Bishop Earl Fernandes has appointed Fr. Michael Hartge as Vicar General and Moderator of Mission Advancement and Father William Hahn as Vicar General and Director of Priestly Life and Vocations for the Diocese of Columbus.
The two priests will begin their new duties on July 9.
Father Hartge will continue as the diocese’s Moderator of the Curia. He has spent the past two years studying Canon Law in Ottawa, Ontario.
Father Hahn has served as the diocese’s director of vocations since 2019.
Msgr. Stephan Moloney, the diocese’s Vicar General since 1997, was named Vicar Forane for Northwest Columbus, effective July 9, while continuing as pastor of Columbus St. Andrew Church. He has held administrative roles in the diocese for nearly 40 years, beginning as Assistant Chancellor in 1985.
Matthew Schlater, the diocese’s chief operating officer, will transition out of his current role on July 9. Father Hartge will oversee all diocesan offices.
“In Fr. Michael Hartge and Fr. William Hahn, I have two men whom I trust deeply to share my mind in respect to teaching, governing and sanctifying the Diocese of Columbus. I’m happy to appoint them to these positions,” Bishop Fernandes said.
“In addition, I want to extend my profound gratitude to Monsignor Stephan Moloney, who has served in the Chancery for almost four decades as Vice Chancellor, Chancellor and Vicar General. He also served as Administrator to the Diocese in 2021 and 2022 when Columbus awaited a new bishop.
“I also want to express my gratitude for the service of Matthew Schlater as COO of the Diocese of Columbus. Matt has been instrumental in planning for the Diocese's future by implementing the structures necessary to carry out the work of evangelization.”
According to Can. 469 in the Code of Canon Law, the diocesan curia consists of those institutions and persons which assist the bishop in the governance of the whole diocese, especially in guiding pastoral action, in caring for the administration of the diocese, and in exercising judicial power.
Can. 475 §1 states that in each diocese the diocesan bishop must appoint a vicar general who is provided with ordinary power according to the norm of the following canons and who is to assist him in the governance of the whole diocese.
As a general rule, one Vicar general is to be appointed, unless the size of the diocese, the number of inhabitants, or other pastoral reasons suggest otherwise (Can. 475 §2).
