Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

What Diocese of Springfield in Illinois does

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is a 501(c)(3)-equivalent nonprofit ecclesiastical organization of the Roman Catholic Church, established in 1853 and headquartered at 1615 West Washington St., Springfield, Illinois. It exercises canonical jurisdiction over Catholic ministry across 28 counties in central and southern Illinois, serving parishioners, students, families, and clergy through a network of more than 150 parishes, Catholic schools, and ministry offices. Core functional offerings include sacramental ministry, Catholic education (preschool through high school), faith formation, marriage and family life programs, youth ministry, vocations discernment, and charitable services delivered through Catholic Charities.

Under Bishop Thomas John Paprocki (installed 2010), the diocese operates several wholly-owned ministry subsidiaries: the Catholic Times newspaper (monthly, reaching ~36,000 households plus ~1,000 electronic subscribers), Villa Maria Retreat Center (a lakeside retreat facility at 1903 E. Lakeshore Dr., Springfield), Catholic Charities (social services, adoption, counseling, refugee resettlement), and the Catholic Stewardship Foundation (fundraising). The diocese also stewards the Vatican Eucharistic Miracles of the World exhibit (150 of 172 panels available for lending) and the canonization cause of Venerable Father Augustine Tolton (declared Venerable in 2019), with a shrine under development in Quincy, Illinois.

Revenue and finance figures are not publicly disclosed. The diocese's business model rests on parish collections, diocesan-wide annual appeals, donations, event registration fees (e.g., $350/person Called and Sent Retreat, $200/couple Marriage Encounter, $50/couple PreCana, $60–$70 SDCCW convention), facility rental at Villa Maria ($110/night), and Catholic Times advertising. Distribution combines the parish network with multi-channel digital outreach: dio.org, the @diospringfieldIL YouTube channel, email newsletters, Facebook groups, and direct mail. The diocese holds 124 employees at the Catholic Pastoral Center and is governed under ecclesiastical rather than secular corporate law.

Name

Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Legal name

Diocese of Springfield in Illinois

Website

https://dio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1853

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is a Roman Catholic nonprofit organization founded in 1853 that exercises canonical jurisdiction over Catholic ministry across 28 counties in central and southern Illinois, serving parishioners and families through 150+ parishes, Catholic schools, retreat centers, Catholic Charities, and the Catholic Times newspaper.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Catholic Diocese Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

Keywords

• Catholic diocese services
• Parish administration
• Catholic education
• Sacramental preparation
• Religious publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

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, Supply Chain, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction serving 28 counties in central and southern Illinois. It delivers sacramental ministry, Catholic K-12 education, marriage and family preparation programs, youth ministry, vocations promotion, Catholic Charities social services, and publishes the monthly Catholic Times newspaper reaching approximately 36,000 households. Services are delivered through 150+ parishes, Catholic schools, the Villa Maria Retreat Center, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Snows, and online channels.

Product overview

The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois operates primarily as a religious institution providing spiritual services, parish administration, and Catholic education across 28 counties. Its principal defined product/service offering is the Catholic Times newspaper. The diocese also offers various parish services including marriage preparation programs, retreats, educational programs, vocations promotion, and safe environment resources. These services are delivered through the diocesan website and physical locations including the Catholic Pastoral Center in Springfield.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Catholic Times: Official newspaper and multimedia publication of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, reaching approximately 36,000 households monthly

Products and services

• Catholic Times Newspaper The official monthly newspaper of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, distributed by mail to approximately 36,000 households across 28 counties in central and southern Illinois and available as an electronic edition to about 1,000 subscribers. Includes diocesan news, Bishop's columns, feature stories, and advertising for parishes, schools, businesses, and other organizations.
• Called and Sent Retreat A week-long diocesan discernment retreat for high school students held at Villa Maria Retreat Center in Springfield. Includes all meals and is priced at $350 per person. Arrival 5:30 p.m. on July 18, departure 12:00 p.m. on July 23, 2026.
• Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend Experience A marriage enrichment weekend experience offered through the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Application fee is $200 per couple with opportunity for a free will donation on Sunday. Contact persons Terry & Eric Engholm.
• PreCana Marriage Preparation Course A marriage preparation course offered to engaged couples through the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Priced at $50 per couple to cover lunch and expenses of the day.
• SDCCW (Springfield Diocesan Council of Catholic Women) Annual Convention The Springfield Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Annual Convention, featuring speaker Teresa Tomeo of EWTN. Tiered registration: $60 Early Bird by July 20; $70 by August 15; $30 for clergy and religious by August 15. Overnight accommodation available at $110 per night at Town and Country Inn and Suites.
• Vatican Eucharistic Miracles of the World Exhibit (Lending Program) The Vatican-approved international Vatican Eucharistic Miracles of the World exhibit, with 150 panels (each 23.75" x 31.5" with attached easel) out of 172 available for free borrowing by parishes and organizations within the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.
• Villa Maria Retreat Center Programs Lakeside retreat center at 1903 E. Lakeshore Dr., Springfield, IL, operated by the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Hosts youth retreats, marriage encounter weekends, and other diocesan formation programs.
• Catholic K-12 School Education Catholic education from preschool through high school delivered through the diocese's network of Catholic schools across 28 counties, integrating academic instruction with Church teaching, catechesis, and sacramental preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Catholic Times newspaper reaches 36,000 households monthly across 28 counties
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The VaticancoreOthersThe Vatican is the supreme governing body of the Catholic Church. The Diocese of Springfield in Illinois operates under Vatican authority and doctrine, implementing papal directives and participating in universal Church initiatives.
• US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)coreOthersThe diocese participates in the national Catholic bishops' conference which sets policy and guidance for the Church in the United States. Bishop Paprocki participates in USCCB assemblies and initiatives.
• Catholic Conference of IllinoisminorOthersState-level advocacy organization representing Illinois Catholic dioceses on public policy matters including opposition to assisted suicide and advocacy on pro-life issues.
• EWTN Global Catholic Television NetworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTeresa Tomeo, featured speaker at SDCCW conventions, is a familiar face on EWTN. The diocese promotes EWTN content and programming as part of Catholic media outreach.
• Catholic CharitiescoreOthersCatholic Charities provides social services, adoption, counseling, and refugee services throughout the diocese. The organization operates under diocesan oversight with offices in multiple locations.
• Villa Maria Retreat CentercoreOthersLakeside retreat facility operated by the diocese, hosting youth retreats, marriage encounter programs, and other spiritual formation events. Located at 1903 E. Lakeshore Dr., Springfield.
• National Shrine of Our Lady of SnowsminorOthersNational shrine located in Belleville, IL offering scripture study programs, retreats, and pilgrimage opportunities. Partner venue for diocesan events.
• Catholic Stewardship FoundationminorOthersDiocesan foundation supporting Catholic stewardship education and fundraising for various diocesan initiatives and projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Catholic Charities USA: Catholic Charities USA is the national umbrella organization for diocesan Catholic Charities agencies, including the one operating under the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. It provides advocacy, shared services, and funding that directly affect diocesan social services revenue and program scope.
• United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): The USCCB is the national assembly of Catholic bishops that sets policy and guidance for the US Church, and the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois participates in its assemblies and initiatives. It functions as the governing-body peer for diocesan compliance, advocacy alignment, and shared national programming.
• EWTN Global Catholic Network: EWTN is the largest Catholic media network in the US and a named partner of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois (e.g., featuring Teresa Tomeo at SDCCW conventions). It represents an adjacent Catholic media peer for benchmarking audience reach and content monetization strategy.

Regional players

• Archdiocese of St. Louis: The Archdiocese of St. Louis is the Catholic metropolitan see for the St. Louis region across the Mississippi River from Illinois. It runs a parallel diocese structure with parishes, schools, Catholic Charities, and media, and serves a comparable rural-and-suburban Midwest Catholic population base in an adjacent geography.
• Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau: The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is a Catholic diocese serving southwestern Missouri and southeastern Missouri, sharing the 'Springfield' name. It operates the same bishop-led parish, school, and diocesan newspaper structure in an adjacent rural Midwestern geography.

Broad incumbents

• Archdiocese of Chicago: The Archdiocese of Chicago is the metropolitan Catholic jurisdiction for the greater Chicago area and is significantly larger than the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. It operates the same functional elements (parishes, schools, Catholic Charities, newspaper, retreat programs) but at much greater scale and serves as a broader incumbent reference point.

Direct peers

• Diocese of Joliet: The Diocese of Joliet is a Roman Catholic diocese serving the southwestern Chicago suburbs and surrounding Illinois counties. Like the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, it operates parishes, schools, a newspaper (The Catholic Herald), Catholic Charities, and vocations/formation programs, making it directly comparable in operating scope.
• Diocese of Rockford: The Diocese of Rockford covers northern Illinois and runs the same Catholic diocese operating model: bishop-led governance, parish network, Catholic schools, diocesan newspaper (The Observer), and Catholic Charities. Comparable scale and structure make it a direct peer for operational comparison.
• Diocese of Peoria: The Diocese of Peoria is another Roman Catholic diocese covering a portion of central and northern Illinois. It operates the same governance structure (bishop, parishes, schools, Catholic Charities) over a comparable geography and population base, making it the closest functional peer for benchmarking operating model, fundraising, and media strategy.
• Diocese of Belleville: The Diocese of Belleville serves the southernmost counties of Illinois with parishes, schools, Catholic Charities, and a diocesan newspaper (The Messenger). It shares the same geographic Illinois footprint and operating structure as the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@diospringfieldIL
• Facebookfacebook.com/561791791821229
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diocese-of-springfield-in-illinois

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Springfield in Illinois