About St. Mary · Chardon, Ohio
St. Mary Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Chardon, Ohio, the county seat of Geauga County, and a member of the Diocese of Cleveland. The parish serves roughly 2,600 registered families (about 9,000 individuals) drawn from Chardon and the surrounding communities of Chardon Township, Hambden, Claridon, and Munson in north-central Geauga and parts of Lake County. The church stands at 401 North Street, three blocks north of the Chardon Square, and is closely paired with St. Mary School, an elementary school serving preschool through eighth grade. Together with St. Patrick Parish in Thompson, it is pastored by Father Scott Goodfellow.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Scott D. Goodfellow (Pastor of St. Mary and St. Patrick parishes; installed December 11, 2022)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Mary is a large, multigenerational parish with a robust K-8 Catholic school, an extensive sacramental life and a remarkable range of lay ministries — more than 100 according to its longtime pastor. Worshippers find a strong devotional rhythm with daily Mass, Saturday confessions, Wednesday Eucharistic Adoration from noon to 7 p.m. with Benediction, monthly Fatima Holy Hours, Stations of the Cross in Lent, and a yearly Mass with Anointing of the Sick. Eastern European and Latin traditions sit alongside contemporary programs for families, youth (Life Teen), the school community and adaptive-needs families, all under one connected roof so the parish gathers comfortably year-round in northeast Ohio.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM
- Last Wednesday of the month 6:00–7:00 PM (during Adoration)
Adoration times
- Wednesdays 12:30–7:00 PM, beginning with 12:00 noon Mass and closing with Benediction around 6:50 PM
- Fatima Holy Hour: First Wednesday of the month, 6:00–7:00 PM
Parish History
St. Mary's story begins with Katherine Nulty, an Irish housemaid of about seventy who worked for the William Edwards family and in 1907 began petitioning the Cleveland bishop for a Catholic church in Chardon. The first Mass of what would become the parish was celebrated that year by Rev. Julius Kitter, and the church was dedicated on September 11, 1910 by Bishop John Patrick Farrelly — an event that drew an estimated 3,000 people, 20 priests and 40 nuns by chartered train and streetcar from Cleveland. Over the next century the parish grew from 18 Catholic families to roughly 2,600 families (about 9,000 individuals), built and moved churches, opened a school, weathered two world wars and a depression, and became a fixture of Geauga County civic life.
- 1907 — Founding Mass celebrated by Rev. Julius Kitter, sparked by Katherine Nulty's petition.
- September 11, 1910 — Original church dedicated by Bishop John Patrick Farrelly.
- 1932 — Church lifted and moved to its current North Street site; expanded to seat 200 under Rev. Michael L. Stevenson.
- 1949 — Pastor Rev. James Maher sets goal of school and new church for 50th anniversary.
- 1961 — St. Mary School opens under the Notre Dame Sisters with 177 students.
- 1962 — New church seating 540 opens.
- 1992 — Rev. Thomas Gilles begins his pastorate; expands ministries to 100.
- 1999 — Current church (seating 900) dedicated.
- 2001 — New offices and meeting rooms open; the connected school-church-parish complex is completed.
- 2009 — Centennial year of celebrations, including a procession from the original Park and Ferris avenues site.
- 2022 — Father Scott Goodfellow installed as pastor by Bishop Edward Malesic.
- 2024 — Ground broken on a new 4,600-square-foot rectory (December).
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently served by a team of priests together with lay parish and school staff. Father Scott D. Goodfellow is pastor of both St. Mary and St. Patrick (Thompson) parishes. He is assisted by a senior parochial vicar, two parochial vicars, and a wider circle of assigned clergy listed by the Diocese of Cleveland. Parish and school staff coordinate faith formation, communications, business, advancement and facilities between the connected church-school complex.
- Rev. Scott D. Goodfellow — Pastor
- Rev. Gary J. Malin — Senior Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Fabian Duckhyun Han — Parochial Vicar (since June 2023)
- Rev. Sean P. Neville — Parochial Vicar
- Rev. Thomas J. Peshek — currently assigned (Diocese of Cleveland listing)
- Kara Passow — Director of Faith Formation (St. Mary and St. Patrick Parishes)
- Julie Fedak — Principal, St. Mary School
- Donna Fabe — Business Manager
- Kimberly O'Keeffe — Communications Director
- Patrick Gannon — Advancement Director
- Frank Rihtar — Facilities Manager
Devotions & Special Services
Beyond the regular Mass and confession schedule, St. Mary keeps a rich devotional calendar drawn from both longstanding Catholic practice and the customs brought by older ethnic parishes of the Cleveland Diocese — including the Eastern European Blessing of Easter Food and the sharing of Christmas wafers at the family Christmas meal. Latin music is also part of the parish's liturgical heritage.
- Rosary — weekday mornings
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays of Lent at 7:00 PM; Good Friday at 7:00 PM
- Fatima Holy Hour — First Wednesday of the month, 6:00–7:00 PM
- Ritual Mass with Anointing of the Sick — November 8–9 each year
- Blessing of Easter Food
- Christmas wafer blessing for the family Christmas meal
- Monthly community supper — last Thursday of each month
- Jubilee Year of Hope (2025) — designated Masses on the first Friday, Sunday, Monday or Wednesday of each month
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Mary is integrated into every aspect of parish and school life. The parish runs Faith Formation (PSR) alongside St. Mary School, where students in Grades K-8 attend a weekly all-school Mass that they help plan and lead through 'Church Families' linking older and younger students. Students serve as lectors, servers and gift bearers, and even livestream the Mass. The Sacrament of Confession is offered twice a year during school, while First Reconciliation and First Eucharist are prepared in Grade 2 and Confirmation in Grade 8. Parents are expected to participate in sacramental preparation meetings and to model the faith at home.
- Weekly all-school Mass every Tuesday at 8:30 AM (9:30 AM on holy days)
- Church Families pairing upper and lower grades for shared faith activities
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist — Grade 2
- Confirmation — Grade 8
- Daily opening and closing prayer
- Lenten school-wide retreat and student-led Stations of the Cross
- Baccalaureate Mass as part of graduation tradition
- Biblical content integrated across the curriculum
St. Mary School
St. Mary School has been part of the parish since 1961, when it opened with 177 students under the guidance of the Notre Dame Sisters. Today it serves Preschool through Grade 8 on the same connected campus as the church and parish offices, allowing students to move easily between classrooms, the church and gathering spaces. The school is fully accredited, with all teachers certified by the State of Ohio and religion teachers additionally certified by the Diocese of Cleveland. About 270 students are enrolled in the elementary program.
- Preschool (3-year-olds) through Grade 8
- Opened 1961 under the Notre Dame Sisters; 177 students at launch
- Weekly all-school Mass prepared by students
- Altar server training after Grade 4
- Athletic programs including a Junior High program
- Angel Scholarship Fund — tax-credit scholarship for tuition assistance
Parish Ministries & Community Life
Longtime pastor Rev. Thomas Gilles once described more than 100 ministries operating out of the parish, ranging from choirs and youth ministry to programs for gardeners, empty nesters and the bereaved. The parish continues to host a monthly community supper on the last Thursday of each month and runs a Life Teen youth ministry. Boy Scout Troop 190 has been chartered through St. Mary since February 1, 1961 and meets Thursday evenings in the parish facilities. An Adaptive Needs ministry is being discerned to serve individuals with adaptive needs and their families through faith formation, fellowship, and parish life.
- Life Teen — youth ministry
- Adaptive Needs Ministry — in discernment; survey open to families
- Bereavement ministry
- Gardeners ministry
- Empty Nesters ministry
- Parish choirs and Latin music tradition
- Boy Scout Troop 190 — chartered at St. Mary since Feb. 1, 1961; meets Thursdays 7:30–9:00 PM
- Community supper — last Thursday of each month
Sacraments
St. Mary prepares members of all ages for the seven Catholic sacraments. Children typically receive First Reconciliation and First Eucharist in Grade 2 and Confirmation in Grade 8, whether through St. Mary School or the parish Faith Formation program. Adults interested in becoming Catholic should contact the parish office, the priests, or a deacon for information about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Couples should contact the parish office to begin marriage preparation, and parishioners may request the Anointing of the Sick at any time, with a special Ritual Mass celebrated each November.
- Baptism — preparation through the parish office
- First Reconciliation and First Eucharist — Grade 2
- Confirmation — Grade 8
- Marriage — contact parish office for preparation
- Anointing of the Sick — by request; Ritual Mass November 8–9
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3–4 PM and last Wednesday 6–7 PM
- RCIA — inquiry through parish priests, deacons or office
Facilities & Building Projects
The parish campus at 401 North Street is anchored by the 1999 church seating 900, connected directly to the school, parish offices and meeting rooms so parishioners do not have to go outside between buildings in winter. In December 2024, St. Mary broke ground on a new 4,600-square-foot rectory with four living suites — two for the pastor and parochial vicar, two available for seminarians, retired priests or visiting clergy. The project is fully funded through the Heart of a Shepherd Campaign, unrestricted past diocesan capital campaign funds, private bequests and donations, and the future sale of the current rectory.
- 1999 church — seats 900
- 2001 — offices and meeting rooms
- Connected school-church-parish complex
- December 2024 — groundbreaking for new 4,600 sq. ft. rectory with four living suites
- Rectory funded by Heart of a Shepherd Campaign, unrestricted capital campaign funds, bequests, donations and sale of current rectory
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Julius Kitter1907–1910 (founding pastor)
Said the founding Mass in 1907; church dedicated under his pastorship on Sept. 11, 1910.
- Rev. Alfred Manning1911–1918
- Rev. John J. Price1919–
Named pastor in 1919.
- Rev. Michael L. Stevenson1932–
Lifted and moved the church to its present North Street site and expanded it to seat 200.
- Rev. James Maherby 1949–
Set the goal of a school and new church for the 50th anniversary (1959); died before completion, but the parish honored him by finishing the project.
- Rev. Thomas Gilles1992–
Oversaw extensive growth, 100 ministries, monthly community suppers, the 1999 new church and 2001 office/meeting space.
- Rev. Scott D. GoodfellowAdministrator 2021; Pastor 2022–present
Administrator from Aug. 1, 2021; installed as pastor of St. Mary and St. Patrick parishes by Bishop Edward Malesic on Dec. 11, 2022.