The Diocese of Steubenville (Latin: Dioecesis Steubenvicensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church covering thirteen counties in southeastern Ohio in the United States.
During the 17th century, present day Ohio was part of the French colony of New France. The Diocese of Quebec had jurisdiction over the region. In 1763, after the French-Indian War, Ohio Country became part of the British Province of Quebec. To prevent hostile interactions with Native Americans in the area, the British had forbidden settlement in Ohio by inhabitants of the 13 American colonies. After the American Revolution, the Ohio area became part of the new United States. In 1784, the Vatican established the Apostolic Prefecture of the United States so as to remove American Catholics from the jurisdiction of a British diocese.
The Vatican erected the Diocese of Baltimore in 1789 in place of the prefecture.[1] In 1808, Pope Pius VII erected the Diocese of Bardstown in Kentucky, a vast diocese with jurisdiction over the new state of Ohio along with the other midwest states. Pope Pius VII in 1821, erected the Diocese of Cincinnati, taking the entire state of Ohio from the Diocese of Bardstown.[2]
The first Catholic church in Steubenville, St. Peter's, was dedicated in 1835.[3]
In 1868, Pope Pius IX erected the Diocese of Columbus, encompassing the portions of Ohio "...lying south of 40' and 41" and between the Ohio River on the East and the Scioto River on the West together with the Counties of Franklin, Delaware and Morrow."[4]
In 1958, Mussio joined with the other Catholic bishops of Ohio in opposing a so-called right to work amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would have outlawed mandatory union membership in unionized workplaces.[6] As bishop, Mussio established 73 parishes and 20 missions, the College of Steubenville in Steubenville, St. John Vianney Seminary, a Camaldolese hermitage, Samaritan House, Catholic Social Services, and St. John's Villa.[7] He also founded the diocesan newspaper, The Steubenville Register.[7] In accord with the Second Vatican Council's reforms, he established the Steubenville Ecumenical Institute to foster better relationships among Christians and Jews.[7] After 33 years as bishop, Mussio retired in 1977.
Auxiliary Bishop Albert Ottenweller of the Diocese of Toledo was appointed bishop of Steubenville In 1977, by Pope Paul VI. In 1989, Ottenweller was arrested with other protestors outside a health clinic that provided abortion services for women in Youngstown, Ohio. Refusing to post bail, he spent six days in jail before his trial.[8] Ottenweiller retired in 1992.
1990 to present
Diocesan Pastoral Center
In 1992, Auxiliary Bishop Gilbert Sheldon of the Diocese of Cleveland was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville by Pope John Paul II.[9] Sheldon retired in 2002, to be replaced by Reverend R. Daniel Conlon of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
In 2007, Conlon announced that the diocese planned to construct a new Triumph of the Cross Cathedral in Steubenville. Under the plan, the diocese would combine six parishes in the city (Holy Name Cathedral, Holy Rosary, St. Pius X, St. Anthony's, St. Stanislaus, and Servants of Christ the King) into a centrally-located cathedral parish to better accommodate the decreased number of parishioners and priests. The six parishes closed in 2008. However, after raising $8.5 million, Conlon shelved his plan in 2011, saying that it was far too risky to incur the construction debt.
Pope Benedict XVI name Conlon as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in 2011 and replaced him in Steubenville with Reverend Jeffrey Monforton of the Archdiocese of Detroit.
In June 2013, Monforton,announced that the diocese would retain the current cathedral and renovate it. His plan included upgraded technology to allow broadcast of masses and other events, installing security systems to allow 24-hour visitation and restoring the towers that had been were removed in a 1957 renovation. Monforton added that, whenever possible, the diocese would employ local residents and firms to perform work. The diocese would also work with Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County to revitalize the neighborhood.[10]
In 2017, the diocese embarked on a year of re-consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, patroness of the diocese. The diocese formed an 18-person ad hoc task force to ascertain the present pastoral needs of the diocese. A survey was also shared with all the priests and parishioners.
In May 2018, the diocese discovered that its financial department had been misallocating funds from employee paychecks since 2004. Monforton started a forensic audit of the diocesan finances dating back to 2004. As a result of the audit, the diocese was forced to pay $3.5 million in employee taxes. This new financial liability forced the diocese to suspend plans to renovate Holy Name Cathedral.[11] Following the enactment of austerity measures, the diocese balanced its financial standing. Vicar General Kurt Kemo resigned from his church positions; he was later convicted of felony theft, having stolen over $289,000 from the diocese.[12][13]
In October 2022, the diocese announced that the Vatican was considering merging it with the Diocese of Columbus.[14][15] A month later, after receiving significant negative feedback within the Diocese of Steubenville, Monforton announced that the proposal was on hold.[16]
In September 2023, Pope Francis appointed Most Reverend Jeffrey M. Monforton as Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, transferring him from the Diocese of Steubenville and assigning him the Titular See of Centuria. Most Reverend Paul J. Bradley, bishop emeritus of Kalamazoo, was appointed the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Steubenville.[17]
Sexual abuse
In October 2018, the Diocese of Steubenville published a list of 16 clergy and one seminarian who were either credibly accused of, or had admitted to, sexually abusing minors.[18][19]
In November 2018, Reverend Henry Foxhoven of Glouster pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual battery of a 17-year-old girl.[20] Foxhoven was sentenced to 12 years in prison with no early release.[20] In June 2020, the Vatican defrocked Foxhaven.[21][22] In January 2021, Monforton and the diocese were sued for $1 million by Foxhoven's victim. The plaintiff, listed as JW, said that Foxhoven impregnated her in 2017 when she was a young teenager attending his church. The suit also stated that an affidavit for a 2018 arrest warrant said that Foxhaven told Monforton that he had been "sexually involved with a juvenile member of his congregation and that she was now pregnant".[23] The diocese settled the lawsuit with JW in July 2022.[24]
Also in November 2018, a woman reported to the diocese that she had been raped multiple times between 2010 and 2013 at Franciscan University of Steubenville facility by Reverend David Morrier, a Franciscan priest. Morrier had been assigned by the university to counsel the college student, who was suffering from PTSD due to previous abuse. He told the plaintiff that she was possessed by demons and performed sexually explicit so-called exorcisms on her. He impregnated her in 2011. After hearing the allegations, the diocese immediately notified law enforcement; the Franciscan University had suspended Morrier from ministry in 2015 after receiving sexual misconduct allegations. In November 2021, Morrier was indicted on sexual battery and rape charges.[25] He pleaded guilty in March 2022 to one count of sexual battery and was sentenced to five years of probation.[26][27] The woman sued the university and the Franciscan Order, and reached a settlement with them in October 2022.[28]
The Diocese of Alexandria in Louisiana is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in central Louisiana in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of New Orleans.
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or archdiocese, of the Roman Catholic Church that covers many dioceses throughout the State of Ohio in the United States.
The Diocese of Joliet in Illinois is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in Illinois in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Chicago.
The Diocese of Savannah is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in southern Georgia in the United States. The mother church of the diocese is Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist in Savannah. The patron saint is John the Baptist.
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 metropolitan Archdiocese of New York.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse is a Latin Church diocese in west-central Wisconsin in the United States. The metropolitan for the diocese is the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The mother church is the Cathedral of Saint Joseph the Workman in La Crosse.
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 Cincinnati.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette is an ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church, encompassing the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan in the United States. The diocese is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Detroit. Its cathedral is St. Peter Cathedral in Marquette, which replaced Holy Name of Mary Pro-Cathedral at Sault Ste. Marie.
The Diocese of Superior is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northwest Wisconsin in the United States. Its episcopal see is Superior, and the Cathedral of Christ the King in Superior is its mother church. It is a suffragan diocese of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
The Diocese of Cleveland is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern Ohio in the United States. As of September 2020, the bishop is Edward Malesic. The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, located in Cleveland, is the mother church of the diocese.
The Diocese of Columbus is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church covering 23 counties in central Ohio in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
The Diocese of Toledo in America is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or diocese, of the Catholic Church covering nineteen counties in northwestern Ohio in the United States.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Covington is a Latin Church diocese in Northern Kentucky in the United States, The cathedral church of the diocese is the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington.
The Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in central Pennsylvania in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The mother church of the diocese is the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Altoona.
The Diocese of Rapid City is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in western South Dakota in the United States It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
The Diocese of Amarillo is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic church in the Texas Panhandle region in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese of the metropolitan Archdiocese of San Antonio.
Robert Daniel Conlon is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as bishop of the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois from 2011 to 2020. From 2002 to 2011 he served as bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio.
Anthony John King Mussio was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the first bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio from 1945 to 1977.
Gilbert Ignatius Sheldon 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 auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland in Ohio from 1976 to 1992.
Jeffrey Marc Monforton is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the bishop of the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio from 2012 to 2023 and is now an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Detroit in Michigan.
References
↑ "Our History". Archdiocese of Baltimore. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States 
