About Divine Word · Kirtland, Ohio
Divine Word Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Cleveland located at 8100 Eagle Road in Kirtland, Ohio, serving the communities of Lake and Geauga Counties. Established on July 1, 1977 by decree of Bishop James A. Hickey, it has grown from about 300 founding families to a thriving parish of more than 1,300 families. The parish is currently led by Fr. Dave Woost, who has served as pastor since 2004, and offers daily and Sunday Mass, Monday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, a robust faith formation program, and an active Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference that ministers to local neighbors in need.
- Established
- 1977
- Rector
- Fr. Dave Woost (David G. Woost)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
Divine Word Catholic Church welcomes families seeking a parish where they can truly grow in faith, with a pastoral team and staff that genuinely care about the community. The parish offers rich spiritual nourishment through daily Mass, Monday Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, Rosary each weekday morning, and a strong sacramental preparation program. Outreach to those in need is a hallmark — particularly the parish's longstanding support of Joseph House of Cleveland (its clothing pantry has run for over twenty-five years) and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference serving the Kirtland area — making Divine Word a faith community known for both spiritual depth and neighborly service.
Mass times at Divine Word
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 pm – 4:15 pm, or by appointment
Adoration times
- Every Monday 9:00 am – 10:00 pm (except holidays)
Welcome and Mission
Divine Word Catholic Church describes itself as a welcoming, mighty-in-love parish where every heart, regardless of age or background, is embraced. In his message to visitors, Fr. Dave Woost emphasizes the parish's charism of openness and hospitality, its rich spiritual nourishment, and its pride in outreach ministries — particularly Cleveland inner-city ministries to refugees and the clothing pantry at Joseph House, which has run for over twenty-five years. As the parish approaches its 50th anniversary, Fr. Dave invites newcomers, inquirers, and returning Catholics to explore the website or stop by the parish office to learn how they can be accompanied on the journey of faith.
- Pastor's Message (Fr. Dave Woost)
- Online registration to join the parish family
- Parish Office Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Annual office closures listed (New Year's Day, Holy Week, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.)
Parish History and Golden Jubilee (1977–2027)
Divine Word was canonically established July 1, 1977 by decree of Bishop James A. Hickey of Cleveland, with about 300 founding families. Today the parish numbers more than 1,300 families. On November 4, 2021, Bishop Edward Malesic consecrated a new altar at the parish, marking an important moment of liturgical renewal. The parish is now in its Golden Jubilee Year, with the actual 50th anniversary on July 7, 2027.
- Founded July 1, 1977 by Bishop James A. Hickey
- Started at ~300 families; now over 1,300 families
- New altar consecrated by Bishop Malesic on Nov. 4, 2021
- Golden Jubilee: 1977–2027
- Jubilee Opening Mass: June 27, 2026 at 4:30 pm
- Jubilee Closing Mass: June 26, 2027
500 Days to 50 Years Wellness Program
Designed by Fr. Dave to prepare the parish spiritually, physically, emotionally, and relationally for the 50th anniversary, the 500 Days to 50 Years initiative began on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Parishioners are invited to set personal renewal goals, attend 100-day check-in meetings, and use a printed individual journal. Key milestones include the 100-day meeting on May 29, 2026, the Adjustment Meeting on March 9, 2026 (presentation on Wellness of Mind, Body, Soul, and Relationships), and 100-day progress gatherings throughout the year.
- Program Start: Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026
- Program Kickoff: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 7:00 pm
- 100 Days: May 29, 2026
- 200 Days: September 6, 2026
- 300 Days: December 15, 2026
- 400 Days: March 25, 2027
- 500 Days: July 3, 2027
- First 100 Days Meeting: June 1, 2026
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at Divine Word is described as a lifelong journey — 'never finished, but a constant and concerted effort in the Christian community.' The parish offers formation opportunities for children, teens, and adults through several programs coordinated by the Director of Religious Education, Gina Rensi. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA, the current term for the Rite of Christian Initiation) welcomes new members in a four-stage journey (Inquiry, Catechumenate, Purification & Enlightenment, Mystagogia) culminating in the Easter Vigil.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word (CLOW)
- Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA)
- Vacation Bible School (VBS)
- Alpha
Youth Ministry
The parish's Youth Ministry provides high school students a place to grow in faith and build friendships. It is led by Youth Minister Tanya Loncar.
- Contact: Tanya Loncar
- Parish Office: 440.256.1403
- Cell: 440.478.9625
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction is offered as a parish ministry at Divine Word for anyone seeking to grow in awareness of God's active presence in daily life. The ministry is one of holy listening, with a certified spiritual director typically meeting monthly with a directee to pray over experiences, Scripture, and other spiritual reading. The ministry is led by Mary Pat Frey ([email protected]).
- Ministry Lead: Mary Pat Frey
- Sessions typically monthly
- Open to anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with God
Outreach and Charity
Outreach to those in need is a defining mark of Divine Word. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference provides direct service — food bank contacts, fuel/food gift cards, and occasional utility or rent assistance — to parishioners and other individuals within parish boundaries (Lake County, focused on the Kirtland area). The parish also runs a long-standing clothing pantry at Joseph House of Cleveland that has served refugees and the inner-city poor for over 25 years.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul Help Line: 440-547-6718
- SVDP meetings: 4th Monday at 5:30 pm in the Upper Room
- Joseph House of Cleveland clothing pantry (25+ years)
- Bishop Cosgrove Meals
- Second Collections
Pastoral Family and Staff
The Divine Word parish staff includes clergy, two retired priests in residence, two permanent deacons, two diaconate candidates, and lay staff across faith formation, music, youth ministry, communications, business, and pastoral care. The parish office can be reached at (440) 256-1412, with the rectory line listed as (440) 256-4929 on the diocese directory.
- Fr. Dave Woost — Pastor
- Deacon John Grazia
- Deacon Mitch Carson
- Fr. Jim Caddy — Retired Priest
- Fr. Jim Stenger — Retired Priest
- Jerry Joyce — Diaconate Candidate
- Dan Molnar — Diaconate Candidate
- Gina Rensi — Director of Religious Education (DRE)
- Mary Pat Frey — Pastoral Associate
- Debbie Lokar — Pastoral Associate
- Becky Harper — Director of Music
- Tanya Loncar — Youth Minister
- Amy Reynolds — Business Manager
- Stan Krulc — Assistant for Business and Finance
- Kristen Antosh — Director of Communications
- Dee Germano — Parish Secretary
- Rachel Scott — Administrative Assistant
- Becky Roach — Bulletin Editor & Email Communications Coordinator
- Floreene Inghram — Parish Nurse
- Chris Andras — Maintenance
Finance Council
The Divine Word Finance Council exists in accordance with Canon Law to provide financial guidance to the pastor. Working in partnership with the Pastor, Business Manager, and other parish bodies, the Council reviews fiscal operations, monitors the budget, and recommends strategies that support pastoral priorities, while seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Council meets quarterly or more frequently as needed.
- Chair: Andrea Hogan
- Members: Adrian Byrne, Nick Fatica, Carla Mahoney-Ott, Sue Pavlisko, John Ribic, Jim Rote
- Staff Liaisons: Amy Reynolds, Deacon John Grazia, Fr. Dave Woost
Parish Life, Events, and Fellowship
Beyond worship and formation, Divine Word builds community through monthly Community Meals (the July 2026 Community Meal was scheduled for Sunday, July 19, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm), the Holy Name Society's annual Golf Outing (held at Pine Ridge Golf Course), the Angel Scholarship Fund, regular Second Collections for mission outreach, and a parish-wide access to Formed Catholic content using zip code 44094. The parish also participates in Neighbor Masses and various parish-wide gatherings.
- Monthly Community Meals
- Holy Name Society Golf Outing at Pine Ridge Golf Course
- Angel Scholarship Fund
- Formed parish subscription (formed.org)
- Parish Calendar of Events
- Parish 50th Anniversary Pilgrimage to Italy (sold out)
Communications and Bulletin
Divine Word communicates through a Weekly Bulletin (with submissions due on a published schedule), a weekly Friday e-bulletin email coordinated by the Bulletin Editor, an active Facebook page (facebook.com/DWKirtland), and posted bulletin announcements. The parish also has a Director of Communications and uses an Email Communications Coordinator to keep parishioners informed.
- Weekly Bulletin submission email: [email protected]
- Official Facebook: facebook.com/DWKirtland
- Parish Calendar page on website
- Director of Communications: Kristen Antosh
- Bulletin Editor & Email Communications Coordinator: Becky Roach
Safeguarding and Reporting
The parish website prominently lists the Diocese of Cleveland's reporting hotline for suspected abuse and counseling assistance numbers, reflecting the diocese's safeguarding protocols.
- Diocese of Cleveland Abuse Hotline: (216) 334-2999
- Counseling Assistance: (216) 334-2999
- Note: Parishioners have received false emails/texts impersonating Fr. Dave; law enforcement advises no response
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Dave Woost2004–present
Ordained in 1991; has served as pastor of Divine Word since 2004. Designed the '500 Days to 50 Years' renewal initiative for the parish's Golden Jubilee.