About St. Edward · Parkman, Ohio
St. Edward Catholic Church is a parish in Parkman, Ohio, part of the combined SS. Edward & Lucy Parish in Geauga County within the Diocese of Cleveland. Established in 1928 as a mission and raised to parish status in 1929, St. Edward serves the rural Parkman community from its church at 16150 Center Street. The parish is twinned with St. Lucy in nearby Middlefield (founded 1958), and the two worship sites share a pastor, a parish council, and other resources. Today the parish is led by Father Jacob B. Bearer, the community's ninth pastor, supported by a deacon, a parish office coordinator, and a Director of Religious Education and Youth Minister.
- Established
- 1928
- Patron
- St. Edward
- Rector
- Rev. Jacob B. Bearer
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Edward offers the close-knit feel of a small rural parish with the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church. Families find a real community through the Generations of Faith intergenerational religious-education program, a youth ministry for grades 6–12, Vacation Bible School, and the parish's beloved annual August Chicken Dinner & Car Show — a tradition stretching all the way back to 1932. Daily and weekend Masses, weekly Eucharistic adoration, and a Wednesday-evening Bible Study led by Father Jacob give parishioners steady ways to grow in prayer and fellowship. If you are looking for a parish where you will know your pastor, your deacon, and your fellow parishioners by name, St. Edward in Parkman is exactly that kind of home.
Mass times at St. Edward
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00–4:45 PM at St. Edward in Parkman
Adoration times
- Monday 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM in the chapel at St. Edward
- Tuesday–Friday: chapel open at St. Edward after Mass for personal prayer
- Thursday 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM at St. Lucy
Parish History
St. Edward Parish was founded in 1928 when Frank Soltis Sr. and a small group of Catholic farmers — many of them Polish and Slovak families who had come from Cleveland — purchased an 87-year-old former Episcopal/Methodist church at auction for $1,075 and dedicated it on December 23, 1928 as the first Catholic church in Parkman. Before that, local Catholics had to drive to Warren for Mass. In the 1960s, Frank and Mary Soltis Sr. donated adjoining land for a larger church, and the new St. Edward celebrated its first Mass in 1964. The parish was later paired with St. Lucy in Middlefield (founded 1958) to form today's SS. Edward & Lucy Parish, which shares a pastor and a combined Parish Pastoral Council.
- 1928 — Mission established; original church dedicated December 23, 1928
- 1929 — Raised to parish status
- 1932 — First annual parish Chicken Dinner
- 1958 — St. Lucy in Middlefield established
- 1964 — New (current) St. Edward Church dedicated
- 2023 — Father Jacob B. Bearer installed as 9th pastor by Bishop Edward Malesic
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Father Jacob B. Bearer, who became administrator in January 2022 and was installed as the parish's ninth pastor by Bishop Edward Malesic on June 28, 2023. Father John Burkley, who preceded him, is Pastor Emeritus after retiring in July 2021. They are supported by Deacon Greg Frania, Parish Office Coordinator William Steigerwald, and Director of Religious Education and Youth Minister Cassie Steigerwald. The Finance Council is composed of Jon Blakely, Jim Duralia, Dave Fuhry, Tim Guy, Chris Nelson, and Dick Schill.
- Father Jacob B. Bearer — Pastor
- Father John Burkley — Pastor Emeritus (retired July 2021)
- Deacon Greg Frania
- William Steigerwald — Parish Office Coordinator
- Cassie Steigerwald — Director of Religious Education & Youth Minister
- Finance Council: Jon Blakely, Jim Duralia, Dave Fuhry, Tim Guy, Chris Nelson, Dick Schill
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education at SS. Edward & Lucy centers on Generations of Faith, an intergenerational parish program that brings together parents, children, and older parishioners for shared formation rather than separating kids into traditional weekly classes. The parish also prepares children for First Communion and Confirmation and runs a Vacation Bible School each summer.
- Generations of Faith (family/intergenerational faith formation)
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Vacation Bible School
- Contact: Cassie Steigerwald, DRE, (440) 548-3812
Youth Ministry
The Youth Ministry program at SS. Edward & Lucy invites young people in grades 6–12 into relationship with Jesus Christ. Youth Nights are normally held Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the youth room in the basement of St. Edward in Parkman, with snacks, games, prayer, community, and faith formation. Adult Core Team members, chaperones, prayer partners, and snack volunteers support the program.
- Grades 6–12
- Wednesday evenings 6:30–8:00 PM
- St. Edward youth room (basement), Parkman
- Volunteer roles: Core Team, Chaperones, Prayer Ministry, Snack Volunteers
Becoming Catholic (RCIA)
The parish welcomes those inquiring about the Catholic faith through its Becoming Catholic process, the local equivalent of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Inquiries can be directed to the parish office.
- Contact the parish office at (440) 548-3812
Liturgical Ministries
St. Edward offers a range of liturgical ministries that allow parishioners to participate actively in Mass, including altar serving. Training sessions are scheduled for new and returning altar servers.
- Altar Servers (training sessions scheduled by the office)
- First Communion and Confirmation ministries
- Contact the office for upcoming liturgical opportunities
Bible Study
Bible Study meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 PM in Rose Hall at St. Edward in Parkman. Father Jacob leads the group, and all are welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring a Bible.
- Wednesdays, 7:00 PM
- Rose Hall, St. Edward, Parkman
- Led by Father Jacob Bearer
Ministries of Service & Outreach
Through its ministries of service, the parish reaches out to neighbors in need — including food distribution through the St. Vincent de Paul Society, a Bereavement Ministry that supports grieving families, and special meal deliveries during Advent and Easter. Volunteers help prepare and package food and deliver meals to those who need them.
- St. Vincent de Paul food distribution
- Bereavement Ministry
- Advent and Easter meal deliveries
- Other parish volunteer opportunities listed on the ministries page
Annual Chicken Dinner & Car Show
Each August, the parish hosts its signature Chicken Dinner & Car Show, a tradition that began in 1932 and is the parish's largest fundraiser, helping to cover day-to-day operating expenses. The event features a classic-car and pickup-truck show, a Chinese auction, a large-prize raffle, kids' games, and a sit-down chicken dinner. The Chicken Dinner Committee meets on the second Thursday of each month to plan the event.
- Held annually in August at St. Edward, 16150 Center St., Parkman
- Chicken dinner: $15 adults / $7 children 10 and under
- Car show: classic cars and pickup trucks; $10 donation; 11 AM–6 PM
- Chinese auction with early bidding the day before
- Large Prize Raffle with $1,000 and $500 cash prizes plus local donations
- Chicken Dinner Committee meets the 2nd Thursday of each month
Parish Councils & Governance
SS. Edward & Lucy Parish is governed by a combined Parish Pastoral Council of 12 elected members who advise the pastor on spiritual growth, and a Finance Council that approves the parish budget and advises on financial matters. The two Geauga County worship sites share these councils and other resources.
- Parish Pastoral Council — 12 elected members
- Finance Council — Jon Blakely, Jim Duralia, Dave Fuhry, Tim Guy, Chris Nelson, Dick Schill
Visiting & Contact
St. Edward Church is located at 16150 Center Street in Parkman, Ohio. From the center of Parkman (Rt. 422 and Rt. 88), go 1/4 mile north on Rt. 88, turn left on Center Street, and the church is on the right. The parish office can be reached by phone at (440) 548-3812 or by email at [email protected]; the mailing address is P.O. Box 709, Parkman, OH 44080.
- St. Edward — 16150 Center St., Parkman, OH 44080
- Mailing — P.O. Box 709, Parkman, OH 44080-0709
- Phone — (440) 548-3812
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — www.ssedwardlucy.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. John BurkleyRetired July 2021
Pastor Emeritus; gave a detailed historical presentation on Parkman churches for the Parkman Historical Society.
- Rev. Jacob B. BearerAdministrator from January 2022; installed as 9th pastor on June 28, 2023
Ordained May 19, 2017 for the Diocese of Cleveland; previously served at St. Francis de Sales in Akron (Portage Lakes/New Franklin) and St. Columbkille in Parma. Installed as the ninth pastor of SS. Edward & Lucy Parish by Bishop Edward Malesic.