About St. Columba · Youngstown, Ohio
St. Columba Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, and serves as the spiritual and ceremonial center for the six-county diocese covering Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, and Trumbull counties. The parish was organized in 1847 and was designated the cathedral of the newly created Diocese of Youngstown on May 15, 1943 by Pope Pius XII. The present Romanesque-influenced Mid-Century Modern cathedral, designed by the Detroit firm Diehl and Diehl and built by Charles Shutrump and Sons of Youngstown, opened in 1958 after a 1954 lightning-sparked fire destroyed the previous Gothic church. As of January 1, 2025 the parish merged with St. Edward and Holy Apostles parishes to form the present Saint Columba Cathedral Parish, which still goes by the cathedral's historic name.
- Established
- 1847
- Patron
- Saint Columba (Colmcille, 521–597 AD), Irish abbot and missionary who founded Iona Abbey in Scotland
- Rector
- Very Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Siffrin, V.F., J.C.L. (Rector)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
As the mother church of the Diocese of Youngstown, St. Columba Cathedral is a place of prayer, pilgrimage, and diocesan-wide celebration — from the annual Chrism Mass and priestly ordinations to a concert series and the Solemnity of St. Columba on June 9. The parish offers daily 12:10 p.m. Mass Monday through Friday and a full Sunday schedule, a robust Music Ministry under Diocesan Director of Music Ralph Holtzhauser, religious education and sacramental preparation (including RCIA) under Ursuline Sister Martha Reed, and active outreach such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and a Wednesday food pantry. Visitors are drawn especially by the soaring Mid-Century Modern sanctuary, the towering campanile, the 1,500-square-foot Immaculate Conception mosaic by Michael Dmytrenko, and the recently restored sanctuary featuring a new cathedra bearing Bishop David Bonnar's coat of arms.
Mass times at St. Columba
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday: 1:00–1:30 p.m.
- Thursday: 1:00–1:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:15–9:45 a.m.
History of St. Columba Cathedral
St. Columba Parish was organized in 1847, the first Catholic parish in what would become the City of Youngstown. Over nearly two centuries it has worshipped in four successive church buildings on the city's North Side, the most recent opened in 1958 after a 1954 fire destroyed the previous Gothic cathedral. Designated the cathedral when the Diocese of Youngstown was created on May 15, 1943, it remains the mother church of the diocese.
- 1847 — St. Columba community established; Mass first celebrated in the Woods family home by a priest from Dungannon
- 1853 — First wood-frame church built
- 1868 — Second church built (housed the first church bell in Youngstown)
- 1897–1903 — Third church built in Gothic style; consecrated by Bishop Ignatius Horstmann in 1903; copper-covered spires added 1927; Ursuline Sisters' convent added 1903
- 1943 — St. Columba designated cathedral of the new Diocese of Youngstown under Bishop James A. McFadden
- 1952 — New school opened to the rear of the cathedral
- September 2, 1954 — Lightning-sparked fire destroyed the cathedral; St. Patrick Church serves as Pro-Cathedral during reconstruction
- November 9, 1958 — Present cathedral completed (Diehl & Diehl, architects; Charles Shutrump & Sons, builder)
- April 12, 1959 — Cathedral dedicated by Bishop Emmet M. Walsh
- 1964 — First English-language Mass celebrated in the cathedral during Vatican II
- 2023–2024 — Major sanctuary renovation: new cathedra (with Bishop Bonnar's coat of arms), cantor stand, cleaned and restored mosaic
- January 1, 2025 — Parish merged with St. Edward and Holy Apostles parishes to form Saint Columba Cathedral Parish
Architecture & Sacred Art
Designed by Diehl and Diehl Architects of Detroit and built by Charles Shutrump and Sons Company of Youngstown, the present cathedral is a distinguished example of Late Mid-Century Modern style, described at its dedication as 'Romanesque in nature.' Its soaring vertical lines and 132-foot campanile are matched inside by a monumental glass mosaic of the Immaculate Conception, jewel-toned stained glass, a Sacred Heart Chapel, and aluminum and bronze Stations of the Cross.
- Style: Late Mid-Century Modern (Romanesque in nature at dedication)
- Architects: Diehl and Diehl, Detroit, Michigan
- Builder: Charles Shutrump and Sons Company, Youngstown, Ohio
- Bell tower (campanile): 132 feet above street level
- Original cost: more than $3 million (≈$31 million today)
- Mosaic: ~25 ft wide × 60 ft tall, ~1,500 sq ft, ~600 pieces per sq ft, ~300 shades of glass tile
- Mosaic designer: Michael Dmytrenko (Ukrainian artist)
- Mosaic installer: Andrew Maglia Studios, Florence, Italy
- St. Columba entrance statue: 11 feet tall, Mankato stone, by Joseph M. DiLauro of Detroit
- St. Columba Window: 49 openings with medallions and shields above the choir gallery
- Stations of the Cross: aluminum and bronze
- Sacred Heart Chapel
Our Staff
The cathedral and merged parish are led by a team of clergy, religious, deacons, and lay staff serving the pastoral, liturgical, educational, and administrative needs of the community.
- Very Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Siffrin, V.F., J.C.L. — Rector; Diocesan Vicar; ordained 1979
- Rev. John T. Rovnak — Parochial Vicar; ordained June 17, 2023 by Bishop David Bonnar
- Rev. Msgr. Peter Polando, J.C.L. — In Residence
- Rev. John Madden — Pastor (St. Edward worship site)
- Deacon William Bancroft — Permanent Deacon; Permanent Diaconate Director; Director of Safety Services
- Deacon Tony Falasca Jr. — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Mark Izzo — Permanent Deacon
- Deacon Sylvester Frazzini III — Permanent Deacon
- Sr. Martha Reed, O.S.U. — Pastoral Minister / Director of Religious Education
- Sr. Regina Rogers, O.S.U. — Pastoral Associate
- Ralph Holtzhauser — Music Director / Diocesan Director of Music
- Karen Thomas — Office Manager / Parish Secretary
Parish Ministries & Outreach
Saint Columba Cathedral Parish continues a strong tradition of service to central Youngstown and beyond, with particular emphasis on care for the poor, the homebound, and the unchurched. A robust Music Ministry enhances cathedral and diocesan liturgies, while the Society of St. Vincent de Paul runs a food pantry and kitchen service.
- Music Ministry and Choir (Diocesan Director of Music Ralph Holtzhauser)
- Society of St. Vincent de Paul — food pantry (Wednesdays), kitchen service at Broadway Community Center
- Care Chain — parishioner support and assistance ministry
- Pastoral outreach to homebound and hospitalized
- Faith Formation and Religious Education (Sr. Martha Reed, O.S.U.)
- RCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation
- Altar Servers, Ushers, Children's Liturgy of the Word Leaders, Catechists
Sacraments
The parish prepares the faithful for and administers all seven sacraments. Schedules, registration, and preparation details are available through the parish office.
- Baptism — arrangements at least four weeks in advance with baptismal preparation program
- Confirmation — celebrated in the spring with eighth-grade students
- Eucharist (First Communion) — parish religious education program
- Reconciliation — see schedule; communal celebrations in Advent and Lent
- Anointing of the Sick — communal in spring and autumn; individual upon request
- Marriage — arrangements at least six months in advance with Monsignor Siffrin
- Holy Orders / Religious Life — discernment conversations welcome
Diocese of Youngstown
The Diocese of Youngstown was canonically erected on June 4, 1943 (announced by Pope Pius XII on May 15, 1943) from territory taken from the Diocese of Cleveland. It covers six counties — Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, and Trumbull — and is led by Bishop David Bonnar. The mother church of the diocese is St. Columba Cathedral.
- Established: May 15, 1943 by Pope Pius XII; canonically erected June 4, 1943
- First Bishop: James A. McFadden (1943–1952)
- Successor: Emmet M. Walsh (1952 onward; oversaw the new cathedral's construction)
- Current Bishop: David Bonnar
- Coverage: 3,404 square miles; six counties
- Diocesan website: https://doy.org
Cathedral as Diocesan Center
Beyond its parish life, St. Columba Cathedral functions as the ceremonial and spiritual center of the Diocese of Youngstown, hosting ordinations, the annual Chrism Mass, and a concert series. It is also the seat of the Bishop's cathedra.
- Annual Chrism Mass
- Priestly ordinations (e.g., Father John T. Rovnak was ordained here June 17, 2023)
- Concert series and diocesan-wide liturgies
- Cathedra of the Bishop of Youngstown (current cathedra bears Bishop Bonnar's coat of arms)
- Solemnity of St. Columba (June 9) — celebrated as a Solemnity in the Diocese of Youngstown
Visiting the Cathedral
The cathedral is centrally located on Youngstown's North Side and welcomes visitors to its public Masses and to view its sanctuary. The 2023–2024 renovation made the sacred art more accessible than ever.
- Address: 159 W. Rayen Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44503
- Mailing/Parish Office: 144 W. Wood St., Youngstown, OH 44503
- Phone: 330-744-5233
- Email: [email protected]
- Must-see features: Immaculate Conception mosaic (Dmytrenko), St. Columba Window, 11-ft Mankato-stone statue of St. Columba, Sacred Heart Chapel, Stations of the Cross, 132-ft campanile
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Very Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Siffrin, V.F.appointed rector 1996–present
Appointed Rector/Vicar General by Bishop Thomas Tobin in 1996; previously Director of Planning and Chancellor/Vicar for Clergy for the Diocese of Youngstown; ordained June 23, 1979 by Bishop James W. Malone; born in Massillon, Ohio.
