Diocese of Columbus

What Diocese of Columbus does

The Diocese of Columbus is the Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction serving central and south-central Ohio, established in 1868 and headquartered at 197 E. Gay Street, Columbus. It operates across 23 counties through a network of 100+ parishes and mission churches, supported by Catholic K-12 schools and ministry offices covering Vocations, Evangelization and Catechesis, Divine Worship, Marriage and Family, Catholic Social Doctrine, and Safe Environment. The diocese is led by Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, the 13th Bishop, installed on May 31, 2022, who holds a doctorate in moral theology from the Alphonsian Academy in Rome and serves on multiple USCCB committees.

The diocese's service portfolio spans the seven Catholic sacraments, faith formation programs, catechist training via the St. Francis de Sales Institute, marriage preparation, youth protection, and pastoral counseling. Outreach is delivered through a multi-channel platform that includes the columbuscatholic.org website with a parish finder and online donations, St. Gabriel Radio (AM 820 Columbus, FM 88.3 Portsmouth), YouTube and social media livestreams of Masses, The Catholic Times newspaper, and email newsletters distributed in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, and other languages. The organization employs 278 staff and is currently executing a Pastoral Planning 2025-2026 initiative focused on four pillars: Vocations, Catholic Education and Formation, Social Outreach, and Evangelization.

As a nonprofit religious organization, the diocese is funded through parish collections, the annual The Appeal fundraising campaign, school tuition, and charitable contributions rather than commercial revenue. It does not operate on a commercial business model, has no parent company or shareholders, and does not disclose audited financial information publicly. Governance is canonical, with the Bishop serving as chief shepherd in communion with the Holy See, and operational leadership distributed across a Vicar General, directors of ministry offices, and parish clergy across the 23-county footprint.

Name

Diocese of Columbus

Legal name

Diocese of Columbus

Website

https://columbuscatholic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Diocese of Columbus is a Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction serving 23 Ohio counties through 100+ parishes, Catholic schools, and ministry offices. Founded in 1868 and led by Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, it delivers sacraments, faith formation, and pastoral care funded by donations and tuition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Faith-Based Media, Publishing & Broadcasting (Radio, TV, Digital, Press) (BPAGAJAI), Religious Radio Broadcasting (MPAIAEAF)

Keywords

• Catholic diocese services
• Religious education programs
• Sacramental ministry services
• Catholic school education
• Pastoral care ministries

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Columbus is a Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction serving 23 counties in central Ohio. It administers Catholic spiritual and pastoral services through 100+ parishes and mission churches, including the celebration of Mass and all seven sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, etc.), faith formation and catechesis, K-12 Catholic education, vocations support, marriage preparation, safe environment programs, and social outreach ministries. Services are delivered via parish locations, diocesan schools, TV/radio broadcasts (St. Gabriel Radio), livestreamed Masses on YouTube, and online communication channels.

Product overview

The Diocese of Columbus operates columbuscatholic.org as a digital presence for a Catholic diocese serving 23 counties in Ohio. The website functions as an informational and service portal rather than a commercial product. It provides access to parish finder tools, Catholic schools information, evangelization and catechesis resources, marriage preparation guidance, TV/Radio/livestream Mass broadcasts, HR toolkit for employees, and various ministry offices including Vocations, Safe Environment, and Divine Worship. The site also publishes The Catholic Times news content. These are religious and administrative services, not commercial products or software offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parish Network and Sacramental Services A network of 100+ parishes and mission churches across 23 Ohio counties that provides Mass, all seven Catholic sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, Eucharist, Holy Orders, Reconciliation), religious education, and pastoral care to Catholic parishioners and the broader community.
• Diocesan Catholic Schools (K-12 Education) K-12 Catholic education delivered through diocesan Catholic schools under the Office of Catholic Schools, serving students from kindergarten through high school with faith-integrated academic curricula.
• St. Gabriel Radio Broadcasts and Livestreamed Masses Radio broadcasts of daily and Sunday Masses from St. Joseph Cathedral and other locations via St. Gabriel Radio (AM 820 Columbus, FM 88.3 Portsmouth), plus YouTube and social media livestreaming of Masses and events from parishes throughout the diocese for remote participation.
• St. Francis de Sales Institute — Catechist Formation The St. Francis de Sales Institute provides catechist formation programs, training Catholic catechists across the Diocese of Columbus to deliver faith formation to parishioners, including in-person formation sessions at parishes such as St. James the Less.
• Office of Divine Worship — Liturgical Services The Office of Divine Worship, directed by Fr. Paul J. Keller, O.P., S.T.D., supports the Bishop in liturgical and sacramental matters for the Diocese of Columbus, providing liturgical guidance and sacramental preparation support to parishes.
• Office of Marriage and Family Ministry The Office of Marriage and Family supports marriage preparation and family formation ministries for couples and families across the diocese, led by Elizabeth Ann Christy, MS, APRN-CNM.
• Vocations Ministry Diocesan vocations ministry supporting vocational discernment and the formation of future priests and religious, including promotion of vocations and supporting candidates for ordained ministry and consecrated life.
• Vicariate for Catholic Social Doctrine The Vicariate for Catholic Social Doctrine coordinates the diocese's social outreach, justice, and Catholic social teaching initiatives across the 23-county region.
• Safe Environment Program The Safe Environment ministry provides compliance, training, and safeguarding programs to protect youth and vulnerable populations within the diocese's parishes, schools, and ministries.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Diocese of Grand Rapids: Catholic diocese of similar size and structure with parishes, Catholic schools, and outreach ministries in a comparable regional footprint.
• Archdiocese of Detroit: Large neighboring Catholic archdiocese with similar Rust Belt demographics, extensive parish and school networks, and broadcast operations; broadly comparable governance body.
• Diocese of Cleveland: Ohio-based Catholic diocese with parishes, schools, ministries, and broadcast operations serving a similar Midwestern Catholic population; directly comparable governance body.
• Diocese of Pittsburgh: Mid-sized Catholic diocese with parishes, schools, social ministries, and broadcast/livestream operations; comparable scale and structure to Columbus.
• Diocese of Toledo: Northwest Ohio Catholic diocese with overlapping geography, parish networks, Catholic schools, and evangelization offices; comparable ecclesiastical governance body.
• Diocese of Indianapolis: Midwestern Catholic diocese operating parishes, schools, and formation ministries across multiple counties with similar headcount and operational complexity.
• Diocese of Covington: Neighboring Northern Kentucky Catholic diocese with parishes, schools, and faith formation offices serving an overlapping tri-state Catholic population.
• Archdiocese of Cincinnati: Neighboring Ohio Catholic archdiocese with comparable diocesan structure, parishes, schools, and central Ohio-adjacent geography; the most direct operational and geographic peer.

Broad incumbents

• Relevant Radio: National Catholic radio network that operates AM/FM stations including AM 820 Columbus-adjacent coverage; directly comparable to the Diocese's St. Gabriel Radio broadcasting function.
• EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network): Global Catholic broadcasting network (TV, radio, digital) that overlaps with the Diocese's Catholic Faith Network TV, St. Gabriel Radio, and YouTube livestream operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/streams
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ColumbusCatholic/streams
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/columbuscatholic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diocese of Columbus