Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

What Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester does

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester is a non-profit religious organization and canonical jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1868 and headquartered at the Pastoral Center at 1150 Buffalo Road, Rochester, New York. It serves approximately 300,000 Catholics across 86 parishes organized into 7 deaneries in 12 New York State counties (Monroe, Wayne, Livingston, Steuben, Ontario, Seneca, Cayuga, Tompkins, Schuyler, Chemung, Tioga, and Yates). The diocese delivers sacramental and pastoral services, K-12 Catholic education through its diocesan school system, theological education via St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry, and social services through a multi-agency Catholic Charities network spanning refugee resettlement, food assistance, housing, and family services.

Its core digital infrastructure consists of a centralized Learning Management System (built on the Franciscan at Home platform) for employee, volunteer, and sacramental preparation training; an Online Pre-Cana marriage preparation program delivered via RegFox; a Safe Environment training portal offered in English and Spanish; a Parish Locator and Mass Times directory; an Interactive Pastoral Planning Map; and a Spiritual Gifts Assessment tool. Supporting communications infrastructure includes dor.org (primary web hub), catholiccourier.com (the diocesan newspaper), and social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube). A media partnership with Rochester's News10 NBC broadcasts Sunday Mass live.

The diocese operates a donation-based revenue model with four primary streams: parish contributions and tithes from the ~300,000 Catholic population; the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal (the 2025-2026 campaign raised $7,760,290, achieving 108.92% of its $7,125,000 goal); Catholic school tuition and related fees; and government grants and contracts for Catholic Charities social services. Governance is canonical, led by Bishop John S. Bonnici (Tenth Bishop), with operational oversight from a Vicar General, Chancellor, CFO, CIO, and a Diocesan Finance (Stewardship) Council comprising external executives from regional institutions. The diocese is not a commercial entity — it has no shareholders, no private equity ownership, and no capital-raising apparatus; it operates under Vatican authority within the hierarchical structure of the Roman Catholic Church.

Name

Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

Legal name

Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester

Website

https://dor.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester is a non-profit religious organization serving approximately 300,000 Catholics across 86 parishes in 12 New York State counties, delivering sacramental services, K-12 Catholic education, social services through Catholic Charities, and faith formation programs under canonical Vatican authority.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Food Services (62421), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

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 Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Catholic education
• Social services
• Pastoral care
• Faith formation

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Parish Contributions and Tithes: The diocese receives voluntary donations, tithes, and contributions from its approximately 300,000 Catholic population across 86 parishes. Parishioners support their local parishes which contribute to diocesan operations.
2. Catholic Ministries Appeal: Annual fundraising campaign targeting parishes and individual donors. The 2025-2026 campaign achieved $7,760,290 against a goal of $7,125,000 (108.92% of goal).
3. Catholic Schools Tuition: Revenue from Catholic schools operating under the diocese, including tuition and related fees for educational services.
4. Social Services Grants and Contracts: Catholic Charities and related social service programs receive government grants and contracts to provide community services including refugee resettlement, food assistance, and family services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester is a private, nonprofit religious organization that provides Catholic worship, sacraments, faith formation, and pastoral care to approximately 300,000 Catholics across 86 parishes in 12 New York State counties. It operates a network of Catholic schools, Catholic Charities agencies delivering social services such as refugee resettlement and food assistance, theological education through Saint Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry, and various cultural and migrant ministries.

Product overview

The Diocese of Rochester operates a distributed digital ecosystem spanning 86 parishes across 12 New York State counties, serving approximately 300,000 Catholics. The core digital infrastructure consists of a Learning Management System (built on Franciscan at Home) for employee, volunteer, and sacramental preparation training; the Online Pre-Cana marriage preparation platform; and the Safe Environment volunteer training portal. Supporting services include a Parish Locator and Mass Times directory, an Interactive Pastoral Planning Map, a Spiritual Gifts Assessment tool, the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal donation system, Catholic Charities network resources, Project Rachel post-abortion healing ministry, Natural Family Planning services, and Migrant/Refugee information resources. The diocese also provides pastoral services through the ps.dor.org domain including cultural ministries (Asian, Black, Deaf, Hispanic), life issues coordination, liturgy support, and campus ministry. These products operate as interconnected but distinct platforms rather than a unified product suite.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Catholic Schools: Diocesan Catholic school system operated by the Diocese of Rochester
• Catholic Charities
• Pastoral Services
• Catholic Courier

Products and services

• Catholic Schools Diocesan K-12 Catholic school system providing education from preschool through high school that integrates Catholic faith formation with academic curriculum for Catholic families across the 12-county region.
• Catholic Charities Network Network of charitable organizations including Catholic Charities Family and Community Services, Catholic Charities Finger Lakes, Catholic Charities Steuben/Livingston, Catholic Charities Tompkins/Tioga, Providence Housing, and Camp Stella Maris, providing refugee resettlement, immigration services, food assistance, housing support, and family services across the diocese's 12 counties.
• Saint Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry Theological education and ministry training institution operated by the diocese for lay ministers, deacons, priests, and those pursuing theological formation.
• Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA)

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025-2026 Catholic Ministries Appeal achieved 108.92% of $7,125,000 goal, raising $7,760,290

Named customers8 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Muslim Council of Masjid of RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 May 2003Formal Muslim Catholic Alliance signed between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester and the Muslim Council of Masjid of Rochester. This agreement promotes interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding, and collaborative engagement between the Catholic and Muslim communities.
• Rochester Board of Rabbis and Jewish Community Federation of RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 May 1996The Rochester Agreement is a formal Jewish Catholic Agreement establishing a formal covenant of understanding and cooperation between the Catholic Diocese and the Jewish community in Rochester.
• Episcopal Diocese of RochestercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 1988The Covenant is a formal Episcopal Catholic Agreement signed on the Feast of Pentecost between Bishop Matthew H. Clark of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester and Bishop William G. Burrill of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester, promoting ecumenical cooperation.
• Rochester's News10 NBCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNews10 NBC broadcasts the Sunday Mass live, courtesy of the station. This partnership extends reach to Catholics unable to attend in-person services.
• Pontifical Mission SocietiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe diocese participates in four Pontifical Mission Societies: Missionary Childhood Association, Society of the Propagation of the Faith, Society of St. Peter the Apostle, and Pontifical Missionary Union, supporting worldwide Catholic missionary efforts.
• USCCB Committee on Migration and Refugee ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe diocese coordinates with USCCB Migration and Refugee Services for refugee resettlement programs and immigration services through Catholic Charities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Catholic Relief Services: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops agency delivering international humanitarian and development programs. Operates as an adjacent enabling organization whose grantmaking, advocacy, and refugee programs intersect with the Diocese of Rochester's Catholic Charities refugee resettlement activities.
• Catholic Charities USA: National umbrella organization for the 168 diocesan Catholic Charities agencies including the Diocese of Rochester's agencies. The headquarters body sets standards, channels disaster and refugee grants, and aggregates government contracts that flow down to diocesan agencies like those under Rochester.

Direct peers

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse: Central New York Catholic diocese with a comparable 12-county operational footprint and overlapping territorial boundary. Same diocesan governance structure under the Catholic Church, with parallel Catholic Charities, Catholic schools, and deanery-based parish networks.
• Episcopal Diocese of Rochester: The local Episcopal counterpart party to the 1988 Covenant; operates a comparable regional diocese structure with parishes, Christian education, and social outreach across the same 12-county Rochester region under different canonical authority.
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo: Adjacent Western New York Catholic diocese serving a similar 12-county region with comparable parish networks, Catholic Charities agency, Catholic schools, and diocesan central administration. Operates the same canonical governance model under the same U.S. bishops' conference charter and faces identical secular headwinds.
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland: Mid-size Great Lakes Catholic diocese with a comparable 8-county footprint, parallel Catholic Charities social service operations, Catholic school system, and similar aged Northeast/Catholic demographic profile. Operates under identical USCCB Charter compliance.
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany: Upstate New York Catholic diocese operating Catholic Charities, Catholic schools, seminary education (St. Bernard's peer institutions), and the same canonical-financial model. Comparable scale of parishes and laity in a similarly aging Northeast geography.

Broad incumbents

• Archdiocese of Boston: Larger Northeastern Catholic archdiocese with comparable secular pressures, Catholic Charities arm, extensive Catholic school system, and shared USCCB Charter compliance. Serves as a benchmark for forward strategy and capital deployment in similar demographic conditions.
• Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York: Much larger New York metropolitan Catholic archdiocese and Cathedral seat for the Province. Operates Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese, an extensive school system, and the same diocesan governance and ecumenical engagement model as Rochester.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RochDiocese
• Facebookfacebook.com/dioceseofrochester
• Instagraminstagram.com/dioceseofrochester
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roman-catholic-diocese-of-rochester

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester