About St. Mary · Berea, Ohio
St. Mary Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Berea, Ohio (Cuyahoga County), established in 1852 and belonging to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. The parish serves the community from its church and rectory at 250 Kraft Street and is closely paired with St. Mary Catholic School (265 Baker Street), the parish's K–8 school. Worship is offered in English with a full weekend schedule and weekday Masses, complemented by a Reconciliation schedule, a Sacramental preparation program, and a wide network of parish ministries and outreach efforts such as the Summer Lunch Program, Womankind's Bottles for Babies, and a Junk in Your Trunk fundraiser.
- Established
- 1865
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name: St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. John P. Singler
- Diocese
- Catholic Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Mary is a long-established (since 1865) English-language Catholic parish in Berea with a complete weekly worship schedule — four Sunday Masses plus Saturday Vigil and weekday Masses — and the regular convenience of Saturday Reconciliation. The parish actively supports Catholic education through its parish school (St. Mary Catholic School on Baker Street) and reaches outward through seasonal charity drives such as the Summer Lunch Program (300 breakfast and lunch brown bag meals), the Bottles for Babies campaign supporting Womankind Prenatal & Maternal Care Center, and a Junk in Your Trunk fundraiser. A published Parish Ministry Directory makes it easy for newcomers to find a group, and the parish community explicitly identifies itself as a faith community that evangelizes, shows compassion, gives generously, and works for social justice.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
About St. Mary Parish, Berea
St. Mary Parish is an English-language Roman Catholic parish in Berea, Ohio, established in 1865 within the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland and rooted in the area's Catholic life since the early 1850s. The parish worships from its church at 250 Kraft Street and supports a parish school at 265 Baker Street. Its mission statement identifies the community as a faith that prays together, follows Christ, evangelizes, shows compassion, gives generously of time and resources, provides religious education, and works for social justice — invoking Blessed Mother Teresa as the parish family's patroness of prayer.
- Parish church & rectory: 250 Kraft Street, Berea, OH 44017
- Parish school: 265 Baker Street, Berea, OH 44017
- Diocese: Catholic Diocese of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County Suburban — West region)
- Est. 1852 (institutional); formally erected as a parish in 1865
History of the Parish and School
The parish traces back to the French-born mission priest Fr. Louis J. Filiere, who opened a school on School Street as early as 1860 and became St. Mary's first resident pastor when the parish was formally erected in 1865. The school closed briefly for lack of funds, then reopened — first under seminarian Edward A. Dolan, then lay teachers, then the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary (1876 and again from 1885). In 1915 the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rocky River took over, commuting from Cleveland until a convent was established on Front Street and later moved to Kraft Street (sold 1981). Fr. John T. Carroll built a frame schoolhouse on Front Street in 1884; Fr. William H. Moseley replaced it with a new school in 1925–26; and later pastors added classrooms in 1949 and 1955 (the latter including a 500-seat auditorium). The school eventually moved to its present Baker Street campus when Fr. John Garrity bought the former Robert Lechner Elementary School for $500,000 at auction.
- 1860 — Fr. Filiere opens school on School Street
- 1865 — St. Mary formally erected as a parish
- 1873 — Panic; loss of ~100 Polish families to new St. Adalbert parish
- 1876 — Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary first staff the school
- 1884 — Fr. Carroll builds the frame schoolhouse on Front Street
- 1910 — Fr. Lillis becomes pastor; St. Patrick's Day plays fundraise for the school
- 1915 — Sisters of St. Joseph of Rocky River assume staffing
- 1924 — Fr. Moseley becomes pastor
- 1925–26 — New school built ($58,000) after summer strike
- 1947 — Cana Club organized to support the school
- 1949 — Five new classrooms added ($50,000 campaign)
- 1955 — Eight classrooms and 500-seat auditorium added ($200,000); old frame school torn down
- 1990s — Fr. Garrity purchases former Lechner Elementary School at 265 Baker Street for $500,000
Clergy, School Staff & Parish Office
The parish is currently shepherded by Rev. John P. Singler as Pastor. He is assisted by Deacon Thomas A. ('Tom') Cully (In Residence / deacon) and Rev. Robert J. Cole (In Residence). Fr. Singler's first assignment after ordination was as a parochial vicar at St. Thomas More Parish in Brooklyn, and he later presented the chalice and paten blessed at Fr. Michael Feldtz's 2022 installation there. The parish school publishes a staff directory listing the pastor, principal Mrs. De Core, faculty, and administrative contacts, with Mrs. De Core, Principal, and Fr. Singler jointly signing school communications.
- Pastor: Rev. John P. Singler
- Deacon (In Residence): Rev. Mr. Thomas A. Cully
- Priest (In Residence): Rev. Robert J. Cole
- Principal: Mrs. De Core (St. Mary Catholic School)
- Parish office phone: (440) 243-3877; fax (440) 891-9417
- Email: [email protected] (parish); pastor also reachable via the school staff page
Faith Formation, School & Sacramental Preparation
Faith formation at St. Mary is centered on St. Mary Catholic School (K–8), which serves both parish and area families at 265 Baker Street. The school supports sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation, Reconciliation) and historically sends more than two-thirds of its graduates on to Catholic high schools; an Annual Scholarship Fund and the Tree of Life Memorial program help families afford Catholic secondary education. Religious education for parish children not enrolled in the school is provided through the parish's faith formation program. Parishioners are kept current on weekly Scripture reflections on the parish home page, which walks through the day's First Reading, Second Reading, and Gospel.
- St. Mary Catholic School (K–8) at 265 Baker Street
- Annual Scholarship Fund for graduates continuing to Catholic high school
- Tree of Life Memorial sculpture in the school lobby — bronze leaves and stones
- Sacramental prep: First Communion, Confirmation, Reconciliation
- Parish Religious Education (PSR) for school-age children
- Weekly Living the Word Scripture reflections on the parish website
Parish Ministries, Outreach & Events
The parish publishes a Parish Ministry Directory that catalogs every group and volunteer opportunity in the community, and it regularly highlights a 'Faith in Motion' ministry fair. Outreach is a major emphasis: the Summer Lunch Program assembles 300 breakfast and lunch brown-bag meals; the Bottles for Babies campaign supports Womankind Prenatal & Maternal Care Center; and the Junk in Your Trunk Sale raises funds on parish grounds. The parish also runs an E-Giving (electronic giving) program and maintains a parish calendar / bulletin for ongoing events.
- Parish Ministry Directory (published full listing)
- Faith in Motion ministry fair
- Summer Lunch Program (300 brown-bag meals)
- Bottles for Babies — Womankind Prenatal & Maternal Care Center
- Junk in Your Trunk Sale
- St. Mary E-Giving program
- St. Mary School Alumni Association ('Rooted in Faith, Connected for Life')
- Cana Club (founded 1947; historic fundraising role)
Giving, Registration & Getting Involved
New parishioners can register by completing the Parish Registration Form and returning it to the Parish Office at the Rectory (250 Kraft Street). Electronic giving is available through the parish's E-Giving program, and the parish bulletin (linked from the home page) publishes current Mass intentions, the weekly Scripture reflection, and announcements. The published Parish Ministry Directory is the parish's main on-ramp for getting involved — whether in liturgy, faith formation, outreach, or social events.
- Parish Registration Form (rectory mail or in-person at 250 Kraft Street)
- E-Giving: online electronic giving program
- Weekly bulletin with Mass intentions and announcements
- Parish Ministry Directory for volunteer sign-ups
- Faith in Motion ministry fair
Visiting & Contact
St. Mary's church and rectory are located at 250 Kraft Street in Berea, OH 44017, with the parish school one block north at 265 Baker Street. The parish office can be reached at (440) 243-3877 (fax 440-891-9417) or by email at [email protected]. The parish website, stmaryberea.org, hosts the weekly bulletin, Mass intention schedule, Scripture reflections, ministry directory, and announcements for events such as the Junk in Your Trunk Sale.
- Address: 250 Kraft Street, Berea, OH 44017
- Phone: (440) 243-3877 — Fax: (440) 891-9417
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmaryberea.org
- School: 265 Baker Street, Berea, OH 44017 — (440) 243-4555
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Louis J. Filierec. 1860 (mission pastor); first resident pastor after 1865
French-born; opened the original school on School Street in 1860 and was the first resident pastor when the parish was formally erected in 1865.
- Fr. Hannansucceeded Fr. Filiere
Placed the Sisters of the Holy Humility of Mary in charge of the school during a period that included the panic of 1873.
- Fr. John T. Carrollfrom 1879
Returned the school to lay teachers; purchased Front Street property and built a frame schoolhouse in 1884.
- Fr. John L. Lillisfrom 1910
Organized St. Patrick's Day plays to keep the school in existence during tight years.
- Fr. William H. Moseleyfrom 1924
Broke ground on a new school in December 1925; the building opened that fall at a cost of $58,000.
- Fr. Kathe1950s (when parish had 650 families)
Oversaw the 1955 addition of eight classrooms and a 500-seat auditorium ($200,000).
- Fr. John Garrity
Purchased the former Robert Lechner Elementary School at 265 Baker Street for $500,000 to become the school's new home; sold the Front Street school for $400,000.
- Rev. John P. Singlercurrent pastor
Listed as Pastor by the Diocese of Cleveland and on the parish and school websites; previously served as first assignment parochial vicar at St. Thomas More.