About Holy Family · Columbus, Ohio
Holy Family Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish located at 584 West Broad Street in the Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, just west of downtown. Founded in 1877 by Father R.C. Christy, it is the fourth-oldest Catholic parish in the city and is administered today by the Mercedarian friars (Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy). The Gothic Revival church, designed by architect Michael Harding, was completed and dedicated on June 2, 1889, and has a capacity of about 1,000. The parish is widely known for its service to the poor through its soup kitchen (feeding up to 200 people daily), its food pantry (serving roughly 6,000 people a month), and its Jubilee Museum of Catholic heritage and sacred relics.
- Established
- 1877
- Patron
- The Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph)
- Rector
- Father Michael J. Donovan, O. de M.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus
Why belong here
Holy Family is a historic, devotional parish in inner-city Columbus that combines reverent liturgy — including weekly St. Anthony of Padua devotions, First Saturday Masses, Good Friday Vigil with the Sorrowful Virgin, Divine Mercy Sunday devotions, and a yearly St. Anthony Feast Day festival — with extraordinary outreach to the poor. Its daily soup kitchen (up to 200 lunches) and monthly food pantry (about 6,000 served) make it a true center of mercy in the Franklinton neighborhood. The Gothic Revival sanctuary, stained glass from Munich, and 1981 Schantz pipe organ draw members from across central Ohio who want beauty, tradition, and service in one parish home.
Mass times at Holy Family
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 4:30 PM, 7:30 PM
- Monday–Friday: 11:30 AM – 12:05 PM
Adoration times
- Thursday 1:00 PM until Friday 12:00 Noon (24-hour weekly Eucharistic Adoration; contact Sarah Hill at 740-418-0517 / [email protected])
Parish Identity & Mission
Holy Family Parish, located in the historic Franklinton neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, was founded in 1877 to serve all Catholics on the west side of the Scioto River regardless of ethnic background. Its mission, in the words of the parish, is to 'build the kingdom of God through our faithful and reverent worship in the Sacred Liturgy and our dedicated service to the poor and the little ones of the world.' A parish of roughly 500 families, Holy Family draws members from across central Ohio for its reverent liturgy and its extensive works of charity.
- Motto: faithful worship + service to the poor
- Parishioners drawn from across central Ohio
- Membership ~500 families (2022)
History of Holy Family Parish
Founded in 1877 by Fr. R.C. Christy, Holy Family began with the celebration of Mass in a former United Brethren church adjoining the closed St. Aloysius Seminary. Under successive pastors — Fr. T.S. Reynolds, Fr. W.F. Hayes, and especially Fr. Dennis A. Clarke — the parish acquired its present site at Broad and Skidmore Streets (1881), laid the cornerstone of its Gothic Revival church (1882), and completed and dedicated it on June 2, 1889. The parish survived the catastrophic 1913 and 1957 Columbus floods, a mid-1950s fire, and the disruptive construction of three interstates; it also ran a thriving Catholic school system from 1877 through the late 1960s/70s. The 21st century has seen the arrival of the Bridgettine Sisters (2018) and the Mercedarian friars (2022), the latter assuming pastoral care.
- Founded 1877 by Fr. R.C. Christy
- Cornerstone laid September 17, 1882 (Bishop Watterson)
- Dedicated June 2, 1889
- Deanery erected 1902
- 1913 and 1957 floods, mid-1950s fire
- Mercedarians arrive January 2022
Architecture & Sacred Art
The church is a Gothic Revival structure designed by Columbus architect Michael Harding and built largely without debt under Fr. Clarke. Stained-glass windows crafted by Munich artists and a main altar were installed during the 1888–89 finishing work; side altars, pews, and a pipe organ followed in August 1890, with steam heat added in 1896. The sanctuary has a capacity of about 1,000.
- Architect: Michael Harding
- Style: Gothic Revival
- Stained glass from Munich artists
- Capacity ~1,000
- Steam heating installed 1896
The Schantz Pipe Organ
Holy Family's present pipe organ is a two-manual, 25-rank Schantz instrument installed in 1981 (Op. 1797), containing 1,474 pipes and built by the Schantz Organ Company of Orville, Ohio. It replaced a 1928 Page theater pipe organ (originally a 'horseshoe' console unit) that had been installed at Holy Family in 1947 and now resides at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Columbus. The Schantz is maintained by Peebles-Herzog Pipe Organs and supports a varied repertoire well beyond thin baroque textures.
- Builder: Schantz Organ Company, Orville, OH
- 2 manuals / 25 ranks / 1,474 pipes
- Installed 1981 (Op. 1797)
- Predecessor: 1928 Page theater organ (now at Holy Cross, Columbus)
Devotions & Special Liturgies
Holy Family hosts several popular devotions that draw thousands of pilgrims each year: weekly devotions to St. Anthony of Padua on Tuesday afternoons after the 12:15 PM Mass, a monthly 9:00 AM First Saturday Mass and confessions, a yearly Good Friday Vigil with the Sorrowful Virgin, Divine Mercy Sunday devotions with confessions, the annual St. Anthony of Padua Feast Day Mass and Festival, and the Sorrowful Mother Novena each September.
- St. Anthony of Padua Devotion (weekly Tuesday)
- First Saturday Mass (monthly)
- Good Friday Vigil with the Sorrowful Virgin
- Divine Mercy Sunday
- St. Anthony Feast Day Festival (annual)
- Sorrowful Mother Novena (September)
Outreach to the Poor & Neighbors
From its earliest days caring for 'the little ones of God's kingdom,' Holy Family today operates one of the largest parish-based charity programs in central Ohio. The Holy Family Soup Kitchen serves up to 200 people each weekday with hot carry-out lunches and lunch bags, and distributes personal-hygiene items, canned and boxed goods, and new or gently used shoes and clothing. The parish food pantry, founded in 1985, currently feeds about 6,000 people each month. The parish also reaches out to neighborhood seniors with exercise classes and healthy-living seminars.
- Soup Kitchen: up to 200 people daily (Mon–Fri)
- Food Pantry since 1985 (~6,000 served per month)
- Clothing, shoes, hygiene items
- Senior outreach: exercise and healthy-living seminars
Religious Education & RCIA
Faith formation at Holy Family is directed by Sr. Bozena Tyborowska, LSIC, and includes parish-school-of-religion classes (held Sundays 9:30–10:45 AM) as well as preparation for the sacraments. Those interested in becoming Catholic are welcomed into the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, coordinated by Linda Hamilton (614-746-4407).
- Director of Religious Education: Sr. Bozena Tyborowska, LSIC
- PSR class Sundays 9:30–10:45 AM
- RCIA Coordinator: Linda Hamilton
Music & Liturgy
Holy Family maintains an active music ministry under Music Director and Organist Shawn Kenney, supporting both the ordinary English Masses and the parish's many special devotions with the parish's 1981 Schantz organ.
- Music Director/Organist: Shawn Kenney
- Instrument: 1981 Schantz, 2 manuals / 25 ranks
Parish Staff & Clergy
Pastoral care is provided by the Mercedarian friars at the invitation of Bishop Robert J. Brennan, with Father Michael J. Donovan, O. de M., as pastor and Father Daniel Bowen, O. de M., assisting. Mary Gamble serves as parish secretary; Brian Krull as business manager; Sr. Bozena Tyborowska, LSIC, as director of religious education; Dennis Shope as soup-kitchen director; Linda Hamilton as RCIA coordinator; and Shawn Kenney as music director and organist.
- Pastor: Fr. Michael J. Donovan, O. de M.
- Friar in residence: Fr. Daniel Bowen, O. de M.
- Secretary: Mary Gamble
- Business Manager: Brian Krull
- Director of Religious Education: Sr. Bozena Tyborowska, LSIC
- Soup Kitchen: Dennis Shope
- RCIA: Linda Hamilton
- Music Director/Organist: Shawn Kenney
Visiting & Contact
The parish offices and parish center are located at 588 W. Gay Street, while the church stands at 584 W. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215. Parish Office: 614-221-4323 (fax 614-221-9818); Soup Kitchen: 614-461-9444. Email: [email protected]; Soup Kitchen: [email protected].
- Church: 584 W. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215
- Parish Center: 588 W. Gay St., Columbus, OH 43215
- Office phone: 614-221-4323
- Soup Kitchen phone/fax: 614-461-9444
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. R.C. Christy1877–1878
Founder; first pastor; gathered about forty families; first Mass celebrated June 8, 1877 (Feast of the Sacred Heart). Stepped down after one year due to failing health and died at St. Francis Hospital.
- Fr. T.S. Reynolds1878
Placed in charge of the parish in June 1878; succeeded in October 1878.
- Fr. W.F. Hayes1879–1884
Appointed pastor in January 1879. Acquired four lots at the northeast corner of Broad and Skidmore Streets (April 1, 1881), the present site of the church. Lay the cornerstone in September 1882 (with Bishop Watterson). Succeeded October 31, 1884. Later returned to sing Solemn High Mass at the church's dedication in 1889.
- Fr. Dennis A. Clarke1884–c. 1908
Appointed October 31, 1884. Selected architect Michael Harding; supervised completion of basement chapel (Mass first celebrated there March 7, 1886) and construction of the upper church (dedicated June 2, 1889). Added side altars, pews, and pipe organ in 1890. At the 1902 diocesan synod the parish was made a deanery with the pastor as dean.
- Fr. Stash Daileyserved prior to and into 2022
Pastor at the time the Mercedarian friars arrived in January 2022 at the invitation of Bishop Robert J. Brennan.
- Fr. Michael J. Donovan, O. de M.2022–present
First Mercedarian pastor. From Chester, Pennsylvania; previously parochial vicar at Mercedarian parishes in Cleveland and Philadelphia, and pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Parish, Le Roy, New York, and St. Edward Church, Starke, Florida. Also involved in prison ministry in the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida.