Parish Vitality Report
2026 | Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Then
On July 1, 2021, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati comprised 208 parishes grouped into 109 pastoral regions, clusters of parishes that typically shared a pastor but largely operated as separate entities. Most pastoral regions were served by a single priest.
When Beacons of Light was implemented on July 1, 2022, 57 Families of Parishes were formed, each with a pastor. Multiple-parish Families are also served by at least one parochial vicar.
Now
As of March 1, 2026, three Families of Parishes have been canonically unified, becoming one parish. Additionally, four Families of Parishes have united some parishes within their Families, while not yet unifying their respective entire Family of Parishes into one parish. During this time period, two church buildings have been closed, and one church was destroyed by fire, with plans underway to rebuild. Additionally, one public oratory has been closed.
After decades of decline, the number of active diocesan priests is expected to remain between 135 and 140 over the next five years. It is anticipated that ordinations will average four or five per year, which will offset expected retirements. In many, but not all, Families of Parishes, the number of priests assigned will remain consistent for the foreseeable future.
Under 40
70 and Over
5
The number of diocesan priests is expected to remain stable for the next five years with priests’ assignments in many Families remaining consistent.
4 to 5
Ordinations are anticipated to average four to five per year, offsetting expected retirements.
50
The age of active priests continues to fall, with 50 years of age now being the average verses five years ago where the average age was 57.
14%
Fourteen percent of our active priests are eligible to retire with nine more becoming eligible over the next five years.
In 2025, there was a healthy 4 percent growth year-over-year, with an average of 118,743 (includes institutions) faithful attending Mass each Sunday. Another encouraging indicator is that all deaneries experienced growth in Mass attendance; the increase in Mass attendance was not localized to one or a few regional locations. Following many years of consistent decline, five years of increase is a strong and encouraging measure of stable pandemic recovery and increasing spiritual health in the archdiocese. Specific Mass counts are certainly linked to local situations, which can vary from Family to Family, but even at the local level, many Families of Parishes are seeing great strides forward.
After reducing the number of Sunday Masses across the archdiocese by 128 since 2019, we continue to see a steady increase in Mass attendance. One factor that could both negatively and positively impact Mass attendance is a change to the number of Masses a Family of Parishes offer for the Sunday obligation. The Beacons of Light parameters reiterate how many daily Masses Church law allows each priest to celebrate and how to calibrate the number of Masses offered in a church based on utilization of seating. These parameters exist to not only guard against over-extending our priests but also ensure that church buildings are at least half full for any given Sunday Mass, fostering greater participation. Since 2021, there has been a reduction of 107 Masses and an increase in Mass counts of 19,030. So, we can suggest that proper Mass scheduling that improves priest and community participation has benefited the Families of Parishes and the archdiocese.
Last year marked the first year that the Archdiocese of Cincinnati collected data on number and location of Sunday Masses celebrated in Spanish and a few other world languages throughout the archdiocese. A snapshot of Masses in Spanish is included in the web page linked below.
The archdiocese continues to experience a steady growth trend of 1 to 2 percent increase over the past four years, measured by the rate of baptisms over deaths, but the rate of growth is slowing, if not leveling. Though infant baptisms now outpace deaths, a small increase in deaths in 2025 has limited the overall growth. Infant baptism increases are small overall. Death counts have leveled out for the past two years; however, there is a normal up-and-down cycle associated with varying age groups over time.
Notably, an increase in adult reception of the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) and those being received into full communion with the Catholic Church increased, with 1,054 participating in the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion in Lent 2026.
33 percent of Families of Parishes reported, on average, a 16 percent decline in financial giving.
49 percent of Families reported a greater than 5 percent increase in financial giving.
18 percent of Families reported an increase between 0 and 5 percent.
Overall, financial giving in the archdiocese increased by 5 percent. However, much of the increase is attributable to the generosity of one-time bequests. Overall, the increase in Sunday giving was 2 percent, which does not keep pace with the annual 2.7 percent rate of inflation.
This past October, Pope Leo XIV issued an apostolic letter, reaffirming the enduring importance of education in human life. He challenges all engaged in this mission, writing, “Catholic education can be a beacon: not a nostalgic refuge, but a laboratory of discernment, pedagogical innovation and prophetic witness.”
Our Catholic schools strive to bring this vision of hope to our communities through the six principles of Beacons of Light. Alongside the broader evangelization efforts of Families of Parishes, our reach continues to grow. Many Catholic schools in the archdiocese represent the largest ministry within their parishes, providing tremendous opportunity for evangelizing the next generation of Church members. Over the past two years, Catholic school enrollment has increased by 3 percent and 2 percent, respectively, with growth seen across nearly every category, including preschool, elementary, and high school students; Catholic and non-Catholic families; scholarship recipients; and students with exceptional learning needs.
Affordability and sustainability remain key factors in this growth. More than 90 percent of our families use school choice scholarships, and community participation in tax-credit scholarship programs exceeded $4 million in donations in 2025 alone. Both of these influences have tapered the financial burden on families and parishes. In addition, several Catholic high schools are partnering with parishes to welcome dozens of new members into the Church through the OCIA process.
The Catholic Schools Office continues to encourage Families of Parishes with schools to include their principals on Family Leadership Teams, helping ensure shared priorities and strengthening the catechetical and evangelical mission for school families.
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