The Diocese of Columbus has announced that Jerry Freewalt is returning as director of the diocesan Office for Social Concerns, a position he held from 2018 to Aug. 1, 2021 after being a member of the office’s staff for 23 years.
Freewalt has resigned as director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, a public policy organization representing the bishops of all of Ohio’s Catholic dioceses and eparchies.
His predecessor in that position, Carolyn Jurkowitz, has accepted the bishops’ invitation to be interim director of the conference, which she had served in various positions from 1987 until her retirement as director. Before joining the conference, she was employed by the Diocese of Columbus for 10 years.
“The bishops of Ohio are very grateful for Mr. Freewalt’s dedicated service to the Catholic people and dioceses of Ohio and gratified that he will continue to serve the mission of the Church in his new capacity,” said a statement from the Ohio conference.
“Jerry has a true love for the Church, a passion to serve, and a vision for a world ordered and animated by Catholic social teaching,” said Mark Huddy, diocesan moderator of Catholic charities and social concerns. “We are truly fortunate to have Jerry back working in our part of the vineyard. I know that his work leading the conference will be a tremendous asset to his work in the Diocese, and will give him a broader and more detailed perspective with which to help shape our future direction.”
Freewalt grew up near Van Wert on the Ohio-Indiana border. His mother was the religious education director of Van Wert St. Mary Church. He graduated from Van Wert High School and received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Xavier University and a master’s degree in public policy and management from Ohio State University.
He was employed by the Columbus diocese in 1995 as a program coordinator for the Office of Social Concerns and later became its associate director before succeeding Huddy as director. He roles at the office included Respect Life director, rural life director and director of parish social concerns ministry. He also has served on the governing board of the National Catholic Partnership on Disabilities, including time as board chair.
He and his wife, Karen, have three children and are members of Columbus St. Margaret of Cortona Church.