A proposal to merge the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, into the Diocese of Columbus has been withdrawn, at least for now.

Steubenville’s Bishop Jeff Monforton reported that he had asked the leadership of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to take the proposal off the agenda for the bishops’ meeting next week. Priests of the diocese had earlier written to the USCCB president, Archbishop José Gomez, complaining that Bishop Monforton had not consulted with the clergy and laity of the diocese about the proposal.