About Our Lady Help of Christians · Litchfield, Ohio
Our Lady Help of Christians (OLHC) is a unique multi-site Catholic parish in the Diocese of Cleveland that serves four rural worship communities across Medina, Ashland, Wayne, and Lorain counties in north-central Ohio. Established in 1976 by Bishop James Hickey to bring the sacraments to Catholics spread across more than 500 square miles of countryside, the parish today gathers the faithful in Litchfield, Lodi, Nova, and Seville. It is pastored by Father Edward F. Suszynski with the help of a deacon, a pastoral associate, and dedicated lay ministers who maintain the worship sites, run food pantries, and form disciples throughout the region.
- Established
- 1976
- Patron
- Our Lady Help of Christians (Blessed Virgin Mary, invoked under the title 'Help of Christians')
- Rector
- Rev. Edward F. Suszynski
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
OLHC is the only parish in the Diocese of Cleveland specifically designed to bring weekly Mass, sacraments, and faith formation to Catholics living across rural Ashland, Lorain, Medina, and Wayne counties. Joining means becoming part of four worship communities—Litchfield, Lodi, Nova, and Seville—linked by one pastor and one pastoral team, with active ministries in faith formation (adult/Young Adult Bible studies, Catechism in a Year), a working parish food pantry, the popular annual rummage sale, and a clear commitment to missionary discipleship. Whether you live near one site or among all four, OLHC offers a friendly, hard-working rural Catholic home with daily, weekend, and First-Friday Masses and a transparent team-ministry model that invites ownership from every member.
Mass times at Our Lady Help of Christians
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- First Monday of the month — 6:30 PM, after daily Mass at the Lodi site
Adoration times
- First Friday — 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Litchfield site (followed by 7:00 PM Mass)
Welcome to Our Lady Help of Christians
Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church (OLHC) is a unique parish in the Diocese of Cleveland made up of four worship sites — Litchfield, Lodi, Nova, and Seville — that together serve Catholics living across rural Medina, Ashland, Wayne, and Lorain counties. Established in 1976 to meet the sacramental needs of countryside Catholics, OLHC describes itself as 'a friendly, welcoming, and vibrant parish of disciples of Jesus Christ.' The official site invites visitors to 'join us for Mass, become a member, and explore ways to get involved,' and closes its welcome message with the line, 'When you are at OLHC you are home.'
Parish History
OLHC was created in 1976 by Cleveland Bishop James Hickey as a pioneering response to the pastoral challenge of serving Catholics spread thinly across rural Ohio. Its first weekend of Masses was June 26–27, 1976, and the early parish worshipped in homes, town halls, school cafeterias, and rented churches until permanent sites were ready. The original team-ministry model — three priests, vowed religious, and the diocese's first pastoral minister — was a new approach for Cleveland and remains part of OLHC's identity.
- Founded 1976 by Bishop James Hickey, Diocese of Cleveland
- First Masses celebrated June 26–27, 1976
- Original team model: three priests, vowed religious, first pastoral minister in the diocese
- Litchfield site repurposed from a former Catholic Charities home for boys with special needs
- Lodi and Seville sites are multi-purpose brick buildings constructed with parishioners' help
- Nova worship site is an 1874 former United Brethren church, later a recreation center, renovated by parishioners
- 45th anniversary marked June 13, 2021 with Bishop Edward Malesic concelebrating Mass at Lodi
Our Four Worship Sites
OLHC's four sites are spread across more than 500 square miles. Each has its own Mass and event schedule, with the Saturday Vigil and Sunday schedule rotating between them so parishioners can worship close to home.
- Litchfield — 9608 Norwalk Rd., Litchfield, OH 44253 (parish offices + worship site)
- Lodi — Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM (Seville site); Sunday 8:30 AM Mass
- Nova — 240 State Route 511 at U.S. 224, Nova, OH 44859; Sunday 11:00 AM Mass
- Seville — Saturday Vigil 4:00 PM; Sunday 10:30 AM Mass; annual spring rummage sale host
Clergy and Parish Staff
OLHC is led by a small pastoral team that continues the founder Bishop Hickey's original vision of clergy-and-laity collaboration. The current roster is published on the Diocese of Cleveland parish directory and on the parish website's general information page.
- Pastor: Rev. Edward F. Suszynski
- Deacon: Michael F. Jervis
- Pastoral Associate: Sandra Lynn
- Father Suszynski also serves on the diocesan Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors
Faith Formation for Adults and Young Adults
OLHC runs an active adult-formation program rooted in Ascension Press materials. The parish encourages parishioners to start the Catechism in a Year or Bible in a Year podcasts anytime, using the USCCB's online Catechism of the Catholic Church as a companion resource, and offers seasonal small-group Bible studies.
- Catechism in a Year (Ascension Press) — start anytime
- Bible in a Year (Ascension Press) — start anytime
- Catechism of the Catholic Church online via USCCB
- 2026 Spring Bible Study on the Gospel of Luke — begins March 5, 2026
Parish Life, Outreach, and Fundraisers
Beyond the sanctuary, OLHC sponsors community events that bring members from all four worship sites together. Parishioners maintain the grounds and buildings at each site, run a parish food pantry, and stage the annual spring rummage sale at the Seville site — one of the parish's biggest fundraisers.
- OLHC Food Pantry (with Lodi Pantry and Medina County Food Pantries & Support Services)
- Annual Spring Rummage Sale at the Seville site
- Parish-wide fellowship gatherings combining all four worship-site communities
- FlockNote parish communication / email newsletter
- Online parish bulletin
- Online Giving instructions
Becoming a Member and Getting Involved
The official site makes 'Join our Parish / Become a Member' a front-page call to action, alongside 'Help' (likely get-involved) links. New parishioners can register through the parish office and connect through FlockNote for ongoing communication.
- Parish registration through the parish office (phone (330) 722-1180 or email [email protected])
- FlockNote sign-up for parish-wide emails and announcements
- Online parish bulletin for current events
- Volunteer opportunities in faith formation, food pantry, building and grounds, and rummage sale
Contact and General Information
OLHC centralizes contact information at the Litchfield administrative office. The parish email, two published phone numbers (parish office and an additional line), and the diocesan directory entry all point back to the same Litchfield address.
- Parish office: 9608 Norwalk Rd., Litchfield, OH 44253-9598
- Phone: (330) 722-1180
- Additional line: (330) 723-5891
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.olhc-parish.com
- Diocese of Cleveland parish directory listing
Diocese of Cleveland
Our Lady Help of Christians is a parish in good standing of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, which serves eight counties across northeast Ohio. The parish is also referenced in the diocese's 2025–2026 Catholic Directory under parish code '4124,' with sub-entries for its Lodi and Nova worship sites, and is regularly listed in diocesan assignment news.
- Listed in Diocese of Cleveland 2025–2026 Catholic Directory as parish code 4124
- Pastor Father Edward F. Suszynski confirmed as pastor of OLHC in March/April 2025 diocesan assignment changes
- Father Suszynski also sits on the Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors of the diocese
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Pastoral team (three priests, vowed religious, and first pastoral minister in the diocese) — appointed 1976 by Bishop James Hickey1976 onwards
Original founding leadership of the multi-site parish model.
- Rev. Edward F. Suszynski
Current pastor; also serves on the diocesan Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors; appointed pastor of OLHC (confirmed still in role as of March/April 2025 diocesan assignment changes).