About Saint Edward the Confessor · Granville, Ohio
The Church of St. Edward the Confessor is a Roman Catholic parish in Granville, Ohio (Licking County), part of the Diocese of Columbus. Founded in 1946 from a converted house, the parish built its first dedicated church in 1955 and grew so rapidly that in 2004 it dedicated an entirely new Palladian-style worship complex designed by Columbus architect David B. Meleca, reusing the older chapel as the narthex. Today the parish serves more than 800 families with weekend and daily Masses, perpetual-adoration-style Monday adoration, Saturday confessions, a Parish School of Religion, a Catholic preschool, choirs and a strong outreach tradition supported through the St. Vincent de Paul Society and St. Vincent Haven.
- Established
- 1946
- Patron
- Saint Edward the Confessor
- Rector
- Fr. Timothy M. Hayes
- Diocese
- Diocese of Columbus
Why belong here
St. Edward the Confessor is a mid-sized, family-friendly Catholic parish that combines a stable liturgical schedule — daily Mass, two Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, and Monday adoration — with deep formation opportunities for every age, from its Catholic preschool and Parish School of Religion to adult RCIA. Members consistently point to the warmth of the community, the choir and bell-choir traditions, and the parish's decades-long commitment to local outreach through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, St. Vincent Haven, the Knights of Columbus, and the Women of St. Edward — making it an easy parish home for newcomers, returning Catholics, and longtime Licking County families alike.
Mass times at Saint Edward the Confessor
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 – 4:30 PM (commonly extended to 4:40 PM on many Saturdays)
Adoration times
- Monday 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM (perpetual-adoration chapel, after daily Mass)
Parish History
St. Edward the Confessor Parish was founded in 1946 by the Diocese of Columbus, with Bishop Ready purchasing the Dr. C.J. Loveless house at Broadway and Pearl Streets in Granville, and Monsignor Joseph R. Casey saying the first Mass there on July 20, 1947, for thirty-five families. The house was gradually remodeled into a 70-seat chapel under Casey and his early successors (Monsignor Herman E. Mattingly, Father Leonard Scannell, Monsignor Francis Schwendeman, and Father Vincent Mooney). In 1954 Father Augustine L. Winkler oversaw the building of a proper church — cornerstone October 30, 1954, and first Mass celebrated by Bishop Ready on March 20, 1955, followed that fall by a rectory and the original parish hall. Subsequent pastors (Fr. Ambrose Metzger, Fr. John M. Fulcher, Fr. Arvids Bernans, Fr. Thomas Lowery, Fr. G. Michael Gribble, and Monsignor Paul P. Enke) guided Vatican II implementation in 1972, the 1984 addition of classrooms and a new parish hall, the founding of the RCIA in 1991, and the dedication of the current 900-seat worship complex on September 19, 2004.
- 1946 — Parish founded; Bishop Ready buys Loveless property
- July 20, 1947 — First Mass in the house parlor (35 families)
- October 30, 1954 — Cornerstone laid for the new church
- March 20, 1955 — Bishop Ready celebrates first Mass in the 1955 church
- 1972 — Vatican II documents implemented; lay commentators and Eucharistic ministers installed
- May 19, 1984 — Classrooms and parish hall blessed by Bishop James A. Griffin
- 1991 — RCIA process implemented
- 1992 — Dcn. John Barbour ordained
- September 19, 2004 — New church dedicated by Bishop James A. Griffin
- 2012 — Fr. Timothy Hayes installed as pastor
Our Patron Saint: Edward the Confessor
The parish's patron is Saint Edward the Confessor (c. 1003–1066), the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, who reigned from 1042 until his death and was canonized in 1161. He received the title 'Confessor' for his outstanding profession of faith. According to a popular legend, he once gave his ring to a beggar near Westminster; two years later English pilgrims traveling abroad met a holy man who identified himself as St. John the Apostle and returned the ring with a message that Edward would die within six months. His feast day is October 13.
- Last Anglo-Saxon King of England (reigned 1042–1066)
- Canonized in 1161; titled 'Confessor' for his profession of faith
- Patron's feast day celebrated on October 13
Sacraments
St. Edward's celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments on a regular schedule. Children prepare for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist through the Parish School of Religion. Adults seeking full initiation participate in the parish RCIA, which has been in continuous use since 1991. Couples contact the parish office for marriage preparation, and families arrange baptisms, funerals, and anointing of the sick through the same office.
- Baptism
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (through PSR)
- Confirmation
- Matrimony
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Masses (with parish Funeral Choir)
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by its pastor, Father Timothy M. Hayes, and supported by Deacon John Barbour (ordained in 1992 and serving continuously at St. Edward's), a parish business administrator, finance and stewardship manager, director of music, religious education coordinator and assistant, preschool director, youth and young adult minister, sacramental records coordinator, digital media coordinator, and a maintenance supervisor.
- Fr. Timothy M. Hayes — Pastor ([email protected])
- Dcn. John Barbour — Deacon (ordained 1992, serving at St. Edward's ever since)
- Cheryl Boggess — Finance and Stewardship Manager
- Paul Radkowski — Director of Music (since 2014) and campus minister to Denison University
- Mary Packham — Religious Education Coordinator and PSR Coordinator
- Adrienne Evans — Preschool Director
- Parish Business Administrator — ext. 740-527-0006
- PSR Office — 740-587-4160
- Preschool Office — 740-587-3275
Faith Formation: Parish School of Religion (PSR)
The Parish School of Religion offers K–8 catechesis for parish children who attend public schools, alongside homeschool options for families who prefer at-home formation. The program follows a 'Christ meets us where we are … let's continue together to meet Christ' vision and supplies parents with grade-specific resources on Confession, the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic miracles, and the Bible in a Year podcast (modified version used in 6th grade PSR).
- K–8 PSR program with annual registration
- Homeschool option available on request
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist preparation
- Parent resources: Reconciliation, Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic miracles, Bible in a Year
St. Edward Preschool
St. Edward Preschool, directed by Adrienne Evans, provides a play-based, faith-centered early-learning experience on the parish campus. Programs run as the four-year-old class on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (8:50–11:50 AM) and a Pre-K program for 4- to 5-year-olds Monday through Thursday (12:15–3:15 PM), balancing early literacy, social development, creative play, and prayer.
- Preschool Director: Adrienne Evans
- Teachers: Adrienne Evans, Emily McDonough, Nancy McDonough
- 4-Year-Old Program — M/W/F 8:50 AM – 11:50 AM
- Pre-K Program (4–5 yr olds) — M-Th 12:15 PM – 3:15 PM
- Phone: 740-587-3275
Music Ministry
The Music Ministry under Director of Music Paul Radkowski (serving since 2014) is central to the parish's worship life, encompassing the adult Choir, the Bell Choir (Schulmerich handbells refurbished in 2023), the Children's Choir, the Funeral Choir, cantors and psalmists, and instrumentalists. Previous directors include Susan Brattain, Bill Miller, Julia Parker, and Steve Schlicher. The parish is blessed with a Casavant pipe organ (built 1975 in Virginia, donated to St. Edward's in 2008), a donated Bechstein upright piano, and a Baldwin Acrosonic spinet in the parish hall.
- Adult Choir — Sundays 9:30–10:25 AM and Thursdays 7:00–8:15 PM (September through Corpus Christi)
- Bell Choir — Tuesdays 7:00–8:30 PM (November through May)
- Children's Choir — November/December after 10:45 AM Mass
- Funeral Choir — no scheduled rehearsals; called for weekday 10:00/11:00 AM funerals
- Cantors/Psalmists and Instrumentalists — auditioned and rehearsed
- Pipe organ: Casavant (1975, donated 2008)
- Bechstein upright piano (donated 2008); Schulmerich handbells (refurbished 2023)
Parish Ministries and Outreach
St. Edward's life is supported by both lay liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, commentators, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, ushers, the homebound ministry, and the nursery) and a strong network of outreach groups. The St. Vincent de Paul Conference and St. Vincent Haven provide ongoing service to those in need, while the Knights of Columbus (Council 10876), the Women of St. Edward, and the Mary/Martha/Ed Ministry carry the parish's community-building mission. Parishioners regularly volunteer in local soup kitchens and host or co-sponsor area ecumenical events.
- Liturgical: Altar Servers, Lectors, Commentators, Eucharistic Ministers (incl. Homebound), Ushers, Nursery
- Parish groups: Knights of Columbus Council 10876, Women of St. Edward, Mary/Martha/Ed Ministry
- Outreach: St. Vincent de Paul Conference, St. Vincent Haven, soup kitchen volunteering
- Ecumenical: Thanksgiving Worship Service host, Good Friday Cross Walk partner, Ecumenical Vacation Bible School partner
- Youth & Young Adult Ministry
The Building: Architecture and Art
The 14,500-square-foot cruciform worship complex, dedicated on September 19, 2004, was designed by Columbus architect David B. Meleca in an American Georgian / Palladian classical idiom. The 1950s chapel — once a 300-seat country church — was ingeniously preserved as the narthex, retaining its original wood ceiling and timbers and now sheltering a baptismal font under a cupola. The interior features original murals by a local artist, a choir loft with pipe organ, side chapels, and a perpetual-adoration chapel. The exterior uses brown brick with brick arches and quoins, limestone caps, and a rusticated limestone base. The design accommodates future growth with optional 300-seat balconies that can be added when needed.
- Architect: David B. Meleca, AIA (David B. Meleca Architects, Columbus)
- Builder: Lincoln Construction; project cost: $4 million
- Style: Palladian / American Georgian
- Capacity: 900 (designed to expand with balconies for +300)
- Original 1950s chapel preserved as the narthex with its original wood ceiling
- Murals by a local artist; baptismal font under a cupola
- Exterior: brick arches and quoins, limestone caps, rusticated limestone base
Visit, Connect, and Give
The parish welcomes visitors at all of its Masses and during Monday adoration. The parish office is open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, and can be reached at 740-587-3254 or [email protected]. Faith formation registration, preschool tours, ministry sign-ups, and stewardship information ('Why We Give') are all available on the parish website. Several Sunday and Holy Day Masses are streamed online through the parish's video page for those unable to attend in person.
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–4 PM; Fri 9 AM–1 PM
- Phone: 740-587-3254 — Fax: 740-587-0149
- PSR Office: 740-587-4160 — Preschool Office: 740-587-3275
- Parish Business Administrator: 740-527-0006
- Live-streamed Masses via saintedwards.org/streamed-video-mass
- Parish bulletins available at [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. Joseph R. Casey1946/1947 – c.1954
Founding pastor; said the first Mass on July 20, 1947, with 35 families.
- Msgr. Herman E. Mattingly
Succeeded Casey; oversaw early remodeling of the house into a chapel.
- Fr. Leonard Scannell
Continued remodel of the converted parish house.
- Msgr. Francis Schwendeman
Continued conversion of the house into a furnished 70-seat chapel.
- Fr. Vincent Mooney
Continued chapel-era growth before the new church was built.
- Fr. Augustine L. Winklerthrough May 1954
Parish priest during planning; cornerstone laid October 30, 1954.
- Fr. Ambrose Metzger1961–1970
Continued parish growth after the 1955 church was in use.
- Fr. John M. Fulcher1970s
Implemented Vatican II documents and installed lay commentators/lectors/Eucharistic ministers in 1972.
- Fr. Arvids Bernans1970s–early 1980s
Served during continued growth.
- Fr. Thomas Lowery1980s
Broke ground for ten classrooms and a new parish hall, completed 1984.
- Fr. G. Michael Gribble1990s
Joined as administrator, then pastor; parish grew to over 800 families; RCIA implemented in 1991.
- Msgr. Paul P. Enkelate 1990s – c.2012
Planned and built the new $4 million, 900-seat worship complex; it was dedicated September 19, 2004 by Bishop James A. Griffin.
- Fr. Timothy M. Hayes2012–present
Succeeded Msgr. Enke on his retirement; current pastor.
 "Saint Edward the Confessor")