About St. Jerome · Cleveland, Ohio
St. Jerome Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood, situated on Lake Shore Boulevard one block west of East 152nd Street and known affectionately as 'The Beacon on the Boulevard.' Established in 1919 by Cleveland Bishop John Farrelly and placed under the patronage of St. Jerome, the parish has served Northeast Cleveland for over a century and remains the spiritual home of an elementary school (St. Jerome School, founded in 1922) that is the last standing Catholic school in the Collinwood area. The parish is led today by Father Anthony J. Simone as pastor, with Deacon Peter Travalik and a small parish staff, and offers a full weekly Mass schedule, Saturday confessions, OCIA, and a number of active lay ministries including the Respect Life Ministry, Divine Mercy Prayer Ministry, and Holy Name Society.
- Established
- 1919
- Patron
- St. Jerome
- Rector
- Father Anthony J. Simone
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Jerome is a long-established, multigenerational Catholic parish where many parishioners were baptized, made their first Communion, and were confirmed in the same church. It still operates its own parish elementary school (St. Jerome School, founded 1922, with around 224 K–8 students), so families can live out their faith and their children's education under one parish roof. With daily and Sunday Masses, Saturday confessions, an active OCIA program, and lay ministries such as Respect Life, Divine Mercy Prayer, and the Holy Name Society, it offers the kind of close-knit, neighborly parish life that is increasingly rare in city parishes today.
Mass times at St. Jerome
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Parish History and the 'Beacon on the Boulevard'
St. Jerome Parish was founded in 1919 in North Collinwood when Cleveland Bishop John Farrelly appointed Father Leo Hammer to serve the area's 125 Catholic families. After the first Mass in a tent on October 6, 1919, parishioners weathered a storm that destroyed their temporary shelter and finished out the year worshipping in their unfinished wooden church, dedicated October 3, 1920. The parish then built an 11-room school (1922), a convent (1949), and the present church (dedicated May 11, 1952, renovated 1970). Over 100 years the parish has recorded nearly 8,900 baptisms and welcomed generations of Collinwood Catholics, earning it the nickname 'The Beacon on the Boulevard' that it used to mark its 2019 centennial.
- Founded 1919; first Mass October 6, 1919 in a tent on Lake Shore Blvd.
- First wooden church dedicated October 3, 1920 (120 × 48 ft, seated 600, $40,000)
- School built 1922; current church dedicated May 11, 1952
- 100th anniversary celebrated July 21, 2019 with Bishop Nelson Perez
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Father Anthony J. Simone (listed by the Diocese of Cleveland as Pastor; the parish website labels him Administrator), supported by Deacon Peter Travalik, who has been assigned to St. Jerome since 1993. Marguerite DiPenti serves as Director of Religious Education, Donna Ely as Accounting Manager, and Melissa Hollowood as Parish Secretary. The rectory office is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, and messages can be left at (216) 481-8200 or emailed to [email protected].
- Pastor / Administrator: Father Anthony J. Simone
- Deacon: Peter Travalik (assigned to St. Jerome since 1993)
- Director of Religious Education: Marguerite DiPenti
- Accounting Manager: Donna Ely
- Parish Secretary: Melissa Hollowood
Becoming Catholic (OCIA)
St. Jerome welcomes non-Catholic adults who feel drawn to the Catholic faith through its Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA). The parish describes it as 'a journey of faith, of love and fellowship' rather than a class, and invites inquiries through the rectory or directly from Father Anthony Simone.
- Contact: Fr. Anthony Simone, [email protected] or (216) 481-8200
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education for parish children is coordinated by Director of Religious Education Marguerite DiPenti and is closely tied to St. Jerome Catholic School, where Catholic faith and curriculum are taught side by side. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation flows through this parish-based program.
- Director of Religious Education: Marguerite DiPenti
- Programs for First Communion and Confirmation preparation
St. Jerome Catholic School
Founded in the 1922–23 school year, St. Jerome School is the parish's Pre-K through Grade 8 elementary school, sharing the 15000 Lake Shore Blvd. campus with the church. It is the last standing Catholic school in Cleveland's Collinwood neighborhood and now enrolls about 224 students with 35 certified teachers. The school proudly notes that essentially all of its graduates go on to Catholic high schools and that every employee and volunteer is screened through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The Ursuline sisters ministered at the school for nearly 100 years from a convent built on the grounds in 1949.
- Founded 1922–23 (100+ years of Catholic education in Collinwood)
- Approximately 224 K–8 students and 35 certified teachers (2024–25)
- Last remaining Catholic school in Collinwood
- Served by Ursuline sisters for nearly a century
Parish Ministries and Groups
Lay ministry is a defining feature of St. Jerome. The Holy Name Society — founded in 1931, the same year the society began in the Diocese of Cleveland — promotes devotion to the Holy Name of God, sponsors the parish picnic in June and the annual Clambake near the September 30 feast of St. Jerome, and meets on the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM. The Respect Life Ministry was started by Father Thomas Haren in 1994 and sends parishioners to the National Right to Life March in Washington each year, supporting BirthRight, Lake County Right to Life, and local families in need. The Divine Mercy Prayer Ministry coordinates the First Friday Chaplet and prayers for the sick, while other groups include the Altar and Rosary Society, Parish Council, Finance Council, and the parish choir.
- Holy Name Society (est. 1931) — meets 1st Thursday at 7:00 PM
- Respect Life Ministry (est. 1994) — meets 3rd Friday at 7:00 PM in Hammer Parish Center
- Divine Mercy Prayer Ministry — Chaplet after First Friday Mass
- Altar and Rosary Society
- Parish Council and Finance Council
- Parish Choir
Contact, Location and Visiting
St. Jerome is located at 15000 Lake Shore Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44110, one block west of East 152nd Street in the Collinwood neighborhood. The rectory office can be reached at (216) 481-8200 or [email protected], with office hours Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The parish streams Mass live on Facebook and accepts secure online donations through its website. Visitors are invited to attend weekday Mass, Saturday Vigil, or Sunday Mass and to introduce themselves to Father Simone or Deacon Travalik after liturgy.
- Address: 15000 Lake Shore Blvd, Cleveland, OH 44110
- Phone: (216) 481-8200
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue–Thu, 9:00 AM–2:00 PM
- Live-streamed Mass via parish Facebook page
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Leo Hammer1919–1970
Founding pastor; appointed by Bishop John Farrelly; built the first wooden church (1920) and the school (1922).
- Father William Koehl1970–1976
- Father Francis Walsh1976–1992
Later returned to live at St. Jerome as a retired priest; concelebrated the 2019 centennial Mass.
- Father Thomas Haren1992–2005
Founded the parish's Respect for Life group in 1994; later became pastor of St. Monica Parish, Garfield Heights.
- Father Anthony Cassese2005–2014
- Father William Jerse2015–
Pastored the parish's 100th anniversary in 2019; concelebrated the centennial Mass with Bishop Nelson Perez.
- Father Anthony J. Simone
Current pastor; serves on the parish staff and oversees OCIA.