Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown

History

Pope Pius XII created the Diocese of Youngstown from territory formerly part of the Diocese of Cleveland in 1943. Bishop James A. McFadden (former auxiliary bishop of Cleveland) became the first bishop and chose St. Columba Church on Wood Street in downtown Youngstown as his Cathedral. The new diocese covered 3,404 square miles (8,820 km²) with 110 parishes, three Catholic-run hospitals, 54 elementary schools, one junior high school, and three Catholic high schools.

When Bishop McFadden died on November 16, 1952, Emmet M. Walsh succeeded him. Walsh had been named Coadjutor Bishop and was formerly the Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina. In 1954, St. Columba Cathedral was destroyed by a fire and Bishop Walsh undertook the task of building a new cathedral, which he dedicated in 1958. St. Patrick Church on the south side of Youngstown served as Pro-Cathedral until the new St. Columba's was ready.

In 1962, when Pope John XXIII convened the Vatican Council II, Bishop Walsh and Auxiliary Bishop James W. Malone attended. Upon the illness of Bishop Walsh, Bishop Malone was named Apostolic Administrator; after Bishop Walsh died on March 16, 1968, Bishop Malone became Bishop of Youngstown on May 2, 1968, a position he held for 28 years.

In 1996, Bishop Malone retired and Bishop Thomas J. Tobin was named his successor and installed as Bishop of Youngstown on February 2, 1996. On March 31, 2005, Pope John Paul II appointed Bishop Tobin as Bishop of Providence, Rhode Island. On 30 January 2007, Pope Benedict XVI named Bishop George Murry, S.J. as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Youngstown.

On May 28, 2010, Bishop Murry announced the plan for the reconfiguration of parishes which will reduce their total number to 87 over the next two years.

Politics

Politically speaking the City of Youngstown and surrounding areas were traditionally strongholds for the Democratic Party. However, the northern counties comprising the Diocese of Youngstown often supported Republican politicians, especially for the U.S. Congress.

From 1950 to 1973, the stated interests of the diocese politically were often local interests and aligned somewhat with labor unions and what had been a traditional Democratic, blue-collar political base, although the rural districts of the diocese tended to support more conservative political perspectives. After 1973, U.S. Catholics began to transition from their traditional allegiances to the Democratic Party and seek out political candidates that supported Catholic perspectives on the need to protect human life; these were often Republicans.

Education initiatives

In an interesting departure from traditional party lines, the diocese strongly supported school choice initiatives, including Ohio’s Fair Bus law (passed by the Ohio House, July 30, 1965; enacted 1966)

Like other Ohio dioceses, the Diocese of Youngstown also supported other initiatives at the state and federal level to provide equity to students and families enrolled in Catholic schools, including busing, textbooks, and participation in federally subsidized school lunch and other programs.

Legal challenges to Ohio’s Fair Bus Law arose but these challenges were declared unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court (1968–1970), which cited Ohio’s state constitution which assures the fair treatment of all students in the state.

Tuition programs that were enacted at the state level in the late 1960s and early 1970s did not survive legal challenges. However, later initiatives for students in poorly performing school districts were enacted and survived legal challenges.

Social justice and subsidized housing

In pursuit of social justice efforts, the diocese supported efforts in the 1980s to construct subsidized housing—especially in the northern counties of the diocese, where it was often unneeded to serve the needs of the existing populace—as well as to expand federally subsidized Section 8 housing programs. This efforts served to temporarily boost the economies of local builders but accelerated the urbanization of some areas without a renewal of infrastructure or a growth in economic base to support the services such a population would require.

As a result, by 2005, over 70% of the housing units in Ashtabula County were not owner-occupied.

Politically this policy ensured that Democratic candidates for federal office would have a larger voter base in areas that previously had elected Republicans to the US Congress, while also significantly changing the demographics and education levels of the electorate.

Nuclear disarmament

In the mid 1980s, Bishop Malone became president of the USCCB. Under his leadership, the USCCB issued a major policy statement condemning the nuclear armament stockpiles held by the United States and supporting unilateral disarmament by the United States, despite an aggressive and hostile Soviet military threat. The USCCB’s position was that funds spent on defense should be invested instead in domestic programs. U.S. President Ronald Reagan ignored criticisms from the USCCB and pursued a military build-up.

Many steel mills in Youngstown, Ohio closed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Economic pressures continued to affect Catholic institutions in the diocese, resulting in lowered school enrollments for diocesan schools. In addition, population left the region to pursue better opportunities in other areas of the United States. Demographically, the population of Ohio in general became statistically older as more young people left the state after college graduation.

Ordinaries

James A. McFadden (1943–1952)

Emmet M. Walsh (1952–1968)

James W. Malone (1968–1995)

Thomas J. Tobin (1995–2005)

George V. Murry, S.J. (2007– )

Auxiliary bishops

William A. Hughes (1974-1979)

Benedict C. Franzetta (1980–1996)

Preschools and Elementary/Middle Schools

The Diocese of Youngstown operates the following elementary/middle schools (Grades PreK-8 unless otherwise noted):

Most of the elementary/middle schools within Mahoning County, plus one school within Trumbull County, are part of a singular system named Lumen Christi Catholic Schools. The Academy is composed of 9 campuses:

Early Childhood Learning Center at Holy Family, Poland (PreK-K)

Early Childhood Learning Center at St. Christine, Youngstown (PreK-K)

Early Childhood Learning Center at St. Joseph, Austintown (PreK-K)

Early Childhood Learning Center at St. Luke, Boardman (PreK-K)

Holy Family School, Poland

Saint Charles School, Boardman

Saint Christine School, Youngstown

Saint Nicholas School, Struthers

Most of the elementary/middle schools within Stark County are part of a singular system named Holy Cross Academy. The Academy is composed of 10 campuses:

Our Lady of Peace, Canton (PreK-5th.)

Regina Coeli-St. Joseph, Alliance (PreK-5th.)

Saint Barbara, Massillon (PreK-7th.; PreK-8th. starting with the 2017-2018 school year)

Saint Joan of Arc, Canton

Saint Louis, Louisville (PreK-5th.)

Saint Mary, Massillon

Saint Michael the Archangel, Canton

Saint Paul, North Canton

Saint Peter, Canton (PreK-5th.)

Saints Philip and James, Canal Fulton

In 2013, as part of the Academy's "Transition for Growth" plan, the Diocese announced that St. Joseph Canton would close after the 2013-2014 school year, and Saint Peter and Saint Louis will be become "Family Preschool Centers" only. The three schools conducted an appeal process in order to keep them open as PreK-8 schools. On February 27, 2014, the Diocese announced the results of the appeal. Within the report, it was announced that the St. Joseph Canton Canton campus would still close at the end of the 2013-2014 school year. For the 2014-2015 school year, the St. Peter and St. Louis campuses would remain open, but serve only grades PreK-5th. The Regina Coeli/St. Joseph and Our Lady of Peace campuses would also serve only grades PreK through 5. The 6-8th grade students within the diocese would be served by a new Middle School operating on the campus of St. Thomas Aquinas High School.

The following preschools and elementary/middle schools operate independent of a regional system:

Ashtabula County (1):

Saint John School, Ashtabula (K-12)

Columbiana County (1):

Saint Paul School, Salem

Mahoning County (2):

Saint Joseph the Provider School, Youngstown

Ursuline Preschool and Kindergarten, Youngstown

Portage County (2):

Saint Joseph Randolph School, Randolph/Mogadore

Saint Patrick School, Kent

Stark County (2):

Saint James School, Waynesburg (PreK-6)

St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School, Louisville (Grades 6-8)

Trumbull County (4):

John F. Kennedy Catholic School, Warren (Lower Campus: PreK-6) (Upper Campus: 7-12) (Note: The Lower Campus was formerly named Notre Dame School: Blessed Sacrament Campus, up until the 2010-2011 school year).

Saint Rose School, Girard

Saint Stephen Preschool, Niles (PreK)

Villa Maria Teresa Preschool and Kindergarten, Hubbard (PreK-K)

Former Preschools and Elementary/Middle Schools

Assumption School, Geneva (Closed after the 2014-2015 school year)

Byzantine Catholic Central School, Youngstown (Closed after the 2008-2009 school year)

Holy Cross Academy at Saint Joseph Canton Campus, Canton (Closed after the 2013-2014 school year)

Immaculate Conception School, Ravenna (Closed after the 2003-2004 school year)

Mother of Sorrows School, Ashtabula (Closed and Merged with St. John School)

Notre Dame School, Saint Pius X Campus, Warren (Closed after the 2009-2010 school year)

Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, Ashtabula (Closed and Merged with St. John School)

Sacred Heart of Mary School, Harrisburg/Louisville (Closed after the 2008-2009 school year)

Saint Aloysius School, East Liverpool (Closed after the 2014-2015 school year)

Saint Anthony School, Canton (Opened 1927, closed 1980's)

Saint Clement School, Navarre (Closed after the 2007-2008 school year)

Saint Frances Cabrini School, Conneaut (Closed after the 2001-2002 school year)

Saint Joseph and Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Austintown (Closed after the 2013-2014 school year. An Early Childhood Learning Center remains at St. Joseph.)

St. Joseph School, Ashtabula (Closed 1980's)

Saint Joseph Mantua School, Mantua (Closed after the 2009-2010 school year)

Saint Mary's of the Immaculate Conception School, Canton (Closed after the 1984-1985 school year)

Saint Matthias School, Youngstown (Closed after the 2005-2006 school year)

Saint Mary School, Canton (New addition added to the school in 1949. Closed mid-1980's.)

Saint Mary School, Conneaut (Closed after the 1971-1972 school year, merged with St. Frances Cabrini School)

Saints Mary and Joseph School, Newton Falls (Closed after the 2010-2011 school year)

Saint Patrick School, Hubbard (Closed after the 2015-2016 school year)

High Schools

Cardinal Mooney High School, Youngstown

Central Catholic High School, Canton

John F. Kennedy High School (Upper Campus), Warren

St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Louisville

Saint John High School*, Ashtabula

Ursuline High School, Youngstown

* Independently operated with blessing of diocese.

Colleges and Universities

Walsh University, North Canton.

Catholic radio serving the Diocese

WILB The Living Bread Radio Network