The Most Reverend Clarence George Issenmann, S.T.D.

Clarence G. Issenmann was born May 30, 1907, in Hamilton, Ohio. He was the only child of Innocent J. and Amelia L Stricker Issenmann. Innocent was a grocer, and young Clarence was a delivery boy and later meat cutter for his father. Clarence was educated at St. Ann's School in Hamilton and at Hamilton Catholic High School. Clarence attended St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana, then returned to Ohio to attend St. Gregory's and Mt. St. Mary of the West seminaries in Cincinnati. Clarence was ordained to the Roman Catholic priesthood on June 29, 1932 by Archbishop John T. McNicholas. Fr. Issenmann continued his studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he earned a licentiate in philosophy, and at the Collegio Angelico in Rome, Italy, where he received a doctorate in theology.

Upon returning to the United States, Fr. Issenmann became a writer and editor for the Register system based in Denver, Colorado, where he earned a doctorate in journalism from Regis College. In 1938 he became editor of the Cincinnati Catholic Telegraph Register. He held many positions in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, including pastor, chancellor, and vicar general. Fr. Issenmann was appointed a monsignor in 1943.

On March 24, 1954 Msgr. Issenmann was named titular Bishop of Phytea and Auxiliary Bishop of Cincinnati. He was consecrated in Cincinnati on May 25, 1954 by Archbishop Karl Alter. On December 5, 1957, Pope Pius XII named Bishop Issenmann Bishop of Columbus.

In Columbus, Bishop Issenmann established the Diocesan Development Fund (now known as the Bishop's Annual Appeal), to provide the funds for the growth of the Diocese. He established eight new parishes and six new centralized high schools replacing older parish-based high schools. He bought the building on 80 South 6th Street in Columbus (now the Salesian Center) from the Knights of Columbus to house diocesan offices and made the Televised Mass a regular weekly ministry to homebound Catholics.

Bishop Issenmann attended every session of the Second Vatican Council. He also served as the assistant episcopal chairman of lay organizations for the National Catholic Welfare Conference (predecessor of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops).

On October 7, 1964, Bishop Issenmann was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Cleveland by Pope Paul VI. He left Columbus February 1, 1965 and was installed in St. John Cathedral in Cleveland the next day. He succeeded to the See of Cleveland on September 22, 1966. Bishop Issenmann retired June 5, 1974 but continued to live in Cleveland. He died July 27, 1982. He was entombed at Resurrection Chapel in St. John Cathedral, Cleveland.