Early life

Michael Woost was born on September 27, 1958, in Cleveland, Ohio. He has two brothers who are also priests in Cleveland. He attended Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland.^[1]

Woost entered Borromeo Seminary in Wickliffe, Ohio. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy in 1980. Woost continued his preparation for the priesthood at Saint Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Wickliffe, receiving a Master of Divinity in 1984 and Master of Arts in systematic theology in 1986.^[2]

Priesthood

Woost was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Anthony Pilla for the Diocese of Cleveland at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland on June 9, 1984.^[3]

After Woost's 1984 ordination, the diocese assigned him as parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Madison, Ohio. In 1989, Pilla appointed him as director of vocations and priest in resident at St. John the Evangelist. Woost moved to Washington D.C. in 1995 to attend the Catholic University of America. He received a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 2000.^[2]

Woost returned to Cleveland in 2000, when he was assigned as an assistant professor of sacramental and liturgical theology at Saint Mary. In early 2022, Bishop Edward C. Malesic appointed him as interim director of the Office of Worship.^[2]

Auxiliary Bishop of Cleveland

Pope Francis appointed Woost as an auxiliary bishop for the Diocese of Cleveland on May 9, 2022.^[2][4][5] On August 4, 2022, Woost was consecrated as a bishop by Malesic, with Bishops Roger William Gries and Martin John Amos serving as co-consecrators.^[3] After his consecration, Woost continued to teach at Saint Mary.^[6]