Corpus Christi

About Corpus Christi Catholic Church

Corpus Christi Catholic Church is a small Roman-Latin-Rite parish at 221 Main Street in Belle Valley, Noble County, Ohio, part of the Diocese of Steubenville. Originally established in 1911 as the Church of the Ascension of the Lord to serve Slovak coal-mining immigrants, the parish was rebuilt and rededicated as Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ) in 1941 after fire destroyed the original wooden church. Today the parish is pastored together with St. Stephen, St. Michael, and St. Mary Immaculate Conception as the Noble County Catholic Churches, sharing clergy who also serve Summit Acres Nursing Home and Noble Correctional Institution.

Parish History

The story of Corpus Christi begins with the McKee Mine (opened 1903) and the Slovak immigrants it drew to Belle Valley. Within eight years of the mine's opening, those immigrants had organized the Catholic Jednota Union (1904), obtained permission from the Bishop of Columbus (1910), received a donated acre of land from Chris and Martha McKee (1911), and formally established a parish under Fr. Joseph Herman with Fr. Carl Cross as first resident pastor. A wooden church named the Ascension of the Lord was built for $3,200. The parish's defining moment came on January 5, 1941, when the Ascension church burned down after High Mass. In the depths of hard times, a new lot on Main Street was acquired (believed to have been purchased by Bishop James Hartley himself); Fr. M. Dzikowski laid the cornerstone on Pentecost Sunday, June 1, 1941; and Bishop Hartley dedicated the new, completely furnished Corpus Christi church on August 24, 1941. In 1945 the parish became part of the new Diocese of Steubenville under Bishop John King Mussio.

• 1903 – McKee Mine opens in Belle Valley, drawing Slovak Catholic immigrants
• 1904 – Catholic Jednota Union founded; first goal: establish a parish
• 1910 – Permission obtained from the Bishop of Columbus
• May 29, 1911 – McKee family donates an acre of land on a hill in the valley to Bishop James Hartley
• December 3, 1911 – Parish formally established under Fr. Joseph Herman
• First resident pastor: Fr. Carl Cross
• January 5, 1941 – Ascension church destroyed by fire after High Mass
• June 1, 1941 (Pentecost) – Cornerstone of new Corpus Christi church laid by Fr. M. Dzikowski
• August 24, 1941 – Corpus Christi dedicated by Bishop James Hartley (Diocese of Columbus)
• 1945 – Noble County transferred to the new Diocese of Steubenville under Bishop John King Mussio

Building and Property History

Almost every decade since 1941 has brought a new improvement to the Corpus Christi campus, the work of successive pastors and the hands of parishioners. The bell tower was added in 1951, the rectory remodeled in 1959, 1968, and 1981, and air-conditioning completed in 1986. The church hall was renovated in 1987, and a brand-new rectory was built adjacent to the church in 1989. After a 1998 tornado and flood damaged the basement, and another flood hit in 2004, the social hall received new kitchen cabinets, commercial ovens, and (in 2013) a new tile floor. A handicap ramp with handrails was added to the northern side entrance, and the neighboring Lori house was purchased and demolished for additional easy-access parking near the main doors.

• 1951 – Bell tower added for 10th anniversary
• 1959 – Rectory remodeled (Fr. James Dirker)
• 1968 – Further rectory changes (Fr. George Voytko)
• 1981 – Further rectory work (Msgr. Gene Mullet)
• 1985 – Extensive church remodeling; first Hog Roast
• 1986 – Air-conditioning completed (Fr. Jack Holmes); church rededicated January 12, 1986
• 1987 – Church hall renovated
• 1989 – Old rectory sold; new rectory built adjacent to church (Fr. Gary Zalenski)
• 1992 – Parking area blacktopped (Fr. James Dunfee)
• 1998 – Tornado and flood (~6 ft of water in hall and rectory basement)
• 2004 – Basement remodeled after flood; new kitchen cabinets and two commercial ovens
• 2013 – Basement floor retiled; dividers removed for a more open hall
• Recent – Handicap ramp and handrails on north side entrance; former Lori house demolished for additional accessible parking

Clergy and Pastoral Staff

Corpus Christi is pastored together with the other three Noble County Catholic parishes. Fr. Wayne Morris was assigned to Corpus Christi and St. Stephen on October 1, 2007, and from July 1, 2011, took on St. Michael and Immaculate Conception (St. Mary's) as well. Fr. Chet Pabin—who served as a deacon under Fr. Zalenski—assists him as Parochial Vicar. Fr. Wayne is also Chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council 2565 in Caldwell and State Chaplain for Ohio. Together the priests minister to the aged at Summit Acres Nursing Home and to the men at Noble Correctional Institution (NCI), and (along with Fr. Tom, mentioned on the Lent calendar) cover the broader pastoral needs of Noble County.

• Fr. Wayne Morris — Pastor (assigned October 1, 2007; pastor of all four Noble County parishes since July 1, 2011)
• Fr. Chet Pabin — Parochial Vicar (formerly a deacon under Fr. Zalenski)
• Fr. Tom — referenced on the parish calendar

Faith Formation

Faith formation for children and adults in the parish is coordinated through the Noble County Catholic Churches' shared programs. The Parish School of Religion (PSR) provides religious education for parish children, with a published 2025–2026 PSR Calendar and Registration Form available through the cluster's website. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) welcomes adults preparing for full initiation into the Catholic Church, meeting regularly through the year.

• Parish School of Religion (PSR) — children's faith formation with annual calendar and registration
• Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) — adult initiation, instruction, and formation
• OCIA Calendar 25-26 published on the cluster website

Parish Ministries and Organizations

Corpus Christi has long been sustained by a vibrant network of lay organizations. The Catholic Women's Club (CWC) is the principal women's organization, hosting the annual Soup Luncheon that funds $150 gas cards for students in post-secondary education. A Holy Name Society historically organized the men of the parish, who also played in the local Church Softball League. The Knights of Columbus Council 2565 in Caldwell draws on Fr. Wayne Morris as Chaplain. The parish hall is shared with community support groups including AA, Al-Anon, and Habitat for Humanity as an outreach of welcome.

• Catholic Women's Club (CWC) — annual Soup Luncheon and $150 gas-card scholarships for college students
• Holy Name Society — men's fellowship (historical)
• Knights of Columbus Council 2565 (Caldwell)
• Church Softball League (historical)
• Teen Club and Teen Choir (historical)
• Boy Scout Troop (historical)
• Community use of parish hall: AA, Al-Anon, Habitat for Humanity

Parish Traditions and Community Life

Several beloved traditions mark the parish calendar. Since the 1970s, parishioners have made nutrolls together, and since 1985 the annual Hog Roast—first held to help pay for the church's extensive remodeling—has become a much-anticipated event that draws the wider community into the parish basement. The basement social hall is the hub of this life, with a remodeled kitchen (new cabinets and commercial ovens) and a 2013 tile floor that gives the space an open, inviting feel. The hall is regularly used for parish gatherings and is also made available to outside community groups.

• Annual Hog Roast (since 1985) — major fundraiser and community gathering
• Nutroll-making tradition (since the 1970s)
• CWC Soup Luncheon — supports gas-card scholarships for parish youth
• Parish picnics and socials (dating to the 1950s–60s)

Diocese and Wider Catholic Community

Corpus Christi belongs to the Diocese of Steubenville and is one of four parishes that form the Noble County Catholic Churches cluster, alongside St. Stephen (Caldwell), St. Michael (Caldwell), and St. Mary Immaculate Conception (Caldwell). The cluster is currently under the care of Bishop Edward M. Lohse, Apostolic Administrator of Steubenville. Fr. Wayne Morris, as pastor of all four parishes, also serves as Chaplain of Knights of Columbus Council 2565 in Caldwell and as State Chaplain for Ohio. The priests of the cluster additionally minister to the residents of Summit Acres Nursing Home and the men of Noble Correctional Institution (NCI).

• Diocese of Steubenville
• Bishop Edward M. Lohse — Apostolic Administrator
• Cluster parishes: St. Stephen, St. Michael, St. Mary Immaculate Conception
• Outreach ministries: Summit Acres Nursing Home, Noble Correctional Institution (NCI)

Visiting and Practical Information

Visitors will find a small, accessible parish on Main Street in Belle Valley. The parish office shares the rectory phone line (740-732-4129). Easy-access parking is available adjacent to the main doors of the church, and the parish has invested in a handicap-accessible ramp and handrails leading into the basement social hall. The cluster website posts weekly bulletins, a PSR calendar, and a Lent/Easter schedule, and visitors are encouraged to call ahead to confirm Mass and confession times, especially around holy days.

• Address — 221 Main Street, Belle Valley, Ohio 43717
• Phone — (740) 732-4129
• Website — https://nccchurches.org/corpus-christi/
• Parking — adjacent lot plus expanded easy-access lot (former Lori house site)
• Accessibility — handicap ramp and handrails on northern side entrance to basement
• Weekly bulletins and PSR/OCIA calendars posted on cluster website