About St. Joan of Arc · Canton, Ohio
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, established in 1944, is one of two worship sites of Guardian Angels Parish in Canton, Ohio, a community formed on July 1, 2024 by the merger of St. Joan of Arc and St. Joseph parishes under the Diocese of Youngstown. Located at 4940 Tuscarawas Street West, the parish serves Catholics living between Canton and Massillon and continues a strong tradition of Catholic education through St. Joan of Arc School. The parish is known for its cruciform-styled church dedicated in 1964, its ongoing Food Cupboard and outreach ministries, weekly Tuesday Bingo, and a vibrant Religious Education and Youth Ministry program.
- Established
- 1944
- Patron
- St. Joan of Arc
- Rector
- Rev. Richard Pentello (Pro Tem Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Youngstown
Why belong here
Guardian Angels Parish welcomes all new members and offers the stability of a long-standing Catholic community with a 1944 heritage, a parish school, and the spiritual and material care of a merged parish serving west-side Canton. Members can worship at the beautiful cruciform St. Joan of Arc Church, send their children to St. Joan of Arc School (K–8), grow in faith through CCD, Youth Ministry, OCIA, and Vacation Bible School, and put their faith into action through the Food Cupboard, St. Joseph's Cupboard, homebound visits, the Prayer Chain, and seasonal Giving Tree and Guardian Angels Purse outreach.
Mass times at St. Joan of Arc
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 10:00–11:00 AM at St. Joan of Arc Church
- By appointment through the parish office at (330) 477-6796 or [email protected]
Adoration times
- Tuesday following the 8:15 AM Mass for one hour (St. Joan of Arc Church)
About Guardian Angels Parish
Guardian Angels Parish is the merged Catholic community formed on July 1, 2024, uniting St. Joseph Church (est. 1902) and St. Joan of Arc Church (est. 1944) in west-side Canton, Ohio. The parish takes its name from the shared theme of angelic visitation in each founding community — Joseph was visited by an unnamed angel in a dream, and St. Joan of Arc was visited by the Archangel Michael. Parish offices are located in the Parish Center at 166 Bordner Ave. SW, with office hours Monday–Friday 9 AM–4 PM, and the parish can be reached at (330) 477-6796 or [email protected].
- Diocese of Youngstown, Stark 2 Deanery
- Parish Code 511
- Pro Tem Administrator: Rev. Richard Pentello
- Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Benson Okpara, Ph.D.
- Pastor Emeritus of St. Joseph: Rev. Msgr. Frank Carfagna
History of St. Joan of Arc
St. Joan of Arc was formed in 1944 for Catholic families living between Canton and Massillon. Early Masses were celebrated by diocesan priests and the Precious Blood Fathers at Mount Marie Academy, a girls' school that later became part of Central Catholic High School. A combined church-and-school building opened September 3, 1952, with 272 students taught by the Ursuline Sisters of Youngstown. Just over a decade later the community broke ground on a new cruciform-styled church, which Bishop Emmet M. Walsh dedicated on May 3, 1964.
- 1944 — Parish established
- 1952 — Church/school building opens; Ursuline Sisters arrive (272 students)
- 1964 — Cruciform church dedicated May 3 by Bishop Emmet M. Walsh
- 1990s — Ursuline Sisters leave the school
- School joins the Stark County Catholic School System as K–8
- July 1, 2024 — Merger with St. Joseph Church creates Guardian Angels Parish
Religious Education & Youth
The parish Religious Education program partners with parents to form young Catholics who know and love Jesus Christ. Programming includes CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine), High School Religious Education (HSRE), First Communion and Confirmation preparation classes, a Youth Ministry for grades 8–12, Vacation Bible School for grades K–5 in the summer, and the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) for Children — for unbaptized children past the age of reason who wish to enter the Catholic Church.
- CCD & HSRE — contact (330) 454-2144 to enroll
- Youth Ministry (grades 8–12)
- Vacation Bible School (K–5, summer)
- OCIA for Children
- Religious Ed. Coordinator: Sarah Ress
- Religious Ed. Secretary: Patty Long
St. Joan of Arc School
St. Joan of Arc School is a K–8 Catholic elementary school and part of the Stark County Catholic School System. The school has served the parish community continuously since the original building opened in 1952 with the Ursuline Sisters, and it remains a vital part of parish life today, with Tuesday 8:15 AM Mass celebrated with the school each week.
- Address: 120 Bordner Ave. S.W., Canton, OH 44710
- Principal: Mr. Daniel Mitchell
- Phone: (330) 477-2972
- Fax: (330) 478-2606
- Email: [email protected]
Outreach & Charity
Guardian Angels Parish continues a strong tradition of serving the poor and vulnerable on Canton's west side. Parishioners operate a Food Cupboard out of St. Joan of Arc, a separate St. Joseph's Cupboard, a homebound visitation ministry, and a Prayer Chain. Seasonal outreach includes holiday food distributions, the Giving Tree, and the Guardian Angels Purse for those in need in the parish area.
- Food Cupboard (St. Joan of Arc)
- St. Joseph's Cupboard
- Ministry to the Homebound
- Prayer Chain
- Holiday food distributions
- Giving Tree
- Guardian Angels Purse
Parish Life & Fundraisers
Beyond the Mass schedule, Guardian Angels Parish is known for its lively community events. St. Joan of Arc BINGO runs every Tuesday night in St. Joan of Arc Hall — doors open at 4:30 PM, games begin at 6:00 PM, with a $1,100 jackpot when 150 are in attendance. The annual Parish Festival features Mass under the tent and a wide variety of raffle baskets, including Lottery Tree, Kid's Basket, Cash Board, Bourbon & Cigar Basket, Wine & Grab Bag, Gift Card Board, and Sports Events Tickets.
- St. Joan of Arc BINGO — Tuesdays, doors 4:30 PM, games 6:00 PM, $1,100 jackpot
- Parish Festival — Mass under the tent plus raffle baskets
- Festival Committee — accepting donations through May 6
- Volunteer opportunities for parishioners of either church
Staff & Contacts
The parish is staffed by diocesan clergy and a team of lay coordinators for liturgy, music, communications, religious education, and administration.
- Pro Tem Administrator: Rev. Richard Pentello
- Pastor Emeritus: Rev. Benson Okpara, Ph.D.
- Pastor Emeritus, St. Joseph: Rev. Msgr. Frank Carfagna
- Director of Liturgy: Mr. Rick Hull
- Music Director: Matthew Andreski
- Religious Ed. Coordinator: Sarah Ress
- Religious Ed. Secretary: Patty Long
- Communications Director: Marie Fehrenbach
- Bookkeeper: Cheryl Andrews
- Secretary: Julie Boylan
- School Principal: Mr. Daniel Mitchell
Visit, Register & Contact
New parishioners are warmly welcomed. The parish office is located in the Parish Center at St. Joan of Arc, 166 Bordner Ave. SW, Canton, OH 44710. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You may register in person during business hours or call the parish office for assistance. The Religious Education office can be reached separately at (330) 454-2144.
- Parish Center: 166 Bordner Ave. SW, Canton, OH 44710
- Phone: (330) 477-6796
- Email: [email protected]
- Religious Ed. Office: (330) 454-2144
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Website: https://gacanton.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Richard Pentello
Pro Tem Administrator of Guardian Angels Parish