The Archdiocese of Cincinnati’s strong Catholic spirit and cultural influence is lived out in its 450,000 Catholics spread across 8,500 square miles of both urban and rural locations in 19 counties of western and southwestern Ohio. The archdiocese has evolved from its origins as a wilderness Church to now comprise a total of 211 parishes, 111 primary and secondary schools, four universities, a major seminary and numerous Catholic charitable ministries. The archdiocese has the nation’s fifth-largest Catholic school system in terms of enrollment with more than 40,000 students.