It is run as a private project by David M. Cheney in Kansas City.

[1][2][3] In the 1990s, David M. Cheney created a simple internet website that documented the Catholic bishops in his home state of Texas—many of whom did not have webpages.

[2] In 2002, after moving to the Midwest, he officially created the present website catholic-hierarchy.org and expanded to cover the United States and eventually the world.

It also gives biographical information on current and previous bishops of each diocese, such as dates of birth, ordinations and (when applicable) death.

The Zenit News Agency states that the webpage provides a "silent, unique service to the Church".