About St. Matthew · Akron, Ohio
Saint Matthew Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Ellet neighborhood of Akron, Ohio, established on August 18, 1943 by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban as the seventeenth parish in the city. Today it is served by Rev. G. Michael Williamson and a lay pastoral staff, and it continues to gather the community for Sunday and weekday Mass, faith formation, outreach, and parish fellowship in buildings that have grown over eight decades from a temporary worship site at the former Ellet High School auditorium into a full campus including the present church, a former parish school (closed 2020), rectory, and the Father Silva Center social hall. Now approaching its eightieth anniversary, the parish emphasizes its mission to 'proclaim and reach out with the Good News to all' through prayer, Word, Sacrament, and service in the Ellet area.
- Established
- 1943
- Patron
- Saint Matthew (the Apostle)
- Rector
- Rev. G. Michael Williamson
- Diocese
- Diocese of Cleveland
Why belong here
Saint Matthew is a long-established Akron parish with deep roots in the Ellet neighborhood, where generations of Catholic families have worshipped since 1943. It offers a full sacramental life — Sunday and weekday Mass, Saturday confessions, and Eucharistic Adoration on First and Third Saturdays — along with a Parish School of Religion program that prepares children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade for Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Parishioners can plug into a wide network of service and fellowship ministries including the Knights of Columbus, Council of Catholic Women, parish choirs, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Rosary Makers, the Appalachian Mission Team, the Christmas 'Giving Tree', Thanksgiving Dinner, and Scouting, making it an active place both to grow in faith and to serve neighbors in need.
Mass times at St. Matthew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays, 9:00 AM (also listed on the parish site as 9:00–9:30 AM); Adoration and Confession at Saint Matthew on First and Third Saturdays, and at Our Lady of Victory on Second and Fourth Saturdays.
Adoration times
- First and Third Saturdays at Saint Matthew (in conjunction with Confession); also noted for Second and Fourth Saturdays at Our Lady of Victory.
About Saint Matthew Parish
Saint Matthew Parish is a Roman Catholic community in the Ellet area of Akron, Ohio, established in 1943 as the seventeenth parish in the city. Its mission statement describes the community as 'a people who proclaim and reach out with the Good News to all,' celebrating redemption in prayer, Word, Sacrament, and service. The parish commits itself to being an expression of God's love by providing leadership, educating youth, offering fellowship, and giving hope to the broken-hearted, relying on the Holy Spirit to share in Christ's ministry.
- Mission: to proclaim and reach out with the Good News to all
- Located in Akron's Ellet neighborhood, Diocese of Cleveland
- Founded August 18, 1943 by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban
Parish History
Saint Matthew was established on August 18, 1943 by Archbishop Edward F. Hoban, with Rev. Robert R. Wingerter as founding pastor. The first Mass was offered on September 12, 1943 in the auditorium of the former Ellet High School, where worship continued until 1946. Charles and Salome Reymann donated about 2½ acres of land east of Canton Road, between Berne and Benton Streets, on which the first combined church/meeting hall was built in 1946. The school opened in 1949, the present church and a school addition followed in 1956, the rectory in 1960, and the social hall in 1980. The parish celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2018–2019 with a Mass and picnic celebrated by Bishop Nelson Perez.
- 1943 — Parish established by Archbishop Hoban
- 1943–1946 — Mass celebrated at former Ellet High School auditorium
- 1946 — First church (now partially the library) completed; first Mass in church November 11, 1946
- 1949 — Saint Matthew Parish School opens (Sisters of St. Dominic)
- 1956 — Present church built; school addition completed
- 1960 — Rectory completed
- 1980 — Social hall built; renamed Father Silva Center in 1990
- 2019 — 75th anniversary celebrated with Bishop Nelson Perez
- 2020 — Saint Matthew School closes (June 30, 2020)
Pastoral & Office Staff
The parish is led by its pastor and supported by a full team of lay staff handling music, religious education, finances, and facilities.
- Rev. G. Michael Williamson — Pastor
- Rev. Tom McGovern — Pastor Emeritus
- Terry Albanese — Office Manager / Administrative Assistant
- Marlo Schmidt — Director of Music Ministry
- Barb Jentes — Director of Religious Education
- David Schroeder — Bookkeeper
- Sarah Peach — Religious Education Secretary
- Damon Sarrocco — Maintenance Supervisor
Sharing Our Faith — Liturgical Ministries
In the celebration of the sacraments — especially the Eucharist — Saint Matthew parishioners share faith in the Risen Lord and are empowered to share that faith with others. The parish organizes liturgical ministries that support every weekend and special celebration.
- Lectors — proclaim the Word of God at Mass; scheduled monthly with training as needed
- Communion Ministers — distribute Communion at Mass and bring Communion to the homebound
- Ushers / Hospitality Ministers — welcome visitors, take up the collection, assist in emergencies
- Altar Servers — assist at weekend Masses, weddings, and funerals (youth in 7th grade and older; adult servers at 8:00 AM Sunday Mass)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — during the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass; leaders serve about once a month
- Worship Environment — decorators help prepare the church for Easter, Christmas, and other seasons
- Music Ministry — Adult Choir, Children's Choir, Funeral Choir, Cantors, and Instrumentalists
Living Our Faith — Parish & Outreach Ministries
The Eucharist celebrated at Mass empowers parishioners to participate in the mission of Jesus Christ to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Saint Matthew's 'Living Our Faith' ministries organize parish leadership, outreach to those in need, service to the parish itself, and community-building organizations like the Knights of Columbus and Council of Catholic Women.
- Parish Mission Council
- Finance Council
- Parish Facilities Committee
- Outreach to Those in Need
- Hilkert Center
- Appalachian Mission Team
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Rosary Makers
- Thanksgiving Dinner
- Cancer Spirituality Group
- Christmas 'Giving Tree'
- Parish Life Commission
- Collection Counters
- Church Cleaning / Altar Linens
- Office Assistance
- Parish Gardeners
- Sunday Fellowship
- Knights of Columbus
- St. Matthew Council of Catholic Women
- Scouting (Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts)
Faith Formation — Parish School of Religion (PSR)
Saint Matthew offers Parish School of Religion (PSR) sessions for children in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The program supports parents as the primary educators of their children, especially in preparing them to celebrate the sacraments of Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation. Registration is handled through the Parish Office.
- Grades served: pre-K through 8th grade
- Sacramental preparation: Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
- To register: contact the Parish Office at 330-733-9944
Saint Matthew School (1949–2020)
Saint Matthew Parish School opened on September 7, 1949, with a convent for the Sisters of St. Dominic built shortly afterward. The school was expanded in 1956 along with the present church, and at its 75th anniversary in 2019 was still operating with Principal John Czaplicki and a full teaching staff. Due to shrinking enrollment and depleted financial resources, Saint Matthew School was forced to close on June 30, 2020 — a closure that coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A permanent display describing the history of the school is mounted at the north doors of the former school building.
- Opened September 7, 1949
- Sisters of St. Dominic served as teaching sisters
- School addition completed 1956
- Closed June 30, 2020
- Permanent historical display at the north doors of the former school building
Campus & Facilities
The Saint Matthew campus is built on about 2½ acres in Akron's Ellet neighborhood, east of Canton Road between Berne and Benton Streets. It includes the original 1946 building (now partly the parish library), the present church (1956), the rectory (1960), the Father Silva Center social hall (1980, renamed 1990), and the former school building (1949, with a 1956 addition) now used in part for parish displays.
- Parish Office — 2603 Benton Avenue, Akron, OH 44312
- Church — 2580 Berne Street, Akron, OH 44312
- Phone — (330) 733-9944
- Father Silva Center — social hall named for the parish's fourth pastor
Support the Parish
Saint Matthew offers electronic giving (e-giving) through ParishSoft for parishioners who want a convenient and secure way to support the parish.
- ParishSoft e-giving available
- Parish code: OH989
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Robert R. Wingerter1943–
Founding pastor; appointed when Archbishop Edward F. Hoban established the parish on August 18, 1943.
- Father Tom McGovern
Pastor emeritus; concebrated the 75th anniversary Mass in August 2019.
- Father Silva
Fourth pastor of Saint Matthew Parish. The parish social hall was renamed the Father Silva Center in his honor in 1990.