St. Ambrose

Parish History

St. Ambrose's roots go back to 1885, when Father Ambrose Weber, pastor of St. Mary in Warren, began missionary work across Trumbull and Portage counties. The mission in Garrettsville ended in 1901, and for four decades Catholics drove to Warren, Mantua, Ravenna, or Parkman for Mass. The WWII-era Ravenna Arsenal brought more than 14,000 workers into the area, and in 1942 Archbishop Joseph Schrembs assigned a pastor to reopen the Garrettsville mission — first in the basement of the Garrettsville Opera House, then in a rented house at Maple and Center streets. On February 4, 1944, the mission officially became a parish, and the present church on Freedom Street was dedicated with its first Mass on Christmas Day, 1954.

• 1885 — Mission established by Father Ambrose Weber, traveling by handcar on the Erie Railroad
• 1901 — Mission closes
• 1942 — Mission reopened; first Mass in the Garrettsville Opera House basement
• February 4, 1944 — Officially constituted as a parish
• 1946 — Diocese purchases the Freedom Street property and 1880s rectory
• 1954 — First Mass in the current church on Christmas Day

Mission & Patron

St. Ambrose is named for Saint Ambrose of Milan, the great 4th-century bishop and Doctor of the Church. The parish draws inspiration from his witness, citing on the diocese page: 'Like Saint Ambrose, the vibrant faith life of the people give witness to the presence and love of God, and offer generosity to the poor.'

• Patron: Saint Ambrose
• Feast day: December 7

Parish Mission Statement

Through baptism, the family of Saint Ambrose is 'chosen and called to be the body of Christ.' The parish gathers to give thanks and praise to God through prayer, worship, and the celebration of the sacraments, and continues the mission of Jesus by sharing faith and reaching out in justice, mercy, and love.

Clergy & Staff

Pastoral leadership is shared across the Portage Deanery. Fr. Frantisek (Francis) Katrinak serves as pastor of St. Ambrose along with St. Joseph (Mantua), St. Joan of Arc (Streetsboro), and Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Aurora). He is assisted by Parochial Vicar Rev. Brian Smith and Sacramental Minister Rev. Scott Kopp, along with two permanent deacons. Parish staff handle sacramental, music, and administrative work from the shared office in Mantua.

• Rev. Frantisek (Francis) Katrinak — Pastor
• Rev. Brian Smith — Parochial Vicar
• Rev. Scott Kopp — Sacramental Minister (Portage County)
• Deacon Steven R. Gies
• Deacon Gerolome P. Scopilliti
• Gloria Kuhn — Sacristan
• Pat Strainer — Music Minister
• Kathi Trares — Secretary
• Marcy Fleming — Office Manager

Faith Formation & Youth Ministry

The Parish School Religion Program (PSR) serves roughly 135 students with 16 catechists and three youth ministers, meeting weekly in space provided by the James A. Garfield School District at the local elementary school. For 2026/27, parents of K–8 students can register for either the Mantua program or the Aurora program.

• Parish School Religion Program (K–8) — meets at James A. Garfield elementary school
• Confirmation preparation — done in Aurora on Sunday afternoons with Deacon Matt Richards
• Edge (middle school, grades 6–8) — Monday evenings 5:45–7:00 p.m. in Aurora
• Life Teen — high school youth ministry
• DRE contacts: Jennifer Berczik (Mantua); Carly Crane (Aurora)

Ministries of Care & Outreach

Parishioners serve as 'representatives of St. Ambrose Parish' bringing support and comfort to those facing life's most serious challenges. The parish runs three pastoral-care arms alongside its many service ministries and is widely known for its Christmas outreach to local families in need.

• Ministries of Care
• Homebound Ministry
• Bereavement Ministry
• Altar & Rosary Society (twice-yearly rummage sales)
• Christmas gift collection (~160 wrapped gifts) supporting the Garrettsville Area Chamber of Commerce People Tree program

Community Life & Fundraisers

The parish's social calendar centers on a few beloved traditions. The signature event is the annual Chicken Dinner Festival, held the last Saturday and Sunday of June since 1959, with chicken cooked over large charcoal pits on the parish grounds at Windham and Freedom streets; the festival also hosts a polka Mass on Saturday and bluegrass music on Sunday, plus an antique tractor show. Weekly Tuesday in-person bingo in the parish hall ended December 16, 2025, though bingo continues at the Chicken Dinner Festival.

• Chicken Dinner Festival — last weekend of June, since 1959 (~2,000 dinners, 600–800 pies)
• Polka Mass on Saturday of the festival weekend
• Bluegrass Sunday and antique tractor show
• Bingo — previously first and third Tuesdays; regular in-person bingo ended December 16, 2025; continues at the Chicken Dinner Festival
• Christmas concerts, Breakfast with Santa, Halloween parties, Easter egg hunts

Buildings, Architecture & Worship Site

The parish campus centers on the church built in the early 1950s next to the 1880s house that serves as the rectory and parish offices. Distinctive artistic elements — the stained-glass crosses designed by Ron Stoner and the carved Last Supper by Richard Cermak — give the interior a parish-made character.

• Worship site: 10692 Freedom St., Garrettsville, OH 44231
• Rectory/offices: 1880s house adjoining the church
• Stained-glass windows with crosses by Ron Stoner, changed with the liturgical calendar
• Carved wooden Last Supper replica by Richard Cermak above the back entrance

Contact, Office & Administration

St. Ambrose shares its administrative office with St. Joseph Parish in Mantua, so most mail, phone calls, and email go through the combined Office of St. Joseph & St. Ambrose Parishes. The parish sends a weekly newsletter through Flocknote.

• Worship site: 10692 Freedom St., Garrettsville, OH 44231
• Parish office: 11045 St. Joseph Blvd., Mantua, OH 44255
• Phone: 330-274-2253
• Fax: 330-274-2254
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://stambroseonline.com
• Weekly newsletter via Flocknote (sign up through the parish office)

Diocese & Deanery

St. Ambrose is parish code 402 in the Portage Deanery of the Diocese of Youngstown. The deanery groups the parishes serving Portage County, including St. Ambrose, St. Joseph (Mantua), Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Aurora), St. Joan of Arc (Streetsboro), St. Patrick and the Newman Center (Kent), St. John Neumann (Mogadore/Rootstown), and Immaculate Conception (Ravenna).

• Diocese of Youngstown
• Deanery: Portage
• Parish Code: 402
• Parish Established: 1944
• Current Ordinary: Bishop David Bonnar