Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

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Bishop(s) Michael Joseph Bransfield, Bishop Bernard William Schmitt, Bishop Emeritus James Edward Michaels, S.S.C.M.E., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Diocese Name Changed: 21 August 1974 Metropolitan: Archdiocese of Baltimore Rite: Latin (or Roman) State: West Virginia Country: United States of America Square Kilometers: 62,866 (24,282 Square Miles) Conference Region: IV (DC, DE, MD, VA, VI, WV) Catholic Directory Abbreviation: WH Official Web Site: http://www.dwc.org/ Mailing Address: 1300 Byron St., P.O. Box 230, Wheeling, WV 26003-0230 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

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Richard Vincent Whelan † (23 Jul 1850 Appointed - 7 Jul 1874 Died)
• John Joseph Kain † (12 Feb 1875 Appointed - 21 May 1893 Appointed, Coadjutor Archbishop of Saint Louis)
• 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)
• Bernard William Schmitt (29 Mar 1989 Appointed - 9 Dec 2004 Retired)
• Michael Joseph Bransfield (9 Dec 2004 Appointed - )

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Diocese of Wheeling
19 July 1850	Erected	Diocese of Richmond	Diocese of Wheeling (erected)
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
21 August 1974	Name Changed	Diocese of Wheeling	Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston

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Statistics

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

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

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Affiliated Bishops

• Michael Joseph Bransfield (Bishop: 9 Dec 2004 - )
• Patrick James Donahue † (Bishop: 22 Jan 1894 to 4 Oct 1922)
• Joseph Howard Hodges † (Coadjutor Bishop: 31 May 1961; Bishop: 23 Nov 1962 to 27 Jan 1985)
• John Joseph Kain † (Priest: 2 Jul 1866; Bishop: 12 Feb 1875 to 21 May 1893)
• Thomas John McDonnell † (Coadjutor Bishop: 15 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)