About St. Gabriel · Minerva, Ohio
St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church is a Roman Latin-rite parish in Minerva, Ohio, in the Diocese of Steubenville. It is formally twinned with neighboring St. Francis Xavier Church in Malvern, sharing one pastor, one parish office, one bulletin, and weekend Mass coverage between the two small Carroll County communities. The parish traces its origin to a mission church established in April 1950 and grew steadily into a parish of more than 340 families, dedicated a new worship space in 1986, and continues today as a family-sized congregation served by Fr. Victor Cinson.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. Gabriel the Archangel
- Rector
- Fr. Victor Cinson (also pastor of St. Francis Xavier, Malvern)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Steubenville
Why belong here
St. Gabriel offers a close-knit, family-sized Catholic community in Minerva with a clear weekly rhythm of Mass, confession, Bible study, and parish fellowship. Worship is supported by a Parish School of Religion (PSR/CCD), an active Catholic Women's Club, senior luncheons, and a Lenten program of Stations of the Cross and communal penance, all centered on a church dedicated in 1986 and connected to the rectory and outdoor Stations of the Cross through the 1998 Rachel Elizabeth Annex. Membership supports the parish's outreach — including its Memorial to the Unborn, SCRIP gift-card fundraiser, and community partnerships like the Minerva Area Churches Family Fun Day — and helps sustain a pastor who has served both St. Gabriel and St. Francis Xavier for two decades.
Mass times at St. Gabriel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:00–2:45 PM at St. Gabriel
- Saturday 4:30–4:55 PM at St. Francis Xavier, Malvern
- Other times by request
History of St. Gabriel Parish
St. Gabriel the Archangel was established in 1950 as the first Catholic church in Minerva, Ohio, fulfilling a dream that local Catholics had pursued since at least 1924. The parish grew from a borrowed basement storeroom into a congregation of more than 340 families, dedicated a new church in 1986, and today shares its pastor with St. Francis Xavier in Malvern.
- January 11, 1924 — Thomas J. McCullough writes to Bishop J.J. Hartley of Columbus requesting a mission in Minerva
- 1931 — Extension Society allocates $100 and four religion books, but no building funds arrive
- April 16, 1950 — First Mass offered in Jake Shiffman's basement storeroom
- April 19, 1950 — Declared an independent parish; Fr. Joseph Malara named administrator
- June 7, 1951 — Ground broken for the combination church-hall
- Christmas 1951 — First Midnight Mass in the new building
- May 24, 1952 — Formal dedication of the church-hall
- June 20, 1952 — Fr. William Young becomes first resident pastor
- December 1958 — Permanent rectory dedicated
- June 22, 1986 — New church dedicated under Bishop Ottenweller
- 1998 — Rachel Elizabeth Annex built
- July 1, 2004 — Fr. Victor Cinson named pastor
- 2018 — Groundbreaking for the new $1.4 million joint Catholic Hall
- May 14, 2024 — Fr. Cinson celebrates 50 years of priesthood
Buildings, Campus and Memorials
The St. Gabriel campus occupies the south side of the block between West Liberty Street and Grant Boulevard in Minerva. The present church was built new in 1986 and is connected by an enclosed walkway to the rectory through the 1998 Rachel Elizabeth Annex, which houses two classrooms, a small kitchen, a meeting room, and an outdoor garden with an altar and Stations of the Cross. The parish also maintains a Memorial to the Unborn on its grounds. In 2018 the linked parishes broke ground on a $1.4 million, 8,300-square-foot Catholic Hall seating 350, used for both parish and community events.
- Current church — dedicated June 22, 1986
- Rachel Elizabeth Annex — 1998; classrooms, kitchen, outdoor Stations of the Cross
- Memorial to the Unborn — burial and prayer site of Rachel Elizabeth
- Joint Catholic Hall — broke ground August 4, 2018; ~$1.4 million; 8,300 sq ft; 350 seats
- Hall Rentals — available for community use; discounts for registered/active parishioners
Clergy and Pastoral Staff
St. Gabriel and St. Francis Xavier are served by a single pastor, Fr. Victor Cinson, who has led both parishes since July 1, 2004. A native of Malvern ordained in 1974, Fr. Cinson previously served as pastor of Our Lady of Mercy (Lowell) and St. Henry (Harriettsville) and as Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Steubenville, and in 2024 celebrated his 50th jubilee of ordination.
- Fr. Victor Cinson — Pastor (since July 1, 2004)
- Parish Office — P.O. Box 275, Minerva, OH 44657
- Office hours — 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Thursday
Faith Formation and Religious Education
The Parish School of Religion (PSR) is the parish's catechetical program for children, with weekly classes for grades 1–5 and a separate 6th–8th grade 'Crossings' track. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation runs through PSR, supported by the parish's 'Safe Environment' training and parent permission forms published on the parish website.
- PSR Grades 1–5 — weekly classes in the school/Annex
- Crossings (Grades 6–8) — middle-school faith formation
- Confirmation preparation
- First Communion preparation
- Safe Environment training and Direct Contact with Minors forms
- Vacation Bible School — summer program
Bible Study and Adult Faith
Bible Study is offered twice weekly in the Rachel Elizabeth Annex rooms at St. Gabriel. The Tuesday morning session follows the 9:00 AM Mass and Rosary and runs from 10:00 AM to noon; the Thursday evening session runs from 7:00 to 8:30 PM. During Lent the Thursday study has focused on the Letter to the Hebrews and the Pentateuch.
- Tuesday Bible Study — 10:00 AM – 12:00 noon
- Thursday Bible Study — 7:00 – 8:30 PM
- Rosary — after the 9:00 AM Tuesday Mass
Parish Organizations and Fellowship
Parish life at St. Gabriel centers on family-sized groups and intergenerational gatherings. The Catholic Women's Club (CWC) hosts regular meetings and events, monthly Senior Luncheons draw members of both parishes into the Annex meeting room, and the parish participates in community-wide outreach like the Minerva Area Churches Family Fun Day at Brock Park.
- Catholic Women's Club (CWC), St. Gabriel chapter
- Senior Luncheons — monthly, Wednesdays at noon
- Family Fun Day — community outreach with other Minerva churches
- SCRIP Gift Card fundraiser — order forms in the church narthex
- Hall Rentals fundraiser
Lent, Advent and Seasonal Devotions
St. Gabriel observes the traditional seasons of the liturgical year with the surrounding parishes. Lent is marked by Stations of the Cross on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM (alternating between St. Gabriel and St. Francis Xavier) and by a Communal Penance Service for all area Catholic parishes. Ash Wednesday Masses are offered at both St. Gabriel and St. Francis.
- Stations of the Cross — Wednesdays of Lent, 7:00 PM
- Communal Penance Service — Tuesday evening during Advent and Lent
- Ash Wednesday Mass — 7:00 PM at St. Gabriel
- Living Stations of the Cross — youth-led Lenten prayer
Outreach and Community Life
St. Gabriel's outreach centers on the Memorial to the Unborn (in memory of Rachel Elizabeth), ongoing SCRIP gift-card sales that return a percentage to the parish, hall rentals that keep the parish hall a center for community life, and joint ministry with St. Francis Xavier Malvern — including the 2018 groundbreaking for their shared Catholic Hall. The parish also partners with the Minerva Area Churches for Family Fun Day at Brock Park.
- Memorial to the Unborn — prayer garden and burial site
- SCRIP Gift Cards — weekly ordering; percentage returned to parish
- Hall Rentals — community events welcome
- Minerva Area Churches Family Fun Day — annual community event
- Joint Catholic Hall with St. Francis Xavier (2018–)
Getting Involved and Contact
Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to call or visit the parish office during its published hours. The website lists weekly bulletins, a current minister schedule for lectors and other lay liturgical ministers, and event pages that include CWC, Bible Study, Senior Luncheons, and SCRIP ordering information.
- Parish Office — (330) 868-4498
- Email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Monday–Thursday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Mailing address — P.O. Box 275, Minerva, OH 44657
- Website — stgabriel-stfrancis.org
- Minister Schedule page — lectors, Eucharistic ministers, servers
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph Malara1950 (administrator); pastor through 1952
First administrator appointed when the mission became an independent parish on April 19, 1950.
- Fr. William Young1952–
First resident pastor of St. Gabriel Parish; oversaw basement hall and permanent rectory dedicated December 1958.
- Fr. Litts
Listed in the parish's succession of pastors.
- Fr. Gardner
Listed in the parish's succession of pastors.
- Fr. Tornes
Listed in the parish's succession of pastors.
- Fr. Connelly
Listed in the parish's succession of pastors.
- Fr. Krauter
Listed in the parish's succession of pastors.
- Fr. Battocletti
Under his administration the parish grew to more than 280 families.
- Fr. Thomas Marut1993 – July 2000
Led the parish through the 1990s growth; transferred to Our Lady of Mercy, Carrollton, in 2000.
- Msgr. J. Michael Campbell2000 – February 17, 2004
Also pastor of St. Francis Xavier Malvern and Episcopal Vicar for Religious in the diocese. Transferred to St. Mary, Marietta.
- Fr. Timothy J. HuffmanFebruary 2004 – June 2004
Served as Administrator Pro Tem between Msgr. Campbell's transfer and Fr. Cinson's appointment.
- Fr. Victor CinsonJuly 1, 2004 – present
Current pastor; ordained May 14, 1974; celebrated his 50th jubilee of ordination in May 2024.