Mark Huddy

Mark H. Huddy serves the Catholic Diocese of Columbus as Episcopal Moderator for Catholic Charities and Social Concerns.  Mark also serves on the diocesan Bishop’s Council. He joined the diocese in 1993.  In these capacities, he serves as a mentor, administrator, and driving force for furthering the understanding of the Church’s social justice teachings.

Mark has worked with a wide range of groups including: parish respect life coordinators, parish social concerns committees, RCIA and parish school of religion programs, youth ministry groups, parish senior citizen clubs, parish advocates for persons with disabilities, labor unions, interfaith groups, jail and prison ministers, family violence prevention advocates, and those serving the immigrant population. Some of the activities Mark oversees include: diocesan senior citizens day celebrations, diocesan respect life Masses and conferences, the annual Good Friday Downtown Stations of the Cross Walk, the diocesan family violence prevention program, rural and urban immersion programs, Salt & Light Leadership Training, adult and youth retreats and days of reflection, parish missions, rural life celebrations, disabilities inclusion conferences, the parent/family network for those with children with disabilities, diversity and immigration projects, racism study circles, statewide legislative advocacy days, vigils calling for an end to the use of the death penalty, local human rights activities, Mark established the office newsletters: Plowshares, Lifelines, and Sage Pages. Mark facilitated the establishment of an area congregation-based community-organizing group, now known as B.R.E.A.D. This was the first time two national organizing networks collaborated to resource a single project. 

His professional affiliations include: chair of the Ohio Catholic Rural Life Conference; member of the Tri-Diocesan Mobile Ministry Steering Committee, a program to meet the needs of rural Catholic immigrants in NE Ohio; a board member of the Joint Operation for Inner-City Needs (J.O.I.N.), Catholic Social Services, Inc., St. Vincent Family Centers Inc., St. Stephen’s Community House, The Villas of St. Therese and Birthright of Columbus. Mark also has served on the governing board of Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (formerly, Pregnancy Distress Center), the Faith Community Task Force of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, and as chair of Office for Social Concerns of the Catholic Conference of Ohio.

He was an associate attorney for the Columbus firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, 1981-1985; real estate counsel for the Limited, Inc., Columbus, 1985-1987; assistant visiting professor at the Capital University Law School, Columbus, 1987-1989; director of development, College of Humanities, the Ohio State University, 1990-1992; and executive director of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, Columbus, 1992-1993. 

Mark was born in Columbus. He earned a B.A. in English from The Ohio State University and a juris doctorate from the University of Cincinnati. The students of Capital University Laws School, Columbus, Ohio, elected him Professor of the Year in 1989.

Mark and his wife live in Pataskala with their four children. They are members of St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Church, Gahanna, Ohio.