About St. Mary · Lorain, Ohio
St. Mary Parish in Lorain, Ohio is the oldest Catholic parish in the city, established in 1873 as St. Mary of the Lake to serve a small community of Irish, German and Polish Catholic immigrants settled near the mouth of the Black River. Today it is a welcoming Eucharistic-centered community in the Diocese of Cleveland, offering Mass on Saturday evenings and Sundays, a food pantry, a children's faith formation program, a choir, and home visitation for the homebound. The parish is pastored by Fr. Daniel O. Divis and celebrated its 150th anniversary in October 2023 with a Mass offered by Bishop Edward Malesic.
- Established
- 1873
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish is named 'St. Mary')
- Rector
- Fr. Daniel O. Divis
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
St. Mary offers a warm, intimate parish home rooted in 150 years of Lorain history and centered on the Eucharist. Families with children in grades K-8 can grow in faith through the Sunday Children's Faith Formation program, parishioners who sing are welcomed into the parish choir, and anyone who is homebound can receive communion through the parish home-visitation ministry. The St. Mary's Choice Food Pantry, open on the fourth Monday of each month in the Duffy Room, gives parishioners a tangible way to serve neighbors in need across Lorain.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
Founded in 1873 as St. Mary of the Lake to minister to Irish, German and Polish Catholic families in the Village of Black River, St. Mary is the oldest Catholic parish in Lorain. It grew from a monthly house-Mass said by Rev. L. Molon of Elyria into a resident parish under Fr. Joseph Romer in 1878, built a wood-frame church that year, expanded it in 1883, and was elevated to parish status in 1884. Two successive church buildings were lost — one to fire in 1895, and the replacement to a tornado on June 28, 1924 — and the present sandstone Georgian-style church was built in their wake. Bishop Edward Malesic marked the parish's 150th anniversary with a special Mass on October 15, 2023.
- 1873: First Masses said monthly by Rev. L. Molon from Elyria
- 1878: First resident pastor, Rev. Joseph Romer; wood-frame church built
- 1883: Larger church built at a cost of $10,000; frame church becomes a school
- 1884: Elevated to parish status by the Diocese of Cleveland
- 1895: Church destroyed by fire; German parishioners leave to found St. Joseph Parish
- 1897: New church dedicated by Bishop Ignatius Horstmann
- 1923: New elementary and high school building opens
- 1924: Tornado destroys the church on June 28; present sandstone Georgian-style church rises
- 1969: St. Mary High School closes after Lorain Catholic High School is founded
- 2023: Bishop Malesic celebrates the 150th anniversary Mass
Mass and Liturgical Schedule
St. Mary offers the Sunday Vigil Mass on Saturday evening plus a Sunday morning and (during the program year) a Sunday evening Mass. The Saturday 4:30 PM Mass is also livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page so that homebound parishioners and those at a distance can participate. Weekday and special Holy Week schedules (Stations of the Cross, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter) are posted on the parish website each season.
- Saturday Vigil — 4:30 PM
- Sunday — 10:00 AM
- Sunday — 7:00 PM (September through May)
- Stations of the Cross — Fridays of Lent, 12:15 PM (except Good Friday)
- Holy Thursday Mass — 7:00 PM
- Good Friday Passion & Communion — 3:00 PM; Tenebrae — 8:30 PM
- Holy Saturday Blessing of the Food — 2:00 PM; Easter Vigil — 8:45 PM
- Easter Sunday — 10:00 AM
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by a small, dedicated staff under its pastor. Alongside clergy and the Director of Children's Faith Formation, a Pastoral Associate, secretary, accountant, food pantry coordinator and maintenance worker keep the parish running and its ministries active.
- Pastor — Fr. Daniel O. Divis
- Pastoral Associate — Patricia Shullick
- Director of Children's Faith Formation — Talia Perez
- Accountant — Deanna Wrice
- Secretary — Stephanie Takacs
- Food Pantry Coordinator — Anne Parker
- Maintenance — Mark Campolo
Children's Faith Formation
The parish's Children's Faith Formation (CFF) program gathers children in grades K-8 for religious education each Sunday after the 10:00 AM Mass. Families can register or get more information by contacting the Director of Religious Education, Talia Perez, at the diocese email address listed on the parish website. The CFF calendar (with class dates, holiday breaks and the last day of class) is published on the Announcements page each year.
- Meets Sundays after the 10:00 AM Mass
- For children in grades K-8
- Contact: Talia Perez, Director of Religious Education
- Annual CFF calendar posted to the Announcements page
Music Ministry and Choir
The St. Mary Choir sings at the Sunday liturgy and gathers each Sunday morning at 9:00 AM in the church balcony, with no weeknight practices required at this time. Anyone interested in joining can simply show up on a Sunday morning, or contact choir director Don Callahan at 440-989-7435 to learn more.
- Sunday morning rehearsal at 9:00 AM in the balcony
- Contact: Don Callahan, 440-989-7435
Outreach: St. Mary's Choice Food Pantry
The parish operates St. Mary's Choice Food Pantry out of the Duffy Room on the fourth Monday of each month from 4:30 to 6:00 PM, distributing groceries and personal-care items to neighbors in need. In addition to the parish food pantry, parishioners are pointed to the Second Harvest Food Bank mobile-distribution calendar and a community calendar of other nearby hot-meal, clothing and assistance programs.
- Open 4:30–6:00 PM in the Duffy Room on the 4th Monday of each month
- 2026 dates: 1/26, 2/23, 3/23, 4/27, 5/18, 6/22, 7/27, 8/24, 9/28, 10/26, 11/23, 12/14
- Coordinator: Anne Parker ([email protected])
- Set-up and delivery volunteers welcome
Pastoral Care for the Homebound
Parish ministers visit and bring Holy Communion to parishioners who are unable to attend Mass because of illness or age. Anyone who would like to arrange a visit for themselves or a loved one can reach the parish office at 440-245-5283.
- Home visits by lay ministers
- Holy Communion brought to the homebound
- Coordinated through the Parish Office at 440-245-5283
Liturgical Ministries
Beyond the choir, the parish depends on parishioner volunteers to serve as lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and altar servers at Mass. Schedules are coordinated by the parish office and posted on the Announcements page.
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Altar servers
Sacraments
St. Mary prepares children for the sacraments through the Children's Faith Formation program and welcomes arrangements for Baptism and Marriage through the Parish Office. The home-visitation ministry extends sacramental care to those unable to be present at Mass.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- First Communion and Confirmation — through Children's Faith Formation
- Homebound Communion — through Pastoral Care for the Homebound
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach St. Mary by phone, email, or in person. The parish office is open 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 309 W 7th St., Lorain, OH 44052; the church building sits at 8th & Reid. The Saturday 4:30 PM Mass is livestreamed on the St. Mary Church Facebook page for those at a distance.
- Phone: 440-245-5283
- Fax: 440-246-0804
- Email: [email protected]
- Office: 309 W 7th St., Lorain, OH 44052
- Church: 8th & Reid, Lorain, OH 44052
- Office hours: 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Facebook (livestream Mass): https://www.facebook.com/stmarylorain/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. L. Molon1873–early 1878
Priest from Elyria who first ministered to the few Catholics in the Village of Black River, saying Mass monthly in private homes.
- Rev. Joseph Romer1878–
First resident pastor; acquired the property for the school and oversaw the building of the 1878 wood-frame church and the 1883 larger church.
- Rev. Joseph Eyler
Succeeded Fr. Romer as resident pastor.
- Fr. Daniel O. Diviscurrent
Current pastor; celebrated the parish's 150th anniversary Mass with Bishop Edward Malesic in October 2023.