Pope Francis has appointed the Rev. Michael G. Woost as auxiliary bishop of Cleveland. Bishop-elect Woost is a priest of the Diocese of Cleveland and currently serves as a member of the faculty of Saint Mary Seminary. In addition, he was recently appointed as the interim director of the diocesan Office for Worship. Bishop-elect Woost will be ordained to the episcopate during Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on Thursday, August 4, 2022.
Bishop Edward Malesic, Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland said, “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. 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.”
A native of Cleveland, Bishop-elect Woost graduated from St. Ignatius High School and attended Borromeo and Saint Mary Seminaries. He was ordained to the priesthood for service in the Diocese of Cleveland in 1984. After ordination, he was assigned as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Madison, where he served until being appointed to the diocesan Vocation Office, where he co-directed from 1988-1995. Bishop-elect Woost then began graduate studies at the Catholic University of America. After earning a licentiate in sacred theology in 2000, he joined the faculty at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of theology, where he still teaches sacramental-liturgical theology.
Two of Bishop-elect Woost’s brothers, Father Dave Woost and Father Tom Woost, are priests who also serve as parish pastors in the Diocese of Cleveland.
