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Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston Dioecesis Vhelingensis–Carolopolitanus
Location
Country	United States
Territory	State of West Virginia
Ecclesiastical province	Baltimore
Metropolitan	Baltimore
Statistics
Area	24,282 sq mi (62,890 km2)
Population - Total - Catholics	(as of 2018) 1,844,128 77,874 (4%)
Parishes	111
Information
Denomination	Catholic Church
Rite	Roman Rite
Established	July 19, 1850 (168 years ago)
Cathedral	Cathedral of Saint Joseph (Wheeling)
Co-cathedral	Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (Charleston)
Current leadership
Pope	Francis
Bishop	Sede vacante
Metropolitan Archbishop	William E. Lori
Apostolic Administrator	William E. Lori
Emeritus Bishops	Michael Joseph Bransfield
Map
Website
www.dwc.org

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston (Latin: Dioecesis Vhelingensis–Carolopolitanus) is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church comprising the U.S. state of West Virginia. The diocese is currently sede vacante, although Archbishop William E. Lori is the current Apostolic Administrator who serves as pastor of the mother church, the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Wheeling, West Virginia.

History

The Diocese of Wheeling was canonically erected on July 19, 1850, by Pope Pius IX. Its territory was taken from the Diocese of Richmond. Its name was changed to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston on August 21, 1974, by Pope Paul VI.^[1][2] At the same time, its boundary was shifted to coincide with the state of West Virginia.

The Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston is home to Wheeling Jesuit University, an institution of higher learning administered by the Society of Jesus.

On September 13, 2018, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Bishop Bransfield and appointed the Metropolitan Archbishop William E. Lori as apostolic administrator. Pope Francis then instructed Archbishop Lori to investigate allegations of sexual harassment of adults against Bishop Bransfield.^[3]

Reports of sex abuse

On November 29, 2018, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston released the names of 18 clergy who had been "credibly accused" of sexually abusing minors while serving in the Diocese.^[4][5] The list also revealed the names of 13 priests who were transferred to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston after being accused of committing sex abuse in other Catholic Dioceses.^[4][6] One of the accused clergy on the list, Rev. Felix Owino, taught at the Diocese's Wheeling Jesuit University and was deported to Africa after being convicted in 2010 in the neighboring state of Virginia for sexually abusing a girl.^[7][5] Reported incidents of sex abuse on this list also go as far back as 1950.^[5] 11 of the clergy on the list who were accused of sex abuse while serving in the Diocese are deceased.^[5]

Bishops

Bishop of Wheeling

1. 
   Richard Vincent Whelan (1850–1874)


2. 
   John Joseph Kain (1875–1893), appointed Coadjutor Archbishop and later Archbishop of Saint Louis
   


3. 
   Patrick James Donahue (1894–1922)


4. 
   John Joseph Swint (1922–1962), appointed Archbishop (personal title) in 1954

Bishop of Wheeling-Charleston

1. 
   Joseph Howard Hodges (1962–1985)


2. 
   Francis B. Schulte (1985–1988), appointed Archbishop of New Orleans
   


3. 
   Bernard William Schmitt (1989–2004)


4. 
   Michael Joseph Bransfield (2004–2018)

Sede vacante.

Auxiliary bishops

• 
  James Edward Michaels, S.S.C.M.E. (1973–1987)

Coadjutor bishops

• 
  Thomas John McDonnell (1951–1961)

Vicariates

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There are seven vicariates in the Diocese:

• Wheeling Vicariate


• Parkersburg Vicariate


• Charleston Vicariate


• Beckley Vicariate


• Weston Vicariate


• Clarksburg Vicariate


• Martinsburg Vicariate [1]
  

Parishes by Vicariate

There are 111 Parishes and 23 missions in the Diocese.

Wheeling Vicariate

There are 18 parishes and 2 missions in the Wheeling Vicariate.

• Cathedral of St. Joseph Parish, Wheeling


• Corpus Christi Parish, Wheeling


• Immaculate Conception Parish, New Cumberland
  


• Our Lady of Peace Parish, Wheeling


• Sacred Heart Parish, Chester
  


• Sacred Heart of Mary Parish (Polish), Weirton
  


• St. Alphonsus Parish, Wheeling


• St. Anthony Parish, Follansbee
  


• St. Francis Xavier Parish, Moundsville
  


• St. James Parish, McMechen
  


• St. John Parish, Benwood
  


• St. John the Evangelist Parish, Wellsburg
  


• St. Joseph Parish, Proctor
  


• St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Weirton
  


• St. Jude Parish, Glen Dale
  


• St. Martin of Tours Parish, Cameron
  


• St. Michael Parish, Wheeling


• St. Paul Parish, Weirton
  


• St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Wheeling


• Holy Family Mission, Beech Bottom
  


• Our Lady of Seven Dolors Mission, Triadelphia [2]
  

Martinsburg Vicariate

There are 11 parishes and 1 mission in the Martinsburg Vicariate.

• Annunciation of Our Lord Parish, Fort Ashby
  


• Assumption Parish, Keyser
  


• Epiphany of The Lord Parish, Moorefield
  


• Our Lady Of Grace Parish, Romney
  


• St. Agnes Parish, Shepherdstown
  


• St. Anthony Parish, Ridgeley
  


• St. James Parish, Charles Town
  


• St. Joseph Parish, Martinsburg
  


• St. Leo Parish, Inwood
  


• St. Mary Parish, Petersburg
  


• St. Vincent De Paul Parish, Berkeley Springs
  


• St. Bernadette Mission, Hedgesville [3]
  

Charleston Vicariate

There are 23 parishes and 7 missions in the Charleston Vicariate.

• Ascension Parish, Hurricane
  


• Blessed Sacrament Parish, South Charleston
  


• Christ The King Parish, Dunbar
  


• Holy Trinity Parish, Nitro
  


• Immaculate Conception Parish, Montgomery
  


• Nativity of Our Lord Parish, Wayne
  


• Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Huntington
  


• Our Lady of The Hills Parish, Elkview
  


• Risen Lord Parish, Maysel
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Williamson
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Point Pleasant
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Huntington


• Sacred Heart Co-Cathedral Parish, Charleston
  


• St. Agnes Parish, Charleston


• St. Anthony Parish, Charleston


• St. Edmund Parish, Man
  


• St. Francis of Assisi Parish, St. Albans
  


• St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Logan
  


• St. John Parish, Belle
  


• St. Joseph Parish, Huntington


• St. Mary Queen of Heaven Parish, Madison
  


• St. Peter Claver Parish, Huntington


• St. Stephen Parish, Ona
  


• Good Shepherd Mission, Coalburg
  


• St. Anne Mission, Clendenin
  


• St. Anthony's Shrine Mission, Boomer
  


• St. Barbara Mission, Chapmanville
  


• St. Joseph Mission, Mason
  


• St. Joseph the Worker Mission, Whitesville
  


• St. Patrick Mission, Bancroft [4]
  

Beckley Vicariate

There are 15 parishes and 2 missions in the Beckley Vicariate.

• Christ The King Parish, War
  


• Holy Family Parish, Richwood
  


• Our Lady of Victory Parish, Gray
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Powhatan
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Bluefield
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Princeton
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Rainelle
  


• SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Oak Hill
  


• St. Catherine of Siena Parish, White Sulphur Springs
  


• St. Charles Borromeo Parish, White Sulphur Springs


• St. Francis De Sales Parish, Beckley
  


• St. John The Evangelist Parish, Summersville
  


• St. John the Evangelist Parish, Mullens
  


• St. Patrick Parish, Hinton
  


• St. Peter Parish, Welch
  


• Holy Cross Mission, Pineville
  


• St. Mary of the Greenbrier Mission, Alderson [5]
  

Clarksburg Vicariate

There are 21 parishes and 3 missions in the Clarcksburg Vicariate.

• All Saints Parish, Bridgeport
  


• Holy Spirit Parish, Monogah
  


• Immaculate Conception Parish, Clarksburg
  


• Immaculate Conception Parish, Fairmont
  


• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Stonewood
  


• Sacred Heart Parish, Salem
  


• St. Ann Parish, Shinnston
  


• St. Anthony Parish, Fairmont


• St. Augustine Parish, Grafton
  


• St. Elizabeth Parish, Philippi
  


• St. Francis De Sales Parish, Morgantown
  


• St. James the Apostle Parish, Clarksburg
  


• St. John University Parish, Morgantown


• St. Luke The Evangelist Parish, Morgantown


• St. Mary Parish, Star City
  


• St. Patrick Parish, Mannington
  


• St. Patrick Parish, Salem
  


• St. Peter Parish, Farmington
  


• St. Peter The Fisherman Parish, Fairmont


• St. Sebastian Parish, Kingwood
  


• St. Zita Parish, Masontown
  


• Holy Family Mission, Spelter
  


• Mary Help of Christians Mission, Bruceton Mills
  


• St. Edward the Confessor Mission, Terra Alta [6]
  

Parkersburg Vicariate

There are 11 parishes and 3 missions in the Parkersburg Vicariate.

• Christ Our Hope Parish, Harrisville
  


• Holy Redeemer Parish, Spencer
  


• Holy Rosary Parish, Sisterville
  


• Mater Dolorosa Parish, Paden City
  


• St. Francis Xavier Parish, Parkersburg
  


• St. John Parish, St. Marys
  


• St. Margaret Mary Parish, Parkersburg


• St. Matthew Parish [7], Ravenswood
  


• St. Michael Parish, Vienna
  


• St. Monica Parish, Lubeck
  


• St. Vincent De Paul Parish, New Martinsville
  


• Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Mission, Grantsville
  


• St. Elizabeth of Hungary Mission, Elizabeth
  


• St. Lawrence Mission, Middlebourne [8]
  

Weston Vicariate

There are 12 parishes and 5 missions in the Weston Vicariate.

• Good Shepherd Parish, Glenville
  


• Holy Rosary Parish, Buckhannon
  


• St. Anne Parish, Webster Springs
  


• St. Boniface Parish, Camden
  


• St. Brendan Parish, Elkins
  


• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Franklin
  


• St. John Bosco Parish, Huttonsville
  


• St. John Neumann Parish, Marlinton
  


• St. Patrick Parish, Weston
  


• St. Patrick Parish, Coalton
  


• St. Thomas Parish, Gassaway
  


• St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Thomas
  


• Our Lady of Mercy Mission, Parsons
  


• Resurrection Mission, Huttonsville
  


• Resurrection Mission, Belington
  


• Sacred Heart Mission, Pickens
  


• St. Mark the Evangelist Mission, Bartow [9]
  

High schools

• 
  Charleston Catholic High School, Charleston


• 
  Madonna High School, Weirton


• 
  Notre Dame High School, Clarksburg


• 
  Parkersburg Catholic High School, Parkersburg


• 
  St. Joseph Central Catholic High School, Huntington


• 
  Wheeling Central Catholic High School, Wheeling

Universities

• 
  Catholic Distance University, was founded by Bishop Thomas Jerome Welsh of Arlington but has relocated to West Virginia


• Wheeling Jesuit University

Former schools

• 
  Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy, Wheeling


• St. Francis, Morgantown


• St. Patrick, Weston
  


• 
  De Sales Heights Academy, Parkersburg


• 
  St. Margaret Mary (Elementary), Parkersburg


• 
  St. Joseph Preparatory Seminary, Parkersburg


• 
  Bishop Donahue Memorial High School, McMechen. Bishop Donahue was closed and now houses the Police Department, City Clerks Office, and is occasionally used for community functions.

See also

• Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States


• List of the Catholic dioceses of the United States


• 
  List of Roman Catholic archdioceses (by country and continent)


• 
  List of Roman Catholic dioceses (alphabetical) (including archdioceses)


• 
  List of Roman Catholic dioceses (structured view) (including archdioceses)

References

External links

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston Official Site


• Catholic Hierarchy Profile of the Diocese of Wheeling–Charleston

Coordinates: 40°04′13″N 80°41′55″W / 40.07028°N 80.69861°W / 40.07028; -80.69861