St. Francis de Sales Parish sits in the heart of Newark, Ohio, on Granville Street near the city's downtown square. Founded in 1842 and rooted in a single plot of land bought by an early settler, the parish has grown into one of the largest Catholic congregations in the Diocese of Columbus, anchored today by a Gothic-style church, a parish school, the Lamy Center, the Faith and Family Center, and a beautifully renovated Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. Its mission, in the words of the parish itself, is to deeply love God, to love one another, and to make the name of Jesus known. The parish tagline says it simply: Making Disciples and Disciple Makers.
A Parish Shaped by Three Buildings
Early in 1841, John McCarthy bought a two-acre plot of land on Granville near Sixth Street in Newark. On May 21, 1842, the property was transferred to Bishop Purcell for the use of the Catholic Church. Father Jean Baptiste Lamy, pastor of Danville and the missionary who served Newark and surrounding missions, became the parish's first pastor and built a small church in honor of St. Francis de Sales. Father Lamy would later achieve renown as the Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and be immortalized in Willa Cather's Death Comes for the Archbishop and Paul Horgan's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography Lamy of Santa Fe.
The first church was quickly outgrown. In 1854, Father Frederic Bender built a larger church on the present site and added a second story to the original building, moved to the rear of the property and used as a school. A residence for priests was built on the corner of Pearl and Granville, the former O'Boylan Hall. By 1887, the parish had grown to over 2,000 parishioners and was regarded as one of the largest in the diocese. Father William Hayes then built a third church, the building the parish still occupies today.
Father McGinty purchased the current priest residence and administrative offices in 1946. In 1993, under the direction of Monsignor Bill Johnson, the parish built the Lamy Center, which connects to both the church and the school and serves as a Parish Center with offices and classrooms. The church itself has undergone several renovations, the most recent a 2010 redecoration that refurbished the pews, painted the interior, and laid new flooring. The organ received a long-overdue refurbishment in 2012. In 2019, the school added a full industrial cafeteria, four new classrooms, air conditioning throughout, an upgrade to its fine arts spaces, and a refurbished gymnasium floor. The same year, the St. Francis Faith and Family Center was erected on the site of the former Swank Building at 45 Granville Street, thanks to a generous donation from the Patricia R. and Herbert J. Murphy Foundation. The parish continued to update its facilities with a renovation of the sanctuary and Adoration Chapel in 2020.
The Seal of St. Francis de Sales
The parish coat of arms is built on the family crest of Saint Francis de Sales himself. In the thirteenth century, Pierre de Sales, Count of Savoy, was leading an army to assist the Crusades at Rhodes when two shooting stars appeared above his ship during a furious storm. As a reward for his part in the Christian victory, the Count was given a coat of arms bearing the twin stars and a gold Saracen crest. The bishop of Geneva, Francis de Sales, used his family crest as his episcopal shield.
The parish adapted the family design in three ways. The twin stars and crescent are retained at the top of the shield, recalling the De Sales family victory and Saint Francis's ministry as a bishop. The gold and red bars of the original crest have become wavy, recalling the wavy bars of the seal of the Diocese of Columbus, which depicts Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, sailing over the Atlantic. A fleur-de-lis at the bottom of the shield honors the Blessed Virgin Mary, recalling a young Saint Francis's pilgrimage to the Parisian Church of Saint Etienne-des-Gres to pray at the Shrine of Our Lady of Deliverance. The shield is surrounded by the name given the parish in 1842 by the great French missionary Father Jean-Baptiste Lamy.
Mass, Confession, and Perpetual Adoration
Daily Mass is offered Monday through Saturday, with three weekend celebrations. The Saturday vigil Mass is at 4:45 p.m. Sunday Masses are at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., with the latter livestreamed on YouTube. Weekday Masses follow a rotating rhythm: Monday and Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday at 12:00 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 9:00 a.m., and Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
Confession is heard six days a week. Priests are available Monday and Wednesday from 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., Tuesday from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m., Thursday and Friday from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament during the morning session, and again from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. before the vigil Mass. Confession is also offered by request.
St. Francis is one of the few parishes in central Ohio with a nearly perpetual Adoration Chapel. The chapel is open Sundays from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Fridays from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 5:00 a.m. to noon. Adoration coordinator Anna Hofer oversees a roster of committed adorers who fill ongoing hours. The chapel is closed during Masses.
Becoming Catholic at St. Francis
Adults interested in the Catholic Church enter the parish through the Becoming Catholic process, the local name for the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, recently renamed OCIA. The parish welcomes the unbaptized, Christians from other traditions who have been baptized, and Catholics returning to active membership. The process begins with a period of inquiry, moves into the catechumenate with sponsors as spiritual companions, continues through purification and enlightenment during Lent, and culminates in the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. The Easter Vigil rite includes Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist for those not yet baptized, and Confirmation and First Eucharist for baptized candidates. Sessions meet year-round on Sunday mornings between the morning Masses, from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m., in the Junior High Science Lab on the second floor of the Lamy Center. Co-directors David Clay and Paula McWilliams lead the formation team.
For children baptized as Catholics, preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist flows through Signs of Grace, the sacramental preparation program. Confirmation preparation for seventh and eighth graders uses the Chosen program and gathers on Sunday mornings between the Masses. Ben and Mary Beth Lee coordinate Confirmation formation. The parish also offers a separate track for high school Confirmation through the Chosen Confirmation Prep sessions, with registration handled online.
Faith Formation for Children and Families
Family Faith Quest is the parish's family catechesis program, replacing the older Parish School of Religion model. The parish teaches that, for faith to stick, it must be talked about and lived out with the people children love most: their parents. All parish families with school-aged children are welcome, from elementary through high school. Twelve at-church sessions run on Sunday mornings between the Masses, from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., from September through April, alongside at-home activities designed to weave faith into daily family life. The cost is $50 per family, and Diana Baus serves as the program coordinator.
Seeds of Faith introduces young children and their parents to the Catholic world, while the Childcare Ministry offers paid and volunteer caregivers for parents attending faith formation events. Vacation Bible School, coordinated by Shannon Hughes, brings the parish's youngest members together for a week of formation each summer. Youth Ministry, led by Director Grace Wright, walks middle and high school students through a fuller catechesis, retreats, service, and fellowship.
The Parish School on Granville Street
St. Francis de Sales School has served the children of Newark since the original 1842 church was moved to the back of the lot and converted into a classroom. Today the school welcomes students from kindergarten through junior high on the same Granville Street campus that includes the Lamy Center. Principal Sally Mummey and Vice Principal Allison Horton lead a faculty that includes Mary Beth Lee as elementary music teacher and Diana Baus as school campus minister. Recent additions include a full industrial cafeteria, four new classrooms, air conditioning in every room, upgraded fine arts spaces, a refurbished gymnasium floor, and a science lab housed in the Lamy Center. Families interested in enrollment can reach the school office at 740.345.4049. The parish promotes the school under the heading Kids Get MORE at St. Francis, framing it as a place where spiritual virtue meets scholastic excellence.
Caring for the Body and Soul
Catholic Outreach Ministries, led by Heather Stasel, operates a parish dispatch center that triages calls from neighbors in financial, material, or spiritual crisis. After assessing each call, intake volunteers confirm the need and coordinate pledges to area landlords and utility companies. The Ministry of the Poor within Catholic Outreach helps with rental assistance, deposits, utility bills, personal identification needs, and material items such as mattresses, bedding, and housing essentials.
Three licensed counselors maintain a practice in the parish office, providing confidential clinical counseling that integrates emotional, physical, social, and spiritual well-being. Matthew Knox, a Licensed Professional Counselor, sees adolescents, teens, and adults through Lumin Counseling, focusing on depression, anxiety, men's issues, life transitions, and spiritual concerns. Deborah Paxton, a Licensed Independent Social Worker and St. Francis alumna, treats trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and identity issues through A Time to Heal Christian Counseling in Mount Vernon. Ricky Shoop, a Licensed Professional Counselor with Lumin Counseling, brings fifteen years of pastoral ministry experience to his work with individuals, couples, and families, using cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR. The parish also partners with Holy Family Counseling Services, which offers telehealth across many states. Together with the diocesan Mental Health Ministry, St. Francis maintains a directory of trusted Catholic mental health professionals and resources.
Catholic in Recovery meets on Fridays from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in the Faith and Family Center Conference Room. The ministry serves those suffering from addictions and unhealthy attachments, including alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography and sex addiction, compulsive overeating and gambling, codependency, and the impact of these on family. The program draws on twelve-step recovery together with the sacramental life of the Church. Joanne Breitmayer directs Catholic in Recovery and other adult faith formation work.
Walking with Families Through Every Season
Marriage enrichment is woven into parish life through several complementary ministries. Alpha Marriage offers seven date-night sessions with dinner built in, focused on communication and a stronger relationship without group sharing. Together in Holiness for Married Couples brings spouses together for formation. Teams of Our Lady supports small groups of couples who meet monthly to grow spiritually together and to strengthen their marriages.
For couples walking through difficulty, the Surviving Divorce ministry offers a twelve-week program of healing, and the Second Fire After Abortion Care ministry accompanies those seeking healing after abortion. Grieving With Great Hope is a bereavement ministry, while the Homebound Buddy Ministry pairs parishioners with those who can no longer easily leave home. The Ministry of Comfort brings the consolation of the parish to those who are dying or in crisis, including Pastoral Minister to the Sick Deb Shelly and Pastoral Minister to the Dying Mary Marron.
The Gift of Being Grand, the parish's Grandparent Ministry, gathers older parishioners in support of their vocation. Natural Family Planning classes are offered for engaged and married couples. Karen Walters serves as the parish's Pastoral Minister of Funerals, walking them through the Rites for Christian Burial and helping families choose readings and music.
For men, three groups meet regularly: Vanguard Men's Leadership, Lectio Divina for Men, and That Man is You. For women, Walking with Purpose offers Scripture study in a small-group setting, while Women of St. Francis gathers women across vocations and stages of life. Vocatio Dei Vocations Discernment accompanies men and women exploring a call to priesthood or consecrated life. The Outdoor Adventures ministry organizes hikes, camping trips, and seasonal outings for parishioners of all ages.
Prayer, Scripture, and Small Groups
Alpha is the parish's primary tool for evangelization. The same Alpha content used in 169 countries runs at St. Francis in an informal setting with a meal, a video series, and small-group conversation. Alpha Marriage adapts the same approach for couples.
Scripture and Book Studies gathers small groups for ongoing study, with rotating series such as the Lenten book study on The Way of Trust and Love. Lectors proclaim the Scriptures at weekend liturgies. The Prayer Ministry coordinates the parish prayer line through coordinator Lynn Richardson, while the Fruit of the Vine Prayer and Healing Group offers a more intimate setting for prayer and intercession. Spiritual Direction and Christ-Centered Coaching is available through several trained directors on staff, including Debby Michael, Marsha Norberg, and Lynn Henderson. Krista Raymond, a Holistic Health and Wellness Coach and Licensed Massage Therapist, brings an integrative dimension to parish wellness offerings.
The Rosary remains a beloved devotion. Free rosaries are available at the main church doors, and the parish shares online resources for praying the Scriptural Rosary, the Rosary for kids, the 54-day Rosary Novena, and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. St. Francis Come Home is the parish's outreach to inactive Catholics, inviting them back to the sacraments and the community.
Music, Liturgy, and Sacred Arts
Dr. Ross Williams serves as Director of Sacred Music, supported by John and Ashley Morgan as Liturgical Schedule Co-Coordinators. Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist assist the priest at every Mass, with training available through Lisa Carr. The Audio Visual and Tech Team produces the weekly livestream, mixing audio from multiple sources and managing the cameras, projection, and sound throughout the campus. Ushers and Greeters, the Hospitality and Social Committee, Sacristans, and Altar Servers round out the liturgical lay ministry. Servers sample vocal music, and Altar Servers are trained by Pastoral Associate Josh Dziatkowicz and Cathy Brill.
Funeral music and readings can be chosen from a curated set of First Reading, Second Reading, Gospel Reading, and Song Selections prepared by the parish. The Health Ministry supports the well-being of parishioners through screenings and education. Respect Life upholds the Church's teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death.
Knights of Columbus and Scouting
Council 1083 of the Knights of Columbus meets at the parish and provides a Catholic fraternal community for the men of St. Francis. Boy Scout Troop 8, sponsored by the parish, welcomes boys ages eleven to seventeen for character, leadership, citizenship, and outdoor adventure, with regular meetings and outings such as camping, rafting, and skiing. Cub Scout Pack 8 serves younger boys from kindergarten through fifth grade and meets on Sundays at 12:30 p.m. in the Scout Room at the school.
What Catholics Believe at St. Francis
The parish teaches a robust Catholic faith rooted in the person of Jesus Christ. St. Francis proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent by the Father so that all may have everlasting life. He is true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem. God created the heavens and the earth for relationship with Him, but sin entered through Adam and Eve and broke that bond. In response, God sent His only Son to reconcile the human family. Jesus was condemned to suffer, died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Through His death and resurrection, He conquered sin and opened the way to eternal life.
The parish teaches that the Church is the family of faith that Christ founded through the Twelve Apostles, born at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit broke down ethnic and linguistic barriers and united believers into a universal family. The word Catholic comes from the Greek katholikos, meaning universal. Today the Catholic Church numbers more than 1.2 billion members across every walk of life, united by a simple mission: to love God and to love others.
At Mass, Catholics gather for two main parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Liturgy of the Word, the congregation hears readings from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament, and the Gospel, followed by the homily and the profession of faith. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, bread and wine are offered at the altar, consecrated by the priest, and, through the doctrine of transubstantiation, become the true Body and Blood of Christ. The faithful are invited to receive Holy Communion when properly disposed, with non-Catholics and others welcome to come forward for a blessing.
Sacraments and Sacramental Life
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments. Baptism is coordinated by Barb and Bob Doran, with arrangements made through the parish office. Reconciliation is available six days a week as described above. The Eucharist is received at daily and Sunday Mass. Confirmation is celebrated in the seventh and eighth grades, with separate preparation for high school students. Marriage preparation begins with the parish office and continues through Together in Holiness, Alpha Marriage, and Teams of Our Lady. Holy Orders are discerned through Vocatio Dei and contact with the diocesan Vocation Office. The Anointing of the Sick is offered to those facing surgery, serious illness, or the frailty of old age, with Pastoral Minister to the Sick Deb Shelly coordinating visits.
Weddings at St. Francis are co-administered by Pastoral Associate Josh Dziatkowicz and Deacon Eric Wright. Funerals are coordinated by Karen Walters, who walks families through the Rites for Christian Burial. The parish maintains a cemetery under the direction of Cemetery Director Bill McWilliams, and the bulletin publishes an annual Stewardship of Treasure Report that reviews the parish's financial support and mission.
Clergy and Parish Leadership
Father Tom Gardner serves as pastor. Father Mike Gentry and Father Anish Thomas serve as parochial vicars, with Deacon Eric Wright assisting. The Pastoral Team is led by Pastoral Associate Josh Dziatkowicz and includes Deb Shelly, Debby Michael, Deborah Paxton, Karen Walters, Krista Raymond, Lynn Henderson, Marsha Norberg, Mary Marron, Matt Knox, and Ricky Shoop. The Ministry Team gathers Joanne Breitmayer as Director of Adult Faith Formation and Evangelization; Ben and Mary Beth Lee as Confirmation Coordinators; David Clay and Paula McWilliams as Co-Directors of OCIA; Diana Baus as School Campus Minister and Youth Sacramental Prep Coordinator; Shannon Hughes as VBS Coordinator; Grace Wright as Director of Youth Ministry; Molly Loy as Young Adult Minister and Youth Ministry Associate; Anna Hofer as Adoration Chapel Coordinator; Lynn Richardson as Prayer Line Coordinator; Heather Stasel as Catholic Outreach Ministries; and Barb and Bob Doran as Baptism Co-Coordinators. The Liturgy and Worship Team includes Dr. Ross Williams, Director of Sacred Music, and John and Ashley Morgan as Liturgical Schedule Co-Coordinators. The school is led by Principal Sally Mummey and Vice Principal Allison Horton.
A Parish Open to All
Doors at St. Francis are usually open early before Mass, and volunteers are on hand to help newcomers find a seat. The parish office, located in the Faith and Family Center, is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Church Center app, available on iOS and Android, keeps parishioners connected to events, registrations, and the parish calendar. Flocknotes delivers parish news by email. Annual giving is facilitated through a secure giving link, with both one-time gifts and ongoing pledges of support accepted. To register as a parishioner, new members complete the Registration Form and Offertory Commitment Form and return them to the parish office. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed, in the parish's words, with the assurance that no matter their age or where they are on their faith journey, they will find a place to belong.