Diocese of Winona-Rochester

What Diocese of Winona-Rochester does

The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction covering the 20 southernmost counties of Minnesota (12,282 square miles) and serving more than 136,000 Catholics through 88 parishes, 18 Catholic schools (4 high schools plus 18 junior high/elementary/preschools), and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary. Established by papal decree on November 26, 1889 as the Diocese of Winona and renamed in 2018, it is led by the ninth bishop, Most Rev. Robert E. Barron (installed July 2022). Its core "products" are sacramental and pastoral services (Mass, the seven sacraments, marriage preparation, tribunal services for marriage nullity), Catholic education, youth and family formation programs (Totus Tuus, Steubenville Rochester, Camp Summit, Young Disciples), safe-environment compliance (VIRTUS training, background screening), vocations promotion, Hispanic ministry, and charitable outreach through Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota.

The diocese operates a digital infrastructure built on the eCatholic CMS (version 5.0) powering dowr.org, with the Parish Finder web application, Flocknote email network, and ParishSoft/GiveCentral-powered online giving for donations, plus VIRTUS for safe-environment training and S2Verify for background checks. Communication channels include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, the diocesan newspaper The Courier, and a TV Mass broadcast.

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary recurring contributions: parish tithes from over 136,000 Catholics, the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA), the Seminarian Education Appeal, and online giving — with no commercial pricing model. The diocese is a non-taxable 501(c)(3)-equivalent religious non-profit, governed by the diocesan bishop under Vatican authority, with 36 Chancery staff housed in a new 30,000-square-foot Rochester administrative campus (opened June 2024) that also includes the Mary, Mother of the Eucharist Chapel.

Name

Diocese of Winona-Rochester

Legal name

Diocese of Winona-Rochester

Website

https://dowr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is a Catholic diocese covering 20 southern Minnesota counties, serving 136,000+ Catholics through 88 parishes, 18 Catholic schools, and a seminary under Bishop Robert Barron, funded via voluntary tithes and the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization / Catholic Diocese Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Catholic pastoral services
• Religious education programs
• Parish ministry operations
• Catholic schools system
• Sacramental and liturgical services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA): Annual fundraising campaign that supports essential ministries including Catholic Charities, evangelization efforts, support for priests and seminarians, and resources that strengthen parish life.
2. Parish Contributions and Tithes: Voluntary donations from over 136,000 Catholics across 88 parishes for the support of diocesan operations, schools, and ministries.
3. Online Giving: Digital donation platform for supporting seminarian education and general diocesan ministries.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is a Roman Catholic diocese providing sacramental services, pastoral care, Catholic education, youth and family ministry, and charitable outreach to approximately 136,000 Catholics across 88 parishes in the 20 southernmost counties of Minnesota. It operates 18 Catholic schools and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, runs programs such as Totus Tuus, Steubenville Rochester, Camp Summit, and marriage preparation, and supports vocations, evangelization, tribunal services, and safe-environment programs.

Product overview

The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is a Catholic diocese covering 20 southern Minnesota counties with approximately 136,000 Catholics across 88 parishes. Its digital offerings include a unified web platform built on the eCatholic CMS featuring the Parish Finder locator application, Online Giving through ParishSoft/GiveCentral, and Safe Environment Program management via VIRTUS and S2Verify. The diocese operates 4 high schools, 18 elementary/preschools, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary under the Office of Catholic Schools. Key ministry programs include Youth Ministry & Faith Formation (Camp Summit, Totus Tuus), Office of Vocations, Office of Evangelization, Tribunal services, and Hispanic Ministries. The diocese publishes The Courier newsletter and broadcasts TV Mass. The 30,000-square-foot Chancery in Rochester serves as the administrative headquarters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parish Finder
• Online Giving
• Safe Environment Program
• Catholic Schools
• The Courier
• TV Mass
• Youth Ministry & Faith Formation
• Office of Vocations
• Office of Evangelization
• Tribunal
• Hispanic Ministries
• Catholic Cemeteries
• Catholic Ministries Appeal
• Life, Marriage & Family Ministry

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Catholic Charities of Southern MinnesotacoreOthersAffiliated charitable organization providing social services to communities across the diocese. Supported through Catholic Ministries Appeal fundraising.
• Catholic Foundation of Southern MinnesotacoreOthersFoundation supporting Catholic organizations in southern Minnesota through endowment management and charitable giving programs.
• St. Mary's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic university that was founded by the diocese. The seminary (Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary) operates in association with the university for priestly formation.
• Mayo ClinicminorOthersHistoric connection dating to 1889 when Sisters of St. Francis and Mayo Clinic founders opened the famous medical facility in Rochester.
• VIRTUS (National Catholic Educational Association)coreTechnology or IntegrationVIRTUS provides the Protecting God's Children training program used by the diocese for safe environment compliance and child protection.
• S2Verify Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationBackground screening provider used by the diocese for criminal background checks on employees and volunteers working with children.
• Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning CenterminorOthersCamp Summit youth leadership training and summer camp programs are held at Eagle Bluff in Lanesboro, MN.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/WinonaRochester
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@DioceseofWinonaRochester
• Facebookfacebook.com/DioceseWinonaRochester
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-winona-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/winonarochester

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Diocese of Winona-Rochester