A Westlake Parish with Cleveland's First Slovak Catholic Roots
St. Ladislas Church sits on Bassett Road in Westlake, a Cleveland suburb, but its story begins more than 140 years ago and several miles to the east. In 1885, a group of Slovak Catholics in Cleveland began gathering for worship at St. Joseph's Church on Woodland Avenue, making St. Ladislas the first parish for Slovak Catholics in the city. Two years later the community purchased property near East 92nd Street and Holton Avenue, and that church was consecrated in December 1889.
A fire in August 1970 destroyed the original building. Rather than rebuild on the same site, the parish made the decision to relocate, and the current church on Bassett Road was established on August 15, 1973. The parish has now celebrated more than fifty years in Westlake, a milestone that the community marks as a sign of the faith, commitment, and unity of its members.
Today St. Ladislas is a parish of the Diocese of Cleveland with a self-described mission of being a welcoming Roman Catholic community that deepens its personal relationship with Jesus Christ by worshipping together, reaching out to others, and building up the Kingdom of God as intentional disciples. The parish draws on that founding mission in everything from its daily Mass schedule to its work feeding the hungry at St. Patrick Church and visiting the homebound.
Mass Times and Reconciliation
The weekly Mass schedule at St. Ladislas is structured to fit both weekend and weekday routines. The Saturday Vigil Mass is celebrated at 5:00 p.m., and two Sunday Masses are offered at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Monday has its own evening Mass at 6:30 p.m., and Mass is offered Tuesday through Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Reconciliation is heard on Saturdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Confessions are also available by appointment with Father Mark A. Latcovich, the pastor. For Holy Days, the parish refers members to the bulletin for the schedule.
Eucharistic Adoration and the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is part of the regular rhythm at St. Ladislas. Each Monday evening, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., the community gathers for a period of adoration that leads directly into the 6:30 p.m. Mass. On the second Tuesday of each month, adoration is offered from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is also open during regular Parish Office hours, giving visitors a quiet place to pray in the middle of the day.
Livestreamed and Replayed Masses
For those unable to attend in person, St. Ladislas livestreams its Masses. Weekend livestreams rotate among the Sunday Masses, while the Monday evening and Tuesday through Friday morning Masses are streamed each week. Replays of weekend Masses are also broadcast on Sundays at 6:00 p.m. Funeral livestreams are available as well, and the parish maintains a YouTube channel as a hub for the recordings.
Sacraments from Baptism to the Anointing of the Sick
St. Ladislas prepares members for each of the seven sacraments and welcomes those who have not yet received them. Baptism is typically celebrated for infants and young children; families meet with the Director of Faith Formation to reflect on the meaning of the sacrament and the responsibilities of raising a child in the Catholic faith. Older children and adults seeking baptism are directed to the parish's OCIA program.
First Holy Communion is generally prepared for in the second grade and is combined with preparation for First Reconciliation. Confirmation has transitioned into a joint program with neighboring St. Bernadette Parish called IGNITE, integrating seventh- and eighth-grade students from both parishes.
Couples preparing for Marriage at St. Ladislas begin with meetings with the pastor or a deacon, then complete a marriage preparation program, followed by liturgical planning for the ceremony. The Anointing of the Sick is available by calling the Parish Office, and twice a year the parish celebrates the sacrament during a regular weekend Mass, inviting anyone in need of physical, emotional, or spiritual healing to receive it in the context of the community. The Rite of Christian Burial is treated as a profound moment of grace and comfort, with the Bereavement Ministry walking alongside grieving families through Growing Through Grief support groups and individual spiritual grief support.
Forming Children: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Religious education for children at St. Ladislas is built around Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a fully immersive, hands-on, Montessori-based program for children ages three through twelve. The program uses three levels: Level 1 for ages three to six, Level 2 for ages six to nine, and Level 3 for ages nine to twelve. Each level gathers in a dedicated Atrium space on the parish campus, where children listen to Scripture and meditate on biblical and liturgical themes.
Classes meet on Sundays from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. and on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:45 p.m. The year typically begins with a Family Mass and a kickoff meeting in mid-September. Tuition is $75 per child, with a $100 family maximum and confidential financial assistance available.
Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass for children ages four to nine, with a leader and assistants guiding them through adapted prayers and readings. Vacation Bible School is hosted collaboratively each summer with several Westlake-area churches, including Bay United Methodist, Dover Congregational, Prince of Peace Lutheran, Redeemer United Church of Christ, and Westlake United Methodist, and is held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church on Center Ridge Road.
Benedictus: A Young Adult Group on Monday Nights
St. Ladislas is home to Benedictus, a young adult community for adults ages 18 to 39, single or married. Members begin the week by gathering for the Monday evening Mass at 6:30 p.m. and then move to the Choir Room behind the sanctuary at 7:00 p.m. for fellowship and spiritual growth. The group keeps in touch through a GroupMe chat and welcomes newcomers looking for connection in this stage of life.
Liturgical Ministries: Serving at the Altar
A large part of parish life at St. Ladislas is the network of liturgical ministers who make the Mass possible. The parish trains and schedules altar servers (open to youth in the second semester of fourth grade and older), cross bearers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, greeters and ushers, sacristans, and a Broadcast Team that livestreams and records services.
Music is led by Director of Music Dr. Kevin Thompson and Contemporary Choir Manager Jim Pipik, with both a Liturgical Choir and a Contemporary Choir, plus cantors, accompanists, instrumentalists, and a Funeral Choir. The Art and Environment Committee works with the Liturgy Commission and the parish florists to set the worship space for the seasons, while the Mass Linens Volunteer team cares for the sacred linens at home on a monthly rotation.
Parish Life: 50+ Club, Knights, and Gardeners
Beyond the liturgy, St. Ladislas supports a deep bench of parish life groups. The 50+ Club provides fellowship for parishioners over fifty, meeting on the third Tuesday of the month from September through May. The Garden Club tends the landscaped areas of the campus in support of the maintenance staff, and the Heavenly Dusters keep the worship space clean on a rotating basis.
Council 16373 of the Knights of Columbus is based at the parish and supports both parish endeavors and charitable efforts in the wider community. The Martha Hospitality Committee coordinates food, serving, and clean-up for special gatherings, and the Parish Pastoral Council offers consultation to the pastor on the spiritual and temporal life of the parish. The Sacred Heart Funeral Luncheons team sets up, serves, and cleans up after funeral receptions for grieving families.
Outreach: Feeding, Visiting, and Walking with the Hurting
Outreach is central to the parish's identity and is coordinated by Parish Outreach Coordinator Martha Bober. The St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Ladislas runs a Food Pantry along with a Food Recovery program, a Share-a-Meal ministry, Home Visits, a Blood Pressure Ministry, and other special projects aimed at sanctifying its members through the exercise of charity.
Twice a month, teams from the parish prepare and distribute meals at St. Patrick Church in Cleveland, with volunteers older than fifteen welcome. Other teams serve a meal to clients, families, and visitors at the Ames Family Hospice House. The Bereavement Ministry walks with those grieving the loss of a loved one through Growing Through Grief support groups, individual spiritual grief support, and a Hope for the Holidays program each late fall.
Members of the Card for the Homebound ministry keep in touch with parishioners who cannot get out, sending cards for holidays, birthdays, and as simple thinking-of-you notes. The Prayer Shawl Plus group gathers monthly on the second Wednesday to make handmade prayer shawls, lap blankets, scarves, and chemo caps for those in need of comfort. The Prison Outreach ministry works within the diocesan framework, offering in-person visits and pen-pal correspondence, while the Respect Life Committee supports Cleveland-area Life Resource Centers and the Social Justice Committee carries a Care for Creation workgroup and a Mental Health subgroup. The Evangelization Committee meets on the first Monday of the month to encourage others in the community to live as disciples.
Friends of Jesus: A Place for All Abilities
Friends of Jesus is the parish's ministry for persons of all ages with special needs and their families. It leads social and liturgical sessions designed to welcome every member of the community into parish life.
Becoming Catholic Through OCIA
For adults considering the Catholic faith, St. Ladislas runs OCIA, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. The parish describes OCIA not as a class but as a journey of learning, love, and personal spiritual growth, with no quizzes or grades and no obligation to convert. It is open to those who have never been baptized, those baptized in another Christian tradition, and baptized Catholics who have not yet received First Communion or Confirmation. Interested adults are invited to call Father Mark Latcovich in the Parish Office to start the conversation.
Men's Fellowship, Prayer Chain, and Spiritual Growth
Other spiritual formation groups round out the parish's offerings. The Men's Fellowship Group encourages men to lead a life of faith in their family and business lives. The Prayer Chain prays for specific needs of parishioners when prayer requests are emailed. The Fatima Devotion, also known as To Jesus through Mary, invites parishioners to host the Pilgrim Madonna statue in their homes for a week at a time, praying the Rosary daily while she visits.
Giving to St. Ladislas
The parish invites financial support in several forms. Online giving is available through a secure recurring donation set up with a bank account or credit card. Parishioners who prefer the tradition of offertory envelopes can request a packet of envelopes, which are mailed every other month, by emailing the Parish Office. For longer-range giving, planned gifts through a will or estate plan are encouraged; the parish points to the scriptural call to be rich toward God and offers to talk with anyone considering including St. Ladislas in their estate plans.
Visiting and Getting in Touch
The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 3:00 to 6:30 p.m., and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The mailing address is 2345 Bassett Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145, and the parish can be reached at 440-835-2300 or stlads@stlads.org. A weekly bulletin, an online newsletter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube all keep members and visitors connected to the life of the parish throughout the week.