About Regina Coeli · Alliance, Ohio
Regina Coeli Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Alliance, Ohio, part of the Diocese of Youngstown. Established in 1958 on the west side of Alliance to relieve the overcrowded mother church of St. Joseph, the parish is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Regina Coeli, meaning 'Queen of Heaven.' Today Regina Coeli serves roughly 500 founding-family roots, operates a parish school (preschool through grade 5), and collaborates with neighboring parishes in the Catholic Community of Eastern Stark County. Worship, faith formation, and outreach — including a vibrant OCIA program, a Parish School of Religion, and extensive lay ministry — flow from its Fernwood Boulevard campus.
- Established
- 1958
- Patron
- Mary, Queen of Heaven (Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Regina Coeli)
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew Humerickhouse
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
Regina Coeli offers a full Catholic life on the west side of Alliance: a 10:30 AM Sunday Mass at a church with deep Marian roots, a Catholic grade school serving preschool through fifth grade, weekly Parish School of Religion classes for public-school children, and an OCIA process for adults seeking to enter the Church. Its ministries reach well beyond the parish — supporting the Alliance Food Pantry, delivering Thanksgiving food baskets, participating in Right to Life work, and visiting the homebound and those in nursing homes. With more than twenty lay ministries (Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Music Ministers, Youth Ministry, Prayer Chain, HOPE Ministers, and more) plus parish traditions like the annual August 22 feast-day Mass and ice cream social and a Lenten Fish Fry, Regina Coeli is a place where families can grow in faith, serve their neighbors, and belong to a community that has been praying together since 1958.
Mass times at Regina Coeli
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 5:30 PM — St. Joseph Church, Alliance (collaborative parish)
- Wednesday 5:30 PM — Saint Louis Church, Louisville (collaborative parish)
- Or by appointment
Parish History
Regina Coeli Parish was established in 1958 on the west side of Alliance, Ohio, when the post-war baby boom had outgrown St. Joseph Parish, the mother church of the city. Monsignor John W. Cunningham, then pastor of St. Joseph, was charged with founding the new parish. On July 11, 1952, Coadjutor Bishop of Youngstown Emmet M. Walsh approved the purchase of a 51.92-acre tract — the Marine Park Allotment — from Charlotte Galano Properties, with 35.18 acres for church and school and the balance subdivided into 46 residential lots. The parish was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under the Latin title Regina Coeli ('Queen of Heaven').
- Land purchased July 11, 1952 (Coadjutor Bishop Emmet M. Walsh)
- School construction began 1956; school opened fall 1957 with five grades
- Parish dedicated and blessed by Bishop Emmet M. Walsh in 1958
- Initial boundaries: west side of Alliance (Union Avenue to Portage–Stark line / Carroll–Stark line)
- About 500 founding families
- Rectory originally planned on east side of Fernwood Boulevard
Founding Pastor and Pastoral Succession
Monsignor John W. Cunningham served as the founding pastor from 1958 to 1967. Twelve pastors have followed him, including two Pro-Tem Administrators and one pastor who returned for a second stint. The current pastor is Rev. Matthew Humerickhouse, a diocesan priest of the Diocese of Youngstown.
- Msgr. John W. Cunningham, 1958–1967 (founding pastor)
- Rev. Robert Barrett, 1967 (Pro-Tem Administrator)
- Rev. John Turk, 1967–1970
- Rev. David Lettau, 1970–1973
- Rev. Robert Sabatino, 1973–1981
- Rev. Paul R. Tobin, 1981–1992
- Rev. Francis Hughes, 1992 (Pro-Tem Administrator)
- Rev. Frank D. Mintjal, 1992–1998
- Rev. Patrick Manning, 1998–2004
- Rev. Mike Seifert, 2004–2011
- Rev. Howard Ziemba, 2011–2012
- Rev. Patrick Manning, 2012–2013 (Pro-Tem Administrator)
- Rev. Joseph Ruggieri, 2013–2021
- Rev. G. David Weikart, 2021
- Rev. Matthew Humerickhouse (current pastor)
Parish Staff
Regina Coeli is staffed by a diocesan priest-pastor, a parochial vicar, a deacon and lay pastoral associates, with administrative and school leadership supporting the parish's daily life and sacramental ministry.
- Rev. Matthew Humerickhouse — Pastor
- Rev. Robert England — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Greg Wood — Diocesan Pastoral Associate
- Mrs. Amy Benedetti-Dike — Diocesan Pastoral Associate
- Mrs. Dianna Lair — Parish Secretary
- Ellen Stephens — Bookkeeper
- Mr. Mario Calandros — Principal, Regina Coeli School
- Dr. Timothy Morrison — University Chaplain, Mount Union Campus Ministry
Mass and Prayer Service Times
Regina Coeli's own Mass schedule is Sunday at 10:30 AM and Thursday at 8:30 AM during the school year. As part of the Catholic Community of Eastern Stark County, the parish shares a wider weekend and weekday Mass rotation with St. Ann (Sebring), Sacred Heart of Mary (Harrisburg), St. Louis (Louisville), and St. Joseph parishes in Alliance and Maximo — all listed on the parish website.
- Saturday 4:00 PM — St. Ann Church, Sebring
- Saturday 4:00 PM — Sacred Heart of Mary Church, Harrisburg
- Sunday 8:30 AM — St. Louis Church, Louisville
- Sunday 9:00 AM — St. Joseph Church, Maximo
- Sunday 10:30 AM — Regina Coeli Church
- Sunday 11:00 AM — St. Joseph Church, Alliance
- Monday 8:30 AM — St. Louis Church
- Tuesday 8:30 AM — Sacred Heart of Mary and St. Joseph, Alliance
- Wednesday 6:30 PM — St. Joseph, Alliance (and St. Louis; first Wednesday moves to St. Joseph, Maximo)
- Thursday 8:30 AM — Regina Coeli (school year)
- Friday 8:30 AM — St. Joseph, Maximo
Regina Coeli School
The parish school opened in the fall of 1957 — a full year before the first Mass was celebrated in the new church — with five grades taught by the Sisters of St. Dominic of Akron. Sister Dennis (Mary Fath) was the first principal, joined by four additional sisters and Mrs. Yvonne Welch. In 1972 the school absorbed St. Joseph School when the latter closed due to declining enrollment. Today Regina Coeli School enrolls students in preschool through grade 5, with scholarships and financial aid available through the school office.
- Grades served: Preschool through 5
- Address: 733 Fernwood Blvd., Alliance 44601-2730
- School phone: 330-823-9239
- Current principal: Mr. Mario Calandros
- Three classrooms added in late 1990s/early 2000s to accommodate enrollment growth from 189 to 259
- Holy Family Catholic Center built on campus with gym, cafeteria and gathering space
- Middle-school students transitioned to St. Thomas Aquinas as part of Holy Cross Academy
Religious Education & OCIA
Regina Coeli provides a comprehensive religious education program. Weekly Parish School of Religion (PSR) classes meet Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 AM for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade who do not attend Regina Coeli School, with classes running September through May and new families welcome to register at any time. The parish also runs an active youth ministry and adult education offerings. For adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church, the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA) process — covering Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist — traditionally begins in September and continues for a few weeks after Easter.
- Parish School of Religion (PSR): K–8, Sundays 9:00–10:00 AM, September–May
- Youth Ministry (active program)
- Adult Education programs
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults): September start through Easter
- All parishioners invited to attend RCIA/OCIA sessions to enrich their faith
Parish Ministries & Outreach
More than twenty lay ministries keep Regina Coeli's worship, faith formation, and service to neighbor running. The parish also reaches beyond its walls through the Alliance Food Pantry, Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets, school-supply drives for local schools, Right to Life work, and visits to the homebound and those in nursing homes.
- Altar Servers
- Catholic Woman's Club
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Collection Counters
- Environment Committee
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Funeral Luncheon Committee
- HOPE Ministers
- Infant of Prague Guild
- Lay Leaders of Prayer
- Lectors
- Ministers to Homebound or Nursing Homes
- Ministry of Praise
- Music Ministers
- PSR Catechists
- Prayer Chain
- RCIA Team
- Right to Life
- Sacristans
- Ushers
- Youth Ministry Leaders
Patroness and Marian Devotion
The parish's Latin name Regina Coeli means 'Queen of Heaven,' a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The teaching — formally established by Pope Pius XII in 1954, four years before the parish was founded, but held for centuries — holds that Mary, upon her Assumption, was crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. A shrine was built on the parish grounds in 1980–1981 to honor her, incorporating the original black steel tower that once adorned the top of the church, now standing beside a brick edifice surrounding the statue of the Madonna and backed by a multi-colored stained glass window illuminated after dark.
- Patroness: Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title 'Queen of Heaven'
- Parish feast day celebrated on or near August 22 (Queenship of Mary) with Mass and an ice cream social
- Marian shrine constructed 1980–1981
- Infant of Prague Guild — one of the parish's earliest organizations
Festivities, Fundraisers & Parish Life
The parish gathers several times a year for fellowship and fundraising. The patronal feast day is celebrated on or near August 22 with Mass and an ice cream social, and the annual Lenten Fish Fry draws many parish volunteers. Other longstanding events include a chili cook-off, a wine and cheese gathering, and the Spring Fling Reverse Raffle.
- Parish Feast Day Mass and ice cream social (on or near August 22)
- Lenten Fish Fry
- Chili cook-off
- Wine and cheese gathering
- Spring Fling Reverse Raffle
Catholic Community of Eastern Stark County
Regina Coeli collaborates with four neighboring parishes — St. Joseph (Alliance), St. Joseph (Maximo), St. Ann (Sebring), and St. Isidore (Louisville) — under the umbrella 'Catholic Community of Eastern Stark County,' dedicated to faith, fellowship and service. The shared weekend and weekday Mass schedule rotates among the parishes' worship sites, and reconciliation is offered at two collaborative locations plus by appointment.
- Collaborating parishes: St. Joseph (Alliance), St. Joseph (Maximo), St. Ann (Sebring), St. Isidore (Louisville)
- Worship sites include: Regina Coeli Church, St. Joseph Church (Alliance), St. Joseph Church (Maximo), St. Ann Church, Sacred Heart of Mary Church, St. Louis Church
- Parish deanery: Stark 1
- Parish Code: 502
Contact & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach Regina Coeli by phone, email, or in person at the parish office on Fernwood Boulevard. The Diocese of Youngstown publishes the parish's contact details and an updated Mass schedule.
- Parish address: 663 Fernwood Blvd., Alliance, OH 44601-2728
- Parish phone: 330-821-5880
- Parish fax: 330-821-8837
- Email: [email protected]
- School address: 733 Fernwood Blvd., Alliance, OH 44601-2730
- School phone: 330-823-9239
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Youngstown (Parish Code 502, Stark 1 Deanery)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. John W. Cunningham1958–1967
Founding pastor; charged with establishing Regina Coeli while pastor of St. Joseph, Alliance; oversaw land purchase and school construction.
- Rev. Robert Barrett1967
Pro-Tem Administrator.
- Rev. John Turk1967–1970
Organized one of the first parish councils in the Diocese of Youngstown in 1969.
- Rev. David Lettau1970–1973
- Rev. Robert Sabatino1973–1981
Spearheaded the debt-elimination drive and the decision to remodel the church (rededicated 1975).
- Rev. Paul R. Tobin1981–1992
- Rev. Francis Hughes1992
Pro-Tem Administrator.
- Rev. Frank D. Mintjal1992–1998
- Rev. Patrick Manning1998–2004
Returned later as Pro-Tem Administrator 2012–2013.
- Rev. Mike Seifert2004–2011
- Rev. Howard Ziemba2011–2012
- Rev. Patrick Manning2012–2013
Pro-Tem Administrator (second stint).
- Rev. Joseph Ruggieri2013–2021
Stabilized the parish school and oversaw formation of Holy Cross Academy; celebrated the parish's 60th anniversary in 2018.
- Rev. G. David Weikart2021
Twelfth recorded pastor in succession.
- Rev. Matthew Humerickhousecurrent
Current pastor (Diocese of Youngstown diocesan priest).