About Our Lady of Grace · Hinckley, Ohio
Our Lady of Grace is a Roman Catholic parish in the Diocese of Cleveland, located at 1088 Ridge Road in Hinckley, Ohio, a small community in Medina County south of Cleveland. The parish was founded in 1965–1966 and now serves more than 600 families with a weekly Mass schedule that includes a Saturday Vigil and two Sunday Masses. It is especially well known beyond Hinckley as the home of the Triumph of the Two Hearts Shrine, a hillside prayer garden featuring a 10-foot statue of Jesus and Mary, the Stations of the Cross, and Marian gardens representing countries from around the world.
- Established
- 1965
- Patron
- Our Lady of Grace
- Rector
- Rev. William A. Smith
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
Our Lady of Grace is a warm, family-sized parish of more than 600 families in the Diocese of Cleveland, where the same church building consecrated in the late 1960s still hosts a full sacramental life — daily and weekend Mass, Saturday confessions, all-day Tuesday Eucharistic adoration, and a weekly Thursday Rosary for Peace. Members are drawn to its active ministries for every age and stage — Parish School of Religion (PSR) for children, a women's book club, a Men of Faith Club, Knights of Columbus involvement, an altar server program led by the deacon, and outreach to Medina County Catholic Charities and a Christmas Giving Tree that serves more than 400 families each November. The parish's signature feature, the Triumph of the Two Hearts Shrine, is open dawn to dusk every day and makes the grounds a destination not only for parishioners but for visitors of all denominations from across the region.
Mass times at Our Lady of Grace
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
- By appointment (call the Parish Office)
Adoration times
- Tuesday 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Welcome & Parish Mission
Our Lady of Grace describes itself as 'the Roman Catholic faith community of Our Lady of Grace, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and dedicated to our Blessed Mother.' The parish's stated mission is to make God's presence visible in today's world, and — in service to God's will and with the Holy Spirit's guidance — to manifest God's peace, love, and saving presence as the community prays, worships, works, and lives together in His Name. The parish welcomes new members and invites anyone interested to visit olghinckley.org and follow the parish on Facebook and Instagram.
History of Our Lady of Grace
Founded in 1965–1966, Our Lady of Grace grew from a community without a building into one of more than 600 families today. Early Masses were held at the local police station and the old elementary school while the 48-acre Ridge Road property was developed; parishioners themselves renovated the rectory at 1616 Center Road in a matter of weeks. Two years after the parish formed, the church at 1088 Ridge Road was consecrated. Over the decades the parish added the Stations of the Cross in the late 1990s and the Triumph of the Two Hearts Shrine in 1998. In June 2025 Bishop Edward C. Malesic joined the parish for its 60th anniversary Mass, blessing the original time capsule and returning it to the church cornerstone in the presence of two of the parish's founding members, Joe Pischieri and Tom Minsch.
- First property: 13-acre tract on Route 303 east of River Road (later sold; became Hinckley Police Department site)
- Current property: 48 acres purchased in spring 1966 from Carl Tibbets for $45,000
- First Masses: held at the police station, then the old elementary school
- Rectory: 1616 Center Road, a 100-year-old home renovated entirely by parishioners
- 60th anniversary Mass: June 2025, with Bishop Edward C. Malesic; time capsule blessed and re-sealed
Triumph of the Two Hearts Shrine
The Triumph of the Two Hearts Shrine is the signature ministry of Our Lady of Grace — a hillside prayer garden dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Open daily from dawn to dusk (and effectively 24 hours, as visitors are welcome day and night), the shrine sits on parish-owned acreage in the Diocese of Cleveland and draws visitors of all denominations from across the region.
Shrine Story & Design
The inspiration for the shrine came to a parishioner in 1989 as she prayed before the Blessed Sacrament; over time she convinced the parish of the need for a shrine dedicated to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart. A committee took up the project, and the architect who donated his services chose the shrine's location on a hillside at the edge of a forest. Building began in 1997, with the structure designed to resemble a stable with a view of rolling Ohio hills. The shrine was completed and dedicated by Bishop James Quinn in March 1998. Much of the labor — from the design of the stations to the installation of a drainage system — was donated.
- Inspiration: 1989, before the Blessed Sacrament
- Construction began: 1997
- Dedication: March 1998 by Bishop James Quinn
The Two Hearts Statue
At the center of the shrine stands a 10-foot-tall statue depicting Jesus with His mother Mary, carved from a single block of wood and resting on a three-tier pedestal. With his left hand on his mother's shoulder, Jesus points to his heart with his right; Our Lady seems to extend one hand to visitors while placing the other near her own heart. The statue sits inside an open-sided, triangular wood-and-stone structure with kneelers, benches, and candle stands. Sunlight filters through a vibrant stained-glass window of the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart onto the figures, and a stand before the statue holds vases where children (and sometimes adults) leave floral offerings.
Stations of the Cross & Marian Gardens
The Stations of the Cross — added in the late 1990s — line a sloping uphill walk to the shrine. Each of the 14 stations features a large stained-glass scene embedded in stone; the Blessed Mother appears in all of them, watching in the background, waiting at the foot of the cross, or cradling her Son's broken body. Surrounding the stations are Marian gardens honoring the Blessed Mother and Divine Mercy, each representing a particular country. Families and individuals adopt specific gardens every year; after each harsh Ohio winter they clean up the flowerbeds, then weed, water, and trim as needed. The shrine is self-sustaining largely through this volunteer labor and an annual plant sale.
- Divine Mercy Garden (Poland)
- Our Lady of Knock (Ireland)
- Our Lady of Sorrows (Slovakia)
- Our Lady, Help of Christians (Italy)
- Our Lady of Lourdes (France)
- Our Lady of Medjugorje (Croatia)
- Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal)
- Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico)
- Our Lady of Loreto (Italy)
- Our Lady of Victory (Europe)
- Our Lady, Queen of Peace (France, Hawaii, the Philippines, Africa)
- Our Lady of Altötting (Germany)
- Mary, Queen of Angels (France, Costa Rica)
- Our Lady of Czestochowa (Poland)
Cherished Shrine Events
The parish gathers at the shrine every Thursday at 7:00 PM to pray the Rosary of Peace, moving into the church in bad weather. An annual Eucharistic procession celebrates the feast days of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On an evening in September the faithful make the Stations of the Cross by candlelight to mark the Triumph of the Cross (September 14) — a tradition that began just days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Other features of the grounds include a 'God the Father Walkway' lined with flowers leading to a gravel drive and parking lot, three island gardens with benches for prayer, a Children's Garden where kids are invited to pick a flower as a gift to Jesus and Mary, and an illuminated cross beside the driveway erected in memory of Ohio's aborted babies, with a prayer for mercy engraved on a posted plaque.
Devotions: Rosary of Peace
Each Thursday at 7:00 PM the parish family gathers to pray the Holy Rosary of Peace. In the summer the rosary is prayed at the Shrine of the Two Hearts, and in the winter it moves inside the church.
Faith Formation — Parish School of Religion (PSR)
Our Lady of Grace offers a Parish School of Religion (PSR) program for the religious education of parish children. Registration for the 2024–25 PSR year is handled online through the parish's PSR page on olghinckley.org. Inquiries about PSR and other faith formation can be directed to Bridget Kovalik, Director of Religious Education.
- Director of Religious Education: Bridget Kovalik — [email protected] — (330) 391-0438
Music Ministry
Liturgical music at Our Lady of Grace is led by co-Directors of Music Ministry Lori Geyer ([email protected]) and Marc Weagraff ([email protected]), who support sung worship at weekend and daily Masses as well as special services throughout the liturgical year.
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Beyond the PSR and Music Ministry, Our Lady of Grace supports a broad mix of lay organizations and outreach efforts — among them Altar Servers (led by Deacon Bruce Dobbins), a Women's Book Club, a Men of Faith Club, and Knights of Columbus involvement. Pastoral care is provided by Carolyn Zaverl (Pastoral Minister for Bereavement and the Women of Hope ministry). The parish strives every year to provide more outreach to the community.
- Altar Servers — Deacon Bruce Dobbins, [email protected] — (330) 203-6475
- Pastoral Minister (Bereavement & Women of Hope) — Carolyn Zaverl
- Women's Book Club
- Men of Faith Club
- Knights of Columbus
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a central part of parish life at Our Lady of Grace. Each November the parish hosts an ever-growing Christmas Giving Tree, which in recent years has served more than 400 families in Medina County at Christmas. During Lent the parish collects nonperishable food items for families served through Medina County Catholic Charities. The parish also comes together annually for service days like the 'Mulch and More' grounds workday (in 2024, 45 volunteers pitched in to beautify the parish grounds).
- Christmas Giving Tree — serves 400+ families in Medina County each November
- Lenten food drive for Medina County Catholic Charities
- Annual 'Mulch and More' parish grounds workday
Clergy, Staff & Parish Office
Our Lady of Grace is pastored by Rev. William A. Smith, who has served as the parish's seventh pastor since 2018. He is assisted by Deacon Bruce E. Dobbins. The lay staff includes Bridget Kovalik (Director of Religious Education), Lori Geyer and Marc Weagraff (co-Directors of Music Ministry), Carolyn Zaverl (Pastoral Minister for Bereavement and Women of Hope), and parish secretary Mary Dziczkowski. The Parish Office can be reached at (330) 278-4121 or [email protected].
- Pastor: Rev. William A. Smith (2018–present, seventh pastor)
- Deacon: Bruce E. Dobbins
- Director of Religious Education: Bridget Kovalik
- Directors of Music Ministry: Lori Geyer, Marc Weagraff
- Pastoral Minister (Bereavement & Women of Hope): Carolyn Zaverl
- Parish Secretary: Mary Dziczkowski
- Office: 1088 Ridge Road, Hinckley, OH 44233 — (330) 278-4121 — [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. William A. Smith2018–present
Seventh pastor of Our Lady of Grace; installed in 2018.