About St. Ann · Sebring, Ohio
St. Ann Catholic Church is a small Catholic parish serving the village of Sebring, Ohio, in the Diocese of Youngstown. Established in 1908, it was the first Catholic mission in the Sebring community, with the faithful originally riding streetcars to Alliance for Sunday Mass. Today the parish continues its mission from its location at 323 S. 15th Street, collaborating with neighboring parishes in Alliance, Maximo, and Louisville on faith formation and shared events. The parish is known for its warm, small-community feel, its homemade pierogies and donuts, and a tradition of free community meals offered through the Sebring Association of Churches.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- Saint Ann (mother of the Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Matthew Humerickhouse (Canonical Pastor)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Youngstown (Stark 1 Deanery, Mahoning County, Parish Code 136)
Why belong here
St. Ann offers the kind of close, family-sized Catholic community that is increasingly rare — a place where parishioners know one another by name, collaborate across parish boundaries with neighboring Alliance and Maximo parishes, and gather over homemade donuts and pierogies. It runs a proud Religious Education program for children, offers First Friday Mass and Adoration, and carries forward a long Sebring tradition of feeding the community through the Sebring Association of Churches and other outreach. Worshiping here means joining a parish whose dedication to Saint Ann — and to one another — has endured for more than a century.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 12:00 PM at St. Joseph Church in Alliance (per parish Visit Us page)
Adoration times
- First Friday of the Month, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (following the 8:30 AM First Friday Mass)
Our History
Sebring's Catholic community began in 1908, when Catholics of the village had previously had to ride the streetcar to Alliance for Sunday Mass. Father Francis Hopp celebrated the very first Mass in the village on March 18, 1908 in the Knights of Pythias Hall. Bishop Farrell then sent Father George Schoenemann as the first resident pastor, who fitted up a former butcher shop on Seventeenth Street as the first Catholic church in Sebring. Father Thomas Hanrahan took charge in 1909, purchased the present lots (with eight donated through manufacturer F.A. Sebring), and rallied the tradesmen of the parish to lay the foundation; the cornerstone was laid by the Chancellor of the Cleveland Diocese, Reverend T. G. O'Reilly. The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on July 31, 1910.
Growth Through the Decades
Under Father Joseph A. Powers (1913–1934) the parish built the parish house that remains in use today. In the 1930s the parish even fielded a baseball team that won Tri-State championships. A bell tower was added during Father Victor Studer's tenure, and membership grew steadily. Father J. Ferris Petros (1944–1960) oversaw the construction of the present church, completed in 1960 — notably the first church in the diocese to have air conditioning.
Modern Era and Collaborations
In the 1960s the parish launched what became a decades-long summer festival that funded parish improvements, and built a pavilion to support it and other outdoor activities. The parish hall received renovations as recently as 2014. Today St. Ann Parish collaborates with Regina Coeli and St. Joseph parishes in Alliance, with St. Joseph Parish in Maximo, and with St. Isidore Parish in Louisville, sharing faith formation programs for children and adults along with various events and fundraisers.
Parish Staff
St. Ann is shepherded by Canonical Pastor Father Matthew (Matt) Humerickhouse, with Parochial Vicar Father Robert (Bob) England assisting as Minister. Diocesan Pastoral Associates Deacon Gregory (Greg) Wood and Mrs. Amy Benedetti-Dike support the parish's spiritual and administrative life, and Deacon Ralph Chase also serves the community. Donna Miller serves as Secretary and Safe Environment Contact; Ally Oyster is the Organist; Ellen serves as Bookkeeper. The Director of Religious Education is Becca Szekely, with Vicki Capretta leading Youth Ministry.
- Pastor: Rev. Matthew Humerickhouse
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Robert England
- Pastoral Associates: Deacon Greg Wood, Amy Benedetti-Dike
- Deacon: Ralph Chase
- Secretary / Safe Environment: Donna Miller
- Organist: Ally Oyster
- Bookkeeper: Ellen
- Director of Religious Education: Becca Szekely
- Youth Ministry Leader: Vicki Capretta
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Although a small parish, St. Ann is proud of its Religious Education program and always welcomes new students to its CCD and Youth Ministry programs. CCD classes are conducted collaboratively and held at Regina Coeli. Families complete a registration form, a permission-to-publish form, and a custody information form each catechetical year, and a family handbook is provided. The program supports preparation for First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion as well as ongoing youth ministry.
- CCD / Religious Education (held at Regina Coeli)
- Youth Ministry
- First Reconciliation / First Communion preparation (2nd grade)
- Family handbook and sacramental handbook available each year
- Registration, permission-to-publish, and custody forms required each year
Festivities, Food, and Fundraising
The parish has a long tradition of gathering around food. Parishioners make homemade donuts on the first Sunday of the month for the parish and neighboring churches, and the yearly Lenten pierogi sale is both a fundraiser and a community fellowship event. The decades-long parish festival (supported by an on-site pavilion) has funded many parish improvements over the years.
- Donuts and fellowship: first Sunday of the month, October through June
- Yearly Lenten pierogi sale
- Annual parish festival (with pavilion)
Outreach to the Sebring Community
St. Ann's special gift has been providing free community meals in collaboration with the Sebring Association of Churches. The parish offers these free meals to the community once a month, carrying on a Sebring tradition of service that mirrors the parish's stated desire to lead by example through faith.
- Free Community Meals — monthly, in partnership with the Sebring Association of Churches
Sacraments
Parishioners prepare for and receive the sacraments through St. Ann and its collaborating parishes. Parents seeking baptism should contact the parish office to begin preparation. First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion are prepared through the CCD program (with First Communion in second grade following a two-year preparation). Older children needing sacraments can be helped through the Children's RCIA. Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and adult RCIA are coordinated through the parish office.
- Baptism — begin preparation through the parish office
- First Reconciliation & First Communion (two-year prep, normally 2nd grade)
- Confirmation — shared with collaborating parishes
- Matrimony — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — by request, including home or hospital visits
- RCIA (adult) — shared with Regina Coeli, St. Joseph (Alliance and Maximo), and St. Isidore
Visit Us & Contact
St. Ann Church is located at 323 S. 15th Street, Sebring, OH 44672. The parish office can be reached at (330) 938-2033, with fax (330) 938-6544 and parish hall phone (330) 938-9678. Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM; the office is closed on Fridays. The parish email is [email protected]. The parish is affiliated with the Diocese of Youngstown (Parish Code 136, Stark 1 Deanery, Mahoning County).
- Address: 323 S. 15th Street, Sebring, OH 44672
- Phone: (330) 938-2033
- Fax: (330) 938-6544
- Parish Hall Phone: (330) 938-9678
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM (closed Friday)
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stannchurchsebring.org/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. James Farrellpre-1908
Pastor of St. Joseph in Alliance; came to Sebring for a non-Catholic mission held at the village town hall.
- Rev. Francis Hopp1908 (approx. 7 months)
Said the first Mass in Sebring on March 18, 1908 in the Knights of Pythias Hall.
- Rev. George Schoenemann1908–1909
First resident pastor; rented and equipped the former butcher shop on Seventeenth Street as Sebring's first Catholic church; resigned January 4, 1909 due to ill health.
- Rev. Anthony Deanpart of 1909
Served briefly between Schoenemann and Hanrahan.
- Rev. Thomas Hanrahan1909–1913
Purchased the lots, organized parish labor, dedicated the cornerstone; celebrated the first Mass in the new church July 31, 1910.
- Rev. Joseph A. Powers1913–1934
Long-tenured pastor; oversaw construction of the parish house still in use.
- Rev. Victor Studer1930s (c. 1930–1934)
Membership grew; remodeling completed; bell tower added to the church.
- Rev. J. Ferris Petros1944–1960
Oversaw major renovations and construction of the present church completed in 1960; died in 1960 — his funeral was the last Mass in the old wooden church.