A Brief History of St. Charles Borromeo Parish

   Father Nicholas F. Monaghan, a native of Ashtabula, Ohio, ordained a priest in 1907, founded St. Charles Borromeo Parish in 1923.  
St. Charles was just one of many “first-ring” suburb parishes founded in the Diocese of Cleveland in the years immediately following the First World War. 
Thirteen families constituted the original membership of the parish.  

 

    The parish is dedicated to Saint Charles Borromeo, a holy priest, archbishop of Milan,
and cardinal of the Catholic Church who helped to affirm and renew the Faith during the turbulent 1500’s.  Saint Charles worked  tirelessly for the pastoral care of the people of
his archdiocese, especially for the education of children and formation of future priests.

    During the early 1920’s, industrial progress in Northeast Ohio meant plentiful jobs, and rapid growth for the new St. Charles Borromeo Parish. A wood frame church, brick rectory, and eight classroom school were built by 1928. The Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland arrived at the parish in 1924 and have served the parish since. The good times stalled during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, however.  Father Monaghan would later comment, “Some days we just barely made it.”

    World War Two restored economic health to the country, especially to Ohio’s manufacturing sector. At war’s end, thousands of returning veterans began to settle in Parma. Adding to this was the initial out-migration from city to suburb, where land and
new homes were plentiful. Cleveland would lose more than 500,000 inhabitants (half its population) from 1950 to 2000.

    During the 1950’s and 1960’s, a period of tremendous growth and prosperity for Roman Catholics in the U.S.A., St. Charles Borromeo Parish grew to be the largest parish in the State of Ohio. School enrollment topped 2,400 students in 1964. Dozens of new classrooms were built along with a gym and hall.

    The wooden frame church, which originally stood where the Corrigan Gym is today, was moved to the corner of Ridge Road and Charles Avenue in 1949. The fast-growing parish needed a new permanent home for worship, and our American Romanesque church was
built in 1954.  St. Charles parishioners contributed greatly  toward the building of a new church that would last for generations.  The spirit and devotion of the St. Charles family,
in support of its buildings, school and service to the community, have truly embodied Pope Pius XII’s focus on building up the Mystical Body of Christ!

    Monsignor Monaghan, who had guided the parish for forty-four years, died in September, 1967.

    Monsignor Thomas C. Corrigan, a native of Cleveland, ordained in 1945, was appointed pastor in January, 1968. Monsignor Corrigan remodeled the church to accommodate the liturgical directives of the Second Vatican Council. Monsignor also oversaw the introduction
of new pastoral programs and educational styles. As the Parma population aged, school enrollment gradually declined to 620 students in 1987. Monsignor Corrigan retired in June, 1987. After a happy retirement, Monsignor died in January, 1995.

    Father John T. Carlin, a native Clevelander ordained in 1976, was appointed pastor in June, 1987. Father   Carlin directed the establishment of a Parish Council. Working with Council’s commissions, a ten year parish plant update program was inaugurated, a new religious education program was established involving the day school faculty teaching all parish children, and the parish pastoral staff was revamped with the addition of full-time      religious and lay personnel. St. Charles also “twins” with Our Lady of Peace Parish and has begun several initiatives with Parma Catholic parishes based on the Diocese of Cleveland’s  “Vibrant Parish Life” initiative.  

    With the guidance of our bishop, Most Reverend Edward C. Malesic, and under the care of our pastoral staff headed by Father John Carlin, the family of St. Charles Borromeo Parish continues to strive toward fullness of life in Jesus Christ through personal holiness and loving service to others.  To the present day, individuals and families, young and old, are proud to call St. Charles Borromeo Parish their spiritual home!