About Holy Name of Jesus (Our Lady of Sorrows Parish) · Youngstown, Ohio
Holy Name of Jesus Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish located at 613 N. Lakeview Avenue on the west side (Steelton neighborhood) of Youngstown, Ohio. Founded in 1914 by Slovak Catholic immigrants drawn to the booming Youngstown steel industry, it served generations of families in the Mahoning Valley for more than a century. Today it is part of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, the merged community of three former Slovak-heritage parishes (St. Matthias, Holy Name of Jesus, and SS. Cyril and Methodius) in the Diocese of Youngstown. Bishop David Bonnar has since suppressed Holy Name of Jesus and SS. Cyril and Methodius as worship sites, with Our Lady of Sorrows Parish itself merging into St. Mary Magdalene Parish on January 1, 2026.
- Established
- 1914
- Patron
- Holy Name of Jesus
- Rector
- Rev. John M. Jerek
- Diocese
- Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
For more than a century, Holy Name of Jesus has been one of Youngstown's anchor Slovak-heritage Catholic communities, faithfully serving the Steelton neighborhood on the city's west side. Even after the parish was merged with St. Matthias and SS. Cyril and Methodius into Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, the community continued its mission of proclaiming the Good News 'through proclamation, catechesis and ongoing conversion,' celebrating the sacraments in the beautiful liturgical tradition of the Latin rite. Parishioners participate in a strong devotional life of weekday Mass, Saturday Vigil Mass, Saturday confessions, Eucharistic adoration and service through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — a community knit tightly by faith, family memory and Slovak cultural identity on the west side of Youngstown.
Mass times at Holy Name of Jesus (Our Lady of Sorrows Parish)
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 9:00 AM (at St. Christine Church)
Parish Identity & Slovak Heritage
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish — and its predecessor, Holy Name of Jesus Church — is a Roman Catholic community explicitly 'immersed in its Slovak heritage,' as the parish mission statement puts it. Rooted in the Slovak immigrants who came to the Youngstown steel mills in the years before World War I, the parish proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ 'through proclamation, catechesis and ongoing conversion.' The community continues to express its Catholic identity through its distinctive cultural and liturgical heritage, including devotions and traditions carried over from central Europe.
- Catholic Parish of Slovak Heritage
- Mission: proclaim the Good News, build up the Kingdom of God through expression of faith and experience of culture
- Diocese of Youngstown
History of Holy Name of Jesus Church
Holy Name of Jesus was founded in 1914 by Slovak immigrants in west Youngstown's Steelton district and served the community for over a century. The detailed parish history is preserved on the parish website and traces the parish from the first $98.25 house-to-house collection, through the building of the church (dedicated 1918), the opening of the Ursuline school (1920), the construction of the 42-room school (1927), the long pastorate of Msgr. Stephan G. Kocis, and the eventual 2010s merger with St. Matthias and SS. Cyril and Methodius into Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.
- Founded 1914 by Slovak immigrants in west Youngstown's Steelton district
- Eight lots on N. Lakeview Ave. purchased from Carnegie Steel Co. in August 1914 for $2,000
- Ground broken for church late 1916
- First Mass in unfinished basement: Christmas Day 1917, by Fr. Francis J. Dubosh
- Church completed May 1918; solemnly dedicated June 2, 1918
- Parish school opened 1920 under Ursuline nuns
- 42-room school completed and dedicated 1927
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish Today
Following the merger of Holy Name of Jesus, St. Matthias, and SS. Cyril and Methodius, the surviving worship site for Our Lady of Sorrows Parish has been St. Matthias Church at 915 Cornell Street. Bishop David Bonnar's Presbyteral Council recommended that Holy Name of Jesus and SS. Cyril and Methodius be closed as worship sites, with St. Matthias serving the combined parish. On January 1, 2026, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish itself merged with St. Brendan and St. Christine parishes to form the new St. Mary Magdalene Parish, with Fr. John Jerek installed as its first pastor.
- Three worship sites: Holy Name of Jesus, St. Matthias, SS. Cyril and Methodius
- Holy Name of Jesus and SS. Cyril and Methodius closed as worship sites by Bishop Bonnar
- St. Matthias retained as sole active worship site for the combined parish
- Further merged into St. Mary Magdalene Parish on January 1, 2026
Clergy & Staff
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish is currently led by Rev. John M. Jerek, who was installed as pastor in June 2017 and continues to shepherd the community through the 2026 transition into St. Mary Magdalene Parish. He is assisted by two permanent deacons, Mark Kiraly and Ronald Layko, who serve across the merged parish community.
- Pastor: Rev. John M. Jerek
- Permanent Deacon: Mark Kiraly
- Permanent Deacon: Ronald Layko
- Parish office located at the St. Christine Rectory; phone (330) 792-3829
Ministries & Outreach
Our Lady of Sorrows Parish supports the traditional Catholic ministries of faith formation, sacramental preparation, charity, and devotion. The Society of St. Vincent dePaul is named as a recognized ministry in the Diocese of Youngstown directory, and the broader parish community operates an Early Childhood Learning Center (Pre-K) in addition to supporting Catholic school education at affiliated schools.
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- Faith Formation / CCD program
- Early Childhood Learning Center (Pre-K)
- Catechesis and ongoing conversion programs
Contact & Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone at (330) 792-3829 (St. Christine Rectory) or by email at [email protected]. The church building itself — Holy Name of Jesus at 613 N. Lakeview Ave., Youngstown, OH 44509 — has been formally closed as a worship site; sacramental and pastoral ministry continues through the surviving worship site at St. Matthias Church and the unified St. Mary Magdalene Parish.
- Parish phone (office): (330) 792-3829
- Parish phone (direct): (330) 788-5082
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://ourlady915.org
- Parish office: 915 Cornell St., Youngstown, OH 44502-2765
- Historic church address: 613 N. Lakeview Ave., Youngstown, OH 44509
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John Stipanovic1916–1917
First pastor; Croatian priest who spoke Slovak; broke ground for the church in late 1916; reassigned to SS. Peter and Paul December 7, 1917.
- Rev. Francis J. Dubosh1917–1922
Celebrated the first Mass in the church basement on Christmas Day 1917; oversaw completion and dedication of the church in 1918; opened the parish school under the Ursuline nuns in 1920.
- Rev. Stephan G. Kocis1922–1952
Third pastor; son of Holy Trinity Parish; paid off the original debt; built and dedicated the 42-room school in 1927; extensively remodeled and enlarged the church; elevated to Monsignor in 1940; died in office in 1952.
- Msgr. Stephen Begallaafter 1952
Fourth pastor; completed the remodeling campaign begun under Fr. Kocis and quickly retired the associated debt.
- Rev. George M. Franko1968–1989
Had served as Assistant Pastor 1951–1963; named pastor July 1, 1968.
- Rev. Michael Ronik1989–2001
Former Assistant Pastor 1957–1966; retired in 2001 for health reasons.
- Rev. John E. Reiss2001–
Took over after Fr. Ronik's retirement.
- Msgr. Peter M. Polando
Served as parish administrator and oversaw the merger of Holy Name of Jesus, St. Matthias and SS. Cyril and Methodius into Our Lady of Sorrows Parish.
- Rev. Martin Celuch, J.C.L.2013–2017
Pastor of the combined Our Lady of Sorrows Parish from May 2013.
- Rev. John M. Jerek2017–present
Installed as pastor on June 18, 2017; previously served at St. Matthias; continues to lead the parish community through its merger into St. Mary Magdalene Parish.