diocese of Greensburg, named by Francis in 2020.

Reports of sex abuse

In March 2002, Bishop Pilla published a list of 28 priests accused of

sexual abuse of minors Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...

. Fifteen of them were active priests, whom Pilla suspended from ministry. Earlier that year,

Prosecutor William Mason announced an investigation of sexual abuse of minors by diocesan priests. In July 2011, an Ohio man sued Pilla and the diocese, saying that their

negligence Negligence ( Lat. ''negligentia'') is a failure to exercise appropriate care expected to be exercised in similar circumstances. Within the scope of tort law, negligence pertains to harm caused by the violation of a duty of care through a neg ...

allowed a priest to sexually abuse him when he was a boy. The plaintiff said that Reverend Patrick O'Connor, a diocesan priest at St. Jude Parish in Elyria, abused him from 1997 to 1999. Pilla knew that O'Connor had abused a child during the 1980s at St. Joseph Parish in

Cuyahoga Falls Cuyahoga Falls ( or ) is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 51,114 at the 2020 census. The second-largest city in Summit County, it is located directly north of Akron and is a suburb in the Akron metropolitan area ...

. The diocese settled with that victim in 2003 and sent O'Connor to another parish Elyria. He resigned from the priesthood in 2008. O'Connor pleaded guilty to

corruption of a minor Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities ...

in 2009 and was sentenced to 90 days in prison. In July 2019, the diocese added 22 more names to its list of "credibly accused" clergy. In December 2019, Reverend Robert McWilliams was arrested at St. Joseph Parish in Strongsville on four counts of possessing child pornography. Bishop Perez had called for McWilliams's arrest, describing the case as a "painful situation." McWilliams pleaded guilty in July 2021 to

sex trafficking Sex trafficking is human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Perpetrators of the crime are called sex traffickers or pimps—people who manipulate victims to engage in various forms of commercial sex with paying customers. Se ...

of youths, sexual exploitation of children and possession of

child pornography Child pornography (also abbreviated as CP, also called child porn or kiddie porn, and child sexual abuse material, known by the acronym CSAM (underscoring that children can not be deemed willing participants under law)), is Eroticism, erotic ma ...

. Sentenced to life in prison in November 2021, McWilliams committed suicide in February 2022. A young man sued the diocese in March 2022, stating that he had been raped by McWilliams in 2018 in Strongsville. The plaintiff said that when he was age 15, McWilliams paid him $200 for three sex acts. The plaintiff was one of the victims in the criminal case against McWilliams. In March 2023, four women sued the diocese, saying that they had been sexually and physically assaulted at the Parmadale Children's Village in

. The abuse allegedly occurred over several decades before the facility closed in 2017. The plaintiffs said they were used sexually by one of the priests and by staff employees; one plaintiff said the staff forced her to have sex with other residents while they watched. In February 2024, the trial of former priest Luis J. Barajas began in Cuyahoga County. He had been indicted in November 2023 on six counts of gross sexual imposition, being accused of inappropriately touching a 15-year-old girl with cancer while performing a "blessing" in Westlake in October 2023. He was arrested in October 2023 and released in January 2024 after posting bond. Despite being able to perform the blessing by this time, it is believed that Barajas had previously been removed from priesthood soon after he was accused in 1989 of sexually abusing juveniles in the Diocese of Harrisburg. He had also been arrested in 2019 on charges of misconduct with a minor.

Statistics

As of 2023, the Diocese of Cleveland had a population of approximately 613,000 Catholics and contained 185 parishes, three Catholic hospitals, three universities, two

shrine A shrine ( "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred space">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ...: ''escri ...

s (St. Paul Shrine Church and St. Stanislaus Church), and two

seminaries A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clerg ...

(Centers for Pastoral Leadership).

Bishops

Bishops of Cleveland

Louis Amadeus Rappe Louis Amadeus Rappe (February 2, 1801 – August 9, 1877) was a French-born prelate of the Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the new Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 184 ...

(1847–1870) #

(1872–1891) #

Ignatius Frederick Horstmann Ignatius Frederick Horstmann (December 16, 1840 – May 13, 1908) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1892 until his death in 1908. Biography Early life Igna ...

(1891–1908) # John Patrick Farrelly (1909–1921) #

(1921–1945), appointed

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

''ad personam'' by

in 1939 #

Edward Francis Hoban Edward Francis Hoban (June 27, 1878 – September 22, 1966) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1945 to 1966. He previously served as bishop of the Diocese of R ...

(1945–1966;

1942–1945), appointed

''ad personam'' by

in 1951 # Clarence George Issenmann (1966–1974; coadjutor bishop 1964–1966) #

James Aloysius Hickey James Aloysius Hickey (October 11, 1920 – October 24, 2004) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Washington from 1980 to 2000, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1988. Hickey previously served as Bishop of Clevela ...

(1974–1980), appointed

Archbishop of Washington The Archdiocese of Washington () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church for the District of Columbia and several Maryland counties in the United States. The Archdiocese of Washington is home to the Ca ...

(

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal most commonly refers to * Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of three species in the family Cardinalidae ***Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'', the common cardinal of ...

in 1988) #

Anthony Michael Pilla Anthony Michael Pilla (November 12, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1979 to 1981 and as bishop of the same diocese from ...

(1980–2006) # Richard Gerard Lennon (2006–2016) # Nelson Jesus Perez (2017–2020), appointed

Archbishop of Philadelphia The Archdiocese of Philadelphia () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia originally included all of Pennsylvania and Dela ...

# Edward Charles Malesic (2020–present)

Auxiliary Bishops of Cleveland

Joseph Maria Koudelka Joseph Maria Koudelka (December 7, 1852 – June 24, 1921) was a Czech-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the second bishop of the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin from 1913 until his death in 1921. Koudelka previously serv ...

(1907–1911), appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Milwaukee and later Bishop of Superior # James A. McFadden (1922–1943), appointed Bishop of Youngstown #

William Michael Cosgrove William Michael Cosgrove (November 26, 1916 – December 11, 1992) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Belleville, Diocese of Belleville in Illinois from 1976 to 1981. He ...

(1943–1968), appointed Bishop of Belleville # John Raphael Hagan (1946) #

Floyd Lawrence Begin Floyd Lawrence Begin (February 5, 1902 – April 26, 1977) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Oakland in California from 1962 until his death in 1977. He previously served as an aux ...

(1947–1962), appointed Bishop of Oakland # John Joseph Krol (1953–1961), appointed

(

in 1967) #

Clarence Edward Elwell Clarence Edward Elwell (February 4, 1904 – February 16, 1973) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Columbus in Ohio from 1968 until his death in 1973. He previously served as an auxilia ...

(1962–1968), appointed Bishop of Columbus #

John Francis Whealon John Francis Whealon (January 15, 1921 – August 2, 1991) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop of the Archdiocese of Hartford in Connecticut from 1968 to 1991. Whealon previously served as an auxili ...

(1961–1966), appointed Bishop of Erie and later Archbishop of Hartford #

Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon (September 20, 1926 – April 24, 2023) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio between 1992 and 2002. Sheldon previously served as an ...

(1976–1992), appointed Bishop of Steubenville # Michael Joseph Murphy (1976–1978), appointed Bishop of Erie # James Anthony Griffin (1979–1983), appointed Bishop of Columbus #

James Patterson Lyke James Patterson Lyke, O.F.M. (February 18, 1939 – December 27, 1992) was an African-American Catholic prelate who served as archbishop of Atlanta from 1991 to 1992. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland ...

O.F.M. (1979–1990), appointed Archbishop of Atlanta #

(1979–1980), appointed Bishop of Cleveland #

Anthony Edward Pevec Anthony Edward Pevec (April 16, 1925 – December 14, 2014) was a bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in the state of Ohio from 1982-2002. Biography Pevec was born in C ...

(1982–2001) # Alexander James Quinn (1983–2008) # Martin John Amos (2001–2006), appointed Bishop of Davenport # Roger William Gries,

O.S.B. The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, they ...

(2001–2013) # Michael Gerard Woost, (2022–present)

Other affiliated bishops

* John Patrick Carroll, Bishop of Helena (1889–1904) *

Augustus John Schwertner Augustus John Schwertner (December 23, 1870 – October 2, 1939) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Wichita in Kansas from 1921 until his death in 1939. Biography Early life and education Au ...

, Bishop of Wichita in 1921 (1897–1910) * Thomas Charles O'Reilly, Bishop of Scranton (1898–1927) * Edward Mooney, titular Archbishop and Apostolic Delegate, and later Archbishop (ad personam) of Rochester and

Archbishop of Detroit The Archdiocese of Detroit () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church covering the south-east portion of Michigan in the United States. The archdiocese consists counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oa ...

(

in 1946) (1909–1926) * Charles Hubert Le Blond, Bishop of Saint Joseph (1909–1933) * Michael Joseph Ready, Bishop of Columbus (1918–1944) *

John Patrick Treacy John Patrick Treacy (July 23, 1891 – October 11, 1964) was an American lawyer and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse in Wisconsin from 1948 until his death in 1964. Biography Early life a ...

, Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of La Crosse (1918–1945) *

Joseph Patrick Hurley Joseph Patrick Hurley (January 21, 1894 – October 30, 1967) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida from 1940 until his death in 1967. Hurley also served as a Va ...

, Bishop of Saint Augustine (and

(ad personam) in 1949) (1919–1940) *

John Francis Dearden John Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907 – August 1, 1988) was an American Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1958 to 1980, and was created a cardinal in 1969. He previously served as Bishop of Pittsburgh from 1950 to 195 ...

, Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of Pittsburgh and

(

in 1969) (1932–1948) * Paul John Hallinan, Bishop of Charleston and later Archbishop of Atlanta (1937–1958) * Raymond Joseph Gallagher, Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana (1939–1965) * Timothy P. Broglio,

Apostolic Nuncio An apostolic nuncio (; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international organization. A nuncio is ...

to the Dominican Republic and later Archbishop for the Military Services, USA (1977–2001) * David John Walkowiak, Bishop of Grand Rapids (1979–2013) * Neal James Buckon, Auxiliary Bishop for the Military Services, USA (1995–2011)

Churches

Education

As of 2023, the Diocese of Cleveland had 20 high schools and 86 elementary schools with a total enrollment exceeding 38,000 students. In 2023, the diocese stated that students and school employees cannot show expressions of

LGBTQ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...

identity. Several independent Catholic schools chose not to follow the policy.

High schools

Closed schools

– Lorain (co-ed) Closed in 2004 * Nazareth Academy – Parma Heights (girls), ( Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph 1957–1980). Closed in 1980, Holy Name High School moved into its building. * Regina High School – South Euclid (girls), ( Sisters of Notre Dame), Closed in 2010 * St. Augustine Academy – Lakewood (girls) Closed 2005. Now Lakewood Catholic Academy elementary school * St. Peter Chanel High School – Bedford (co-ed) (Marist Fathers 1957–1973); (

Diocese of Cleveland The Diocese of Cleveland () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern Ohio in the United States. , the bishop is Edward Malesic. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in Clevelan ...

1973–2013). Closed in 2013

References

External links

Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
official website {{Coord, 41, 28, 56, N, 81, 40, 11, W, source:plwiki, display=title

Religious organizations established in 1847 Culture of Cleveland

Christianity in Cleveland 1847 establishments in Ohio