Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Diocese of Cleveland Dioecesis Clevelandensis | |
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O.S.B.)[1] | |
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dioceseofcleveland.org |
The Diocese of Cleveland (
The Diocese of Cleveland is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
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, Lorain, Medina, Summit, and Wayne.
History
Early history
During the 17th century, present day Ohio was part of the French colony of
In 1763,
In 1808, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Bardstown in Kentucky, with jurisdiction over the new state of Ohio along with the other midwest states. Pope Pius VII on June 19, 1821, erected the Diocese of Cincinnati, taking all of Ohio from Bardstown.[5]
Diocese of Cleveland
1840 to 1870
Pope Pius IX 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 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
Rappe purchased an episcopal residence in 1848, founding a seminary there. He laid the cornerstone of
In 1865, Rappe established St. Vincent Charity Hospital, the first public hospital in Cleveland. Rappe retired in 1870 after 33 years as bishop of Cleveland.
1870 to 1900
In 1872, Pope Pius IX appointed Reverend Richard Gilmour of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as the second bishop of Cleveland. As bishop, Gilmour founded The Catholic Universe newspaper in 1874. In 1877, the Cuyahoga County auditor announced plans to tax Catholic churches and schools. Gilmour fought the auditor in court, winning his case six years later.[12] He was also wary of the public school system.[13] He established St. Ann's Asylum and Maternity Home,[14] St. Michael Hospital,[15] 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 being evicted from their homes.[16] After Gimour died in 1891, Pope Leo XIII 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 Cleveland(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.[17]
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 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 all of them. Years later, after the deaths of both men, the diocese accepted the new church.[18]
1900 to 1945
In 1907, Horstmann faced a second schism with Polish Catholics. After removing Reverend Casimir Zakrekac 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 Zakrekac's reinstatement and home rule for St. Vitus.[19] Horstmann died in 1908.
Bishop
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
As bishop, Issenmann constructed the following schools in the diocese:
- Villa Angela Academyin Cleveland,
- Lake Catholic High School in Mentor
- Lorain Catholic High School in Lorain
- St. Vincent-St. Mary High Schoolin Akron
In November 1968, Issenmann asked all adults attending mass in the diocese to sign petitions of support for
1980 to present
John Paul II appointed Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Pilla 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 to sue in this case.[31] After 26 years as bishop, Pilla resigned in 2006.
In 2004, Phila received an anonymous letter accusing Joseph Smith, the assistant treasurer for the diocese, of theft. After meeting with Pilla, Smith went on administrative lead and later resigned.[32][31][33] 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 named Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon of the Archdiocese of Boston as the tenth bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland.
In August 2007 Smith and Anton Zgoznik, a hired consultant, were charged with 17 counts of money laundering and tax evasion. 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.[34] In December 2008, Smith was acquitted of embezzlement, but convicted of tax evasion; he received one year in prison.[35]
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. Lennon resigned in 2016 due to poor health.
Reports of sex abuse
In March 2002, Bishop Pilla published a list of 28 priests accused of
In July 2011, an Ohio man sued Pilla and the diocese, saying that their
In July 2019, the diocese added 22 more names to its list of "credibly accused" clergy.[42]
In December 2019, Reverend Robert McWilliams, a diocesan priest, was arrested at St. Joseph Parish in Strongsville on four counts of possessing child pornography.[43] Bishop Perez had called for McWilliams's arrest, describing the case as a "painful situation."[44] McWilliams pleaded guilty in July 2021 to sex trafficking of youths, sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. Sentenced to life in prison in November 2021, McWilliams committed suicide in February 2022.[45] 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 15, McWilliams paid him $200 for three sex acts. The plaintiff was one of the victims in the criminal case against McWilliams.[46]
In March 2023, four women sued the diocese, saying that they had been sexually and physically assaulted at the Parmadale Children’s Village in Parma. 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.[47]
In February 2024, the trial of former priest Luis J. Barajas began in Cuyahoga County.[48] He had been indicted in November 2023 on six counts of 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.[49] He was arrested in October 2023 and released in January 2024 after posting bond.[48] Despite being able to perform the blessing by this time, it is believed that Barajas had been previously been removed from priesthood soon after he was accused in 1989 of sexually abusing juveniles in the Diocese of Harrisburg.[48] He had also been arrested in 2019 on charges of misconduct with a minor.[48]
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
Bishops
Bishops of Cleveland
- Louis Amadeus Rappe (1847–1870)
- Richard Gilmour (1872–1891)
- Ignatius Frederick Horstmann (1891–1908)
- John Patrick Farrelly (1909–1921)
- Joseph Schrembs (1921–1945), appointed Archbishop ad personam by Pope Pius XII in 1939
- Edward Francis Hoban (1945–1966; coadjutor bishop 1942–1945), appointed Archbishop ad personam by Pope Pius XII in 1951
- Clarence George Issenmann (1966–1974; coadjutor bishop 1964–1966)
- Cardinalin 1988)
- Anthony Michael Pilla(1980–2006)
- Richard Gerard Lennon (2006–2016)
- Nelson Jesus Perez (2017–2020), appointed Archbishop of Philadelphia
- Edward Charles Malesic (2020–present)
Auxiliary Bishops of Cleveland
- Bishop of Superior
- James A. McFadden (1922–1943), appointed Bishop of Youngstown
- William Michael Cosgrove (1943–1968), appointed Bishop of Belleville
- John Raphael Hagan (1946)
- Floyd Lawrence Begin (1947–1962), appointed Bishop of Oakland
- Cardinalin 1967)
- Clarence Edward Elwell (1962–1968), appointed Bishop of Columbus
- John Francis Whealon (1961–1966), appointed Bishop of Erie and later Archbishop of Hartford
- Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon (1976–1992), appointed Bishop of Steubenville
- Michael Joseph Murphy (1976–1978), appointed Bishop of Erie
- James Anthony Griffin (1979–1983), appointed Bishop of Columbus
- O.F.M. (1979–1990), appointed Archbishop of Atlanta
- Anthony Michael Pilla(1979–1980), appointed Bishop of Cleveland
- Anthony Edward Pevec (1982–2001)
- Alexander James Quinn (1983–2008)
- Martin John Amos (2001–2006), appointed Bishop of Davenport
- O.S.B.(2001–2013)
- Michael Gerard Woost, (2022–present)
Other affiliated bishops
- John Patrick Carroll, Bishop of Helena (1889–1904)
- Augustus John Schwertner, 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 (Cardinal 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, Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of La Crosse (1918–1945)
- Bishop of Saint Augustine (and Archbishop(ad personam) in 1949) (1919–1940)
- John Francis Dearden, Coadjutor Bishop and later Bishop of Pittsburgh and Archbishop of Detroit (Cardinalin 1969) (1932–1948)
- Bishop of Charleston and later Archbishop of Atlanta(1937–1958)
- Raymond Joseph Gallagher, Bishop of Lafayette in Indiana (1939–1965)
- Apostolic Nuncio 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.[50]
High schools
High school | Location | Gender | Administered by |
---|---|---|---|
Archbishop Hoban High School | Akron | Co-ed | Congregation of Holy Cross |
Beaumont School | Cleveland | Girls | Order of Saint Ursula |
Benedictine High School
|
Cleveland | Boys | Benedictine Order |
Cleveland Central Catholic High School | Cleveland | Co-ed | Diocese of Cleveland |
Elyria Catholic High School | Elyria | Co-ed | Diocese of Cleveland |
Gilmour Academy | Gates Mills | Co-ed | Congregation of the Holy Cross |
Holy Name High School | Parma Heights | Co-ed | Diocese of Cleveland |
Lake Catholic High School | Mentor | Co-ed | Diocese of Cleveland |
Magnificat High School | Rocky River | Girls | Sisters of the Humility of Mary
|
Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin School | Chardon | Co-ed | Sisters of Notre Dame |
Our Lady of the Elms High School | Akron | Girls | Sisters of St. Dominic
|
Padua Franciscan High School | Parma | Co-ed | Franciscans |
Saint Edward High School | Lakewood | Boys | Congregation of Holy Cross |
Saint Ignatius High School | Cleveland | Boys | Society of Jesus
|
Saint Joseph Academy | Cleveland | Girls | Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph
|
Saint Martin de Porres High School | Cleveland | Co-ed | Society of Jesus, Sisters of the Humility of Mary, Cristo Rey |
Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School | Akron | Co-ed | Society of Mary |
Trinity High School | Garfield Heights | Co-ed | Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Third Order of Saint Francis |
Villa Angela-Saint Joseph High School | Cleveland | Co-ed | Diocese of Cleveland |
Walsh Jesuit High School | Cuyahoga Falls | Co-ed | Society of Jesus |
Closed schools
- Lorain Catholic High School – 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.[51]
- 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.
- Diocese of Cleveland1973–2013). Closed in 2013
See also
- Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States
- List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States
- St. Peter Catholic Church (Norwalk, Ohio)
References
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine: Rinuncia dell'Ausiliare di Cleveland (U.S.A.)" [Waivers and Nominations: Auxiliary Waiver of Cleveland (U.S.A.)] (PDF) (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. November 1, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ "Administrator elected to oversee Diocese of Cleveland". Crux. February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
- ^ "Our History". Archdiocese of Baltimore. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
- ^ "Freedom of Religion Comes to Boston | Archdiocese of Boston". www.bostoncatholic.org. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- JSTOR 41974134– via JSTOR.
- ^ "ST. MARY'S ON-THE-FLATS". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Western Reserve University. May 22, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- ^ Clarke, Richard Henry. Lives of the Deceased Bishops of the Catholic Church in the United States.
- ^ a b Houck, George Francis (1887). The Church in Northern Ohio and in the Diocese of Cleveland from 1749 to 1890. Short & Forman.
- ^ The National Magazine; A Monthly Journal of American History. 1887.
- ^ "St. Vincent Charity Medical Center". St. Vincent Charity Medical Center. Retrieved March 13, 2020.
- ^ "Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine", The Catholic Church in the United States of America, Catholic Editing Company, 1914, p. 86 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "GILMOUR, RICHARD". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- ^ Brownson's Quarterly Review (Last Series, Vol. 1, 1873, "The Church above the State", p. 353-354). Quote: "Catholics are too timid; they seem to go upon the principle that, if they are tolerated, they are doing well. This is a mistake; if we let our rights go by default, we should not wonder if we lose them. We must be decided in our demands, and present a bolder front to our enemies. It is unjust to so organize the public schools that we cannot in conscience send our children to them, and then tax us for their support. As well create a State Church, and tax us for its support."
- ^ "St. Ann's Hospital, Cleveland", The Catholic Church in the United States of America, Catholic Editing Company, 1914, p. 87 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "St. Michael Hospital", Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, Case Western Reserve University
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
- ^ "HORSTMANN, IGNATIUS FREDERICK". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- ^ Paul, Mackenzie. "Immaculate Heart of Mary Church - The Struggle for a Polish Church in Cleveland's Warszawa". Cleveland Historical. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
- ^ Rose, William Ganson (December 1990). Cleveland: The Making of a City. Kent State University Press.
- ^ Avery, Elroy McKendree (1918). A History of Cleveland and Its Environs: The Heart of New Connecticut. Lewis Publishing Company.
- ^ Callahan, Nelson J. and William F. Hickey. The Irish Americans and Their Communities of Cleveland.
- ^ "Saint's Body". TIME Magazine. August 3, 1925. Archived from the original on February 19, 2012.
- ^ "St. Christine Relics". Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ "Kateri Tekakwitha: First Catholic Native American saint". BBC News. October 21, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ "SCHREMBS, JOSEPH". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Western Reserve University. May 11, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ a b Callahan, Nelson J. and William F. Hickey. Irish Americans and Their Communities of Cleveland.
- ^ a b c d e "Hoban, Edward Francis". The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 17, 2022.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ Tobin, Mike; Dealer, The Plain (May 30, 2008). "Former Bishop Pilla testifies in kickback trial". cleveland. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ Sheeran, Thomas J. "Former Bishop Pilla Takes Stand in Kick-Back Trial". www.chicagotribune.com. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
- ^ "#08-1093: Former Chief Financial Officer of Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Tax Crimes (2008-12-11)". www.justice.gov. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ Neff, Martha Mueller; Dealer, The Plain (December 12, 2008). "Diocese finance officer gets year Joseph Smith also must pay restitution". cleveland. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ "Reconfiguration Plan — Q & A". Diocese of Cleveland. March 2009. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Diocese of Cleveland Reconfiguration Office - List of Closing/Merging Parishes. Retrieved on March 25, 2009. Archived copy at WebCite (February 15, 2013).
- ^ O'Malley, Michael (March 13, 2012). "Vatican reverses Cleveland Catholic Diocese's closing of 13 parishes". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
- ^ Shaffer, Cory; clevel; .com (October 2, 2018). "Catholic Priest Sex Scandal: Will Cleveland-area residents ever get to know the names of priests accused in the past?". cleveland. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ a b "Diocese to face sexual battery allegations". Morning Journal. July 2, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ^ Michael O'Malley, The Plain Dealer (January 5, 2010). "Former Cleveland Catholic Diocese priest begins jail sentence for sexual offense". cleveland. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Catholic Diocese of Cleveland identifies 22 more clerics previously accused of sexual abuse". cleveland. June 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ "Cleveland priest charged with possessing child pornography".
- ^ "Cleveland Bishop calls arrest of Strongsville priest on child porn charges 'heart-wrenching' in statement from Rome". cleveland. December 6, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
- ^ John Caniglia, cleveland com (February 4, 2022). "Former Strongsville priest serving life sentence in prison for sexually exploiting boys dies". cleveland. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ John Caniglia, cleveland com (March 29, 2022). "Man sues Catholic Diocese of Cleveland over rape allegations against former priest McWilliams". cleveland. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ Cory Shaffer, cleveland com (March 21, 2023). "3 women sue Parmadale, Catholic Diocese over sexual abuse allegations spanning decades". cleveland. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Dennis, Justin (November 15, 2023). "Former priest to stand trial on molestation charges". WJW. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ Dennis, Justin (November 15, 2023). "Former priest charged with molesting girl, 15, in Westlake faces judge". WJW. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ a b "The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland AT A GLANCE" (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ^ "Saint Joseph Academy Academics". www.sja1890.org. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
External links
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland official website