Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston, USA

Continent: North America

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Wheeling–Charleston / Vhelingen(sis)–Carolopolitan(us) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Baltimore

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Websites:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1850.07.19: Established as Diocese of Wheeling / Vhelingen(sis) (Latin) (from Diocese of Richmond and became suffragan of Baltimore)
1974.08.21: Renamed as Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston / Vhelingen(sis)–Carolopolitan(us) (Latin)

Contact Info

Address: 1300 Byron St., P.O. Box 230, Wheeling, WV 26003, USA

Phone: +1 (304) 233-0880

Present Prelates

Bishop (2019.07.23 – ...):

Bishop Mark Edward Brennan (78)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Wheeling–Charleston (Roman Rite)

Bishop Mark Edward Brennan (78)
(2019.07.23 – ...)

Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA)

Docete omnes gentes

Born:	1947.02.06 (Boston, MA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1976.05.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2017.01.19

Priest of Washington (USA) (1976.05.15 – 2016.12.05)

Titular Bishop of Rusibisir (2016.12.05 – 2019.07.23)

Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore (USA) (2016.12.05 – 2019.07.23)

Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA) (2019.07.23 – ...)

Archbishop William Edward Lori (73)
(Apostolic Administrator 2018.09.13 – 2019.07.23)

Bishop Michael Joseph Bransfield (81)
(2004.12.09 – 2018.09.13)

Bishop emeritus of Wheeling–Charleston (USA)

Thy will be done

Born:	1943.09.08 (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1971.05.15
Consecrated Bishop:	2005.02.22

Priest of Philadelphia (USA) (1971.05.15 – 2004.12.09)

Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA) (2004.12.09 – 2018.09.13)

Bishop Bernard William Schmitt
(1989.03.29 – 2004.12.09)

Born:	1928.08.17 (Wheeling, WV, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1955.05.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1988.08.01
Died:	2011.08.16 († 82)

Titular Bishop of Walla Walla (1988.05.27 – 1989.03.29)

Auxiliary Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA) (1988.05.27 – 1989.03.29)

Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA) (1989.03.29 – 2004.12.09)

Bishop Francis Bible Schulte (later Archbishop)
(1985.06.04 – 1988.12.06)

Jesus Christ is Lord

Born:	1926.12.23 (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1952.05.10
Consecrated Bishop:	1981.08.12
Died:	2016.01.17 († 89)

Priest of Philadelphia (USA) (1952.05.10 – 1981.06.27)

Titular Bishop of Afufenia (1981.06.27 – 1985.06.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia (USA) (1981.06.27 – 1985.06.04)

Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA) (1985.06.04 – 1988.12.06)

Metropolitan Archbishop of New Orleans (USA) (1988.12.06 – 2002.01.03)

Bishop Joseph Howard Hodges
(1974.08.21 – 1985.01.27)

Caritas omnia vincit

Born:	1911.10.08 (USA)
Ordained Priest:	1935.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	1952.10.15
Died:	1985.01.27 († 73)

Auxiliary Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1952.08.08 – 1961.05.31)

Titular Bishop of Rusadus (1952.08.08 – 1962.11.23)

Coadjutor Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1961.05.31 – 1962.11.23)

Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1962.11.23 – 1974.08.21)

Bishop of Wheeling–Charleston (USA) (1974.08.21 – 1985.01.27)

Bishops of Wheeling (Roman Rite)

Bishop Joseph Howard Hodges
(1962.11.23 – 1974.08.21)

(see above)

Archbishop John Joseph Swint
(1922.12.11 – 1962.11.23)

Ut omnes unum sint

Born:	1879.12.15 (Pickens, WV, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1904.06.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1922.05.11
Died:	1962.11.23 († 82)

Titular Bishop of Sura (1922.02.22 – 1922.12.11)

Auxiliary Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1922.02.22 – 1922.12.11)

Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1922.12.11 – 1962.11.23)

Archbishop ad personam (1954.03.12 – 1962.11.23)

Bishop Patrick James Donahue
(1894.01.22 – 1922.10.04)

Caritas Christi urget nos

Born:	1849.04.15 (England)
Ordained Priest:	1885.12.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1894.04.08
Died:	1922.10.04 († 73)

Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1894.01.22 – 1922.10.04)

Bishop John Joseph Kain (later Archbishop)
(1875.02.12 – 1893.05.21)

Pro Deo et patria

Born:	1841.05.31 (Martinsburg, WV, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1866.07.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1875.05.23
Died:	1903.10.13 (St. Louis, MO, USA † 62)

Priest of Wheeling (USA) (1866.07.02 – 1875.02.12)

Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1875.02.12 – 1893.05.21)

Titular Archbishop of Oxyrynchus (1893.05.21 – 1895.05.21)

Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Louis (USA) (1893.05.21 – 1895.05.21)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Saint Louis (USA) (1895.05.21 – 1903.10.13)

Bishop Richard Vincent Whelan
(1850.07.23 – 1874.07.07)

Born:	1809.01.28 (Baltimore, MD, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1831.05.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1841.03.21
Died:	1874.07.07 († 65)

Priest of Richmond (USA) (1831.05.01 – 1840.12.15)

Bishop of Richmond (USA) (1840.12.15 – 1850.07.23)

Bishop of Wheeling (USA) (1850.07.23 – 1874.07.07)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Joseph Howard Hodges (1961.05.31 – 1962.11.23)
Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Thomas John McDonnell (1951.03.15 – 1961.02.25)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Bernard William Schmitt (1988.05.27 – 1989.03.29)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop James Edward Michaels (권야고보), S.S.C.M.E. (1974.08.21 – 1987.09.22)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop James Edward Michaels (권야고보), S.S.C.M.E. (1973.04.03 – 1974.08.21)
Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop John Joseph Swint (later Archbishop) (1922.02.22 – 1922.12.11)

Special Churches

Cathedral: St. Joseph Cathedral, Wheeling, West Virginia
Co-Cathedral, Minor Basilica: Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Charleston, West Virginia
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Churches by City (135)

Lexington (←), Steubenville (↖), Youngstown (↑), Pittsburgh (↑), Greensburg (↗), Baltimore (↗), Arlington (→), Richmond (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 62,755 km²

Population: 110,120 Catholics (6.0% of 1,826,165 total)

Pastoral Centres: 92 parishes

Personnel: 137 priests (104 diocesan, 33 religious), 35 deacons, 114 religious (38 brothers, 76 sisters), 6 seminarians