Pope Francis names new auxiliary bishop for Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

Vatican City, May 9, 2022 / 05:05 am (CNA).

The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis has named Father Michael Woost as an auxiliary bishop of Cleveland.

Woost, 63, has served as a professor of liturgical and sacramental theology at the Saint Mary Seminary in Cleveland, Ohio, for more than 20 years.

The Cleveland-born priest is one of three priests in his immediate family. His two brothers, Father Dave Woost and Father Tom Woost, are also priests of the Diocese of Cleveland.

Bishop Edward Malesic, who has led the diocese since September 2020, welcomed the announcement of Woost’s appointment on May 9.

“This announcement is great news for the Diocese of Cleveland. I am grateful to the Holy Father Pope Francis for the appointment of Bishop-elect Woost as an auxiliary bishop,” Malesic said.

“He is a highly respected, capable, and faithful man who will be a good helpmate with me in shepherding the wonderful people of our diocese. I look forward to working closely with bishop-elect Woost and ask our people to pray for him as he prepares to be ordained as a bishop of our Church.”

Born in Cleveland on Sept. 17, 1958, Woost studied at St. Ignatius High School and Borromeo Seminary before he was ordained to the priesthood in 1984.

After his ordination, he obtained a master’s degree in theology from Saint Mary Seminary (1986) and a Licentiate in Sacramental Theology from the Catholic University of America (2000).

In his nearly 40 years as a priest, Woost has served as the co-director of the diocesan vocation office and the parochial vicar of the Immaculate Conception parish in Madison. He was recently named the interim director of the Cleveland diocese’s Office for Worship.

His episcopal ordination will take place at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on Aug. 4.

The Diocese of Cleveland serves nearly 700,000 Catholics in 185 parishes in northeast Ohio.