About St. George · Lisbon, Ohio
St. George Parish is a small Catholic parish in the village of Lisbon, Columbiana County, Ohio, and is the third-oldest parish in the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. It is rooted in missionary work by Dominican friars who were ministering to Catholics in the Lisbon area as early as 1820, and the community worshipped in private homes for 65 years before its first church was built in 1885 and dedicated in 1894 by Cleveland Bishop Ignatius Horstmann. Today it shares its pastor and several programs with neighboring Columbiana County parishes (St. Paul in Salem, St. Philip Neri in Dungannon, and St. John the Evangelist in Summitville) and includes the historic St. Agatha Mission in West Point.
- Established
- 1820
- Patron
- St. George
- Rector
- Rev. Joseph Ruggieri
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Youngstown (Columbiana Deanery)
Why belong here
St. George offers small-parish warmth rooted in two centuries of Catholic presence in Lisbon — the third-oldest community in the Diocese of Youngstown. Parishioners enjoy a traditional Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m., weekday Masses on Tuesday and Friday, and a tight-knit family of ministries including a long-running Praise the Lord Prayer group, Men's Bible Study, a Knights of Columbus Council 4049 that hosts a monthly community breakfast, and outreach to Northern Columbiana County Catholic Charities. The parish shares youth ministry and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) with neighboring parishes, so visitors and newcomers can plug into faith formation easily.
Mass times at St. George
Weekly Mass schedule
Our History
St. George traces its Catholic roots to 1820, when Dominican missionaries traveling north from Cincinnati up the Ohio River were already ministering to scattered Catholic families in the Lisbon area. Anti-Catholic prejudice among the early Protestant settlers meant that for 65 years Mass was said only in private homes, the county jail, and other borrowed spaces. The community finally built its first church in 1885 for $2,500 with help from Catholics across the Diocese of Cleveland and even from local Protestants; it was dedicated in 1894 by Bishop Ignatius Horstmann. The mission became an official parish in 1919, took on St. Agatha Mission (West Point) in 1920, and built the present red-brick church at 271 W. Chestnut Street in 1937–1938 with a $40,000 donation from parishioner James Costello. The parish celebrated its 200th anniversary on October 3, 2021, when Bishop David Bonnar came to preside at Mass.
- Catholic presence in Lisbon: 1820
- Dominican missionary origins
- First church built: 1885 ($2,500)
- Church dedicated: 1894 by Bishop Ignatius Horstmann
- Parish formally established: 1919
- St. Agatha Mission attached: 1920
- Current red-brick church: 1937–1938 (James Costello gift, $40,000)
- 200th anniversary: October 3, 2021 with Bishop David Bonnar
Our Patron — St. George
St. George, the patron saint of England, was a Roman soldier who was martyred for refusing to renounce his Christian faith during the reign of Emperor Diocletian. The parish understands him as a powerful symbol of courage, faith, and the triumph of good over evil, and the parish's dedication to him reflects devotion to the attributes of selflessness and valor — virtues that defined the early, impoverished Catholic community of Lisbon. Saint George is celebrated liturgically each year on his feast day, April 23.
- Roman soldier and martyr (reign of Emperor Diocletian)
- Patron saint of England
- Feast day: April 23
- Symbols of courage, selflessness, and valor
Parish Office & Clergy
St. George Parish is served by Rev. Joseph Ruggieri, a diocesan priest who also serves as pastor of St. Paul Parish in Salem and St. Philip Neri Parish in Dungannon. The Columbiana County parishes share clergy and programs, and Rev. Robert Lanterman has been named Parochial Vicar of the Columbiana County Parishes with residence at St. George, Lisbon. The shared parish office is located at St. Paul Parish, 935 E. State Street, Salem, OH 44460, phone 330-332-0336.
- Pastor: Rev. Joseph Ruggieri
- Parochial Vicar of Columbiana County Parishes (resident at St. George): Rev. Robert Lanterman
- Parish Code: 307
- Deanery: Columbiana
Collaborating Parishes
For many years St. George has collaborated closely with St. John the Evangelist Parish in Summitville and St. Philip Neri Parish in Dungannon. In addition to sharing a pastor, the three parishes share youth ministry, OCIA, and other programs, allowing each small rural parish to sustain robust offerings.
- St. John the Evangelist, Summitville
- St. Philip Neri, Dungannon
- Shared pastor: Rev. Joseph Ruggieri
- Shared youth ministry and OCIA
St. Agatha Mission (West Point)
St. Agatha Mission in West Point has been part of St. George Parish since 1920 and continues to host Mass on Wednesday evenings at its own church building. The mission ensures that Catholics in the western part of the parish territory do not have to travel 15 or 20 miles or more to attend Mass.
- Mission status since 1920
- Wednesday evening Mass
- Located in West Point
Parish Ministries & Prayer
The parish maintains a small but active roster of ministries. The Praise the Lord Prayer group has been meeting for 50 years, and a Men's Bible Study was recently begun. Personal items and non-perishable food are collected year-round for Northern Columbiana County Catholic Charities, and a charitable cause is chosen for the holiday season each year.
- Praise the Lord Prayer group (50 years)
- Men's Bible Study
- Northern Columbiana County Catholic Charities (food and personal items drive)
- Annual holiday-season charitable cause
Youth & Faith Formation
Youth ministry and OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) are offered jointly with St. John the Evangelist in Summitville and St. Philip Neri in Dungannon. The parish youth group has fundraised — including through events such as a car wash held during the 200th anniversary celebration — to support attendance at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC).
- Shared youth ministry
- Shared OCIA (RCIA)
- NCYC (National Catholic Youth Conference) participation
Knights of Columbus & Community Outreach
Knights of Columbus Council 4049 initiated a monthly breakfast in the parish hall that is open to the wider Lisbon community. The parish is also a member of the Lisbon Ministerial Association, which holds monthly clergy meetings and co-sponsors an annual baccalaureate service for high school seniors, a pastors' day of renewal, a Thanksgiving service, a Martin Luther King Day service, and a National Day of Prayer observance. The pastor has historically been a member of the Lisbon Ministerial Group.
- Knights of Columbus Council 4049 — monthly community breakfast
- Lisbon Ministerial Association membership
- Annual baccalaureate for high school seniors
- Thanksgiving, MLK Day, and National Day of Prayer services
Festivities & Fundraisers
The parish came together in 2020 to celebrate its 200th anniversary, marked liturgically on October 3, 2021 with Bishop David Bonnar. The parish also gathers for Lenten learning experiences and a variety of fundraising activities for the parish and the broader community.
- 200th anniversary celebration (2020/2021)
- Lenten learning experiences
- Parish and community fundraisers
The Church Building & Community Use
The 1937–1938 red-brick church at 271 W. Chestnut Street is more than a place of worship — it is a civic resource. Over the decades it has served as an evacuation location for the local high school during fire drills and threats, an election polling place, a venue for village council and county commissioner meetings, a food bank location, and a banquet hall for community gatherings.
- Evacuation site for the local high school
- Election polling place
- Council and commissioner meeting venue
- Food bank and banquet hall
Contact & Visit
Worship takes place at 271 W. Chestnut Street, Lisbon, OH 44432. The parish office is shared with St. Paul Parish and is located at 935 E. State Street, Salem, OH 44460 (phone 330-332-0336). Parish email is [email protected] (parish code 307). Visitors are warmly welcomed.
- Worship: 271 W. Chestnut St., Lisbon, OH 44432
- Office: 935 E. State St., Salem, OH 44460
- Phone: 330-332-0336
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Steven Wassie2015–c.2024
Served multiple parishes in the area; led the parish into its 200th anniversary celebration in October 2021.
- Rev. Joseph Ruggieric.2024–present
Also pastor of St. Paul Parish (Salem) and St. Philip Neri Parish (Dungannon); priestly office shared at St. Paul, Salem.