When St. Joseph Parish was founded in 1949, Avon Lake was still a township with a population of about 4,300 people. It achieved city status in 1960, with both the community and parish growing tremendously over the years. A school staffed by the Ursuline sisters opened in 1953.
The parish’s history, growth and continuing presence are being recognized this year. A Mass celebrated by Bishop Nelson Perez and a social on March 3 kicked off the parish’s 70th anniversary year. Father Ron Wearsch, St. Joseph’s pastor, assisted at Mass.
St. Joseph Parish was established by baby boomers after World War II, when the population began to swell. Many lived in bungalow houses and looked to their parish as the place where family life was encouraged and supported. These houses and family footprints of those who founded the parish are still evident when looking across Electric Boulevard from the parking lot of the church. Father Wearsch said his own family was among those living in the area during the parish’s early years.
At that time, the community was dotted with farms, vineyards and lakeside cottages. As the years passed, these were replaced by housing developments and population growth. A second Avon Lake Parish – Holy Spirit – was established in 1965 to meet the faith needs of the growing community.
By the 1990s, St. Joseph Parish and School had grown tremendously, so ground was broken for a new church building and an addition to the school. The new church still serves the parish of about 1,900 families.
“Happy birthday,” Bishop Perez said to the congregation at the March 3 liturgy.
He asked if anyone had been a parishioner since St. Joseph’s founding and a few hands went up. He told them it would be up to those in the church that day how the future of the parish would unfold. I won’t be here in 30 years for your 100th anniversary and neither will many of you,” he said.
The bishop also shared some of Pope Francis’ remarks on a parish. He said according to the pope, a parish is not an outdated institution. Instead, “it possesses a great flexibility and can achieve many contours, depending on the flexibility of the pastor.” He said he loves Pope Francis’ image that “a parish is the immediate presence of Christ in the midst of the homes of its sons and daughters.”
But he said it is the responsibility of the pastor and parishioners to ensure that the parish does not become a useless structure. To that end, it is important that a parish reach outward, which dovetails with the need for evangelization and charitable works.
Stewardship is an important part of a parish, the bishop said, reminding those present that all we have was received as a gift. He shared the story of the shepherd with a flock of 100 sheep who noticed one was missing. He left the other 99 to search for the missing sheep.
“Why? Because it didn’t belong to him,” Bishop Perez said. “You and I don’t have anything that is completely our own. It is good to recognize this, to be grateful and to give thanks for what we have.”
A parish fills a vital role in the faith life of its parishioners, the bishop said, noting that the pope refers to it as “a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey.”
Bishop Perez said he likes the banner hanging over the church doors that reads “Everyone add one,” which Father Wearsch said was a challenge put forth to the parishioners as St. Joseph’s continues growing and meeting the needs of the community.
“Take care of this parish. It is a gift that is given to you for a while,” the bishop said.
Lorene Coughlin, music and liturgy director and pastoral care minister, was recognized before Mass for 30 years of service to the parish.
After Mass, parishioners filled St. Joseph Hall, the old church that was converted to a space for large meetings and parish events. The group enjoyed food with a Cuban/Mardi Gras flair in a nod to Mardi Gras. Bishop Perez mingled with parishioners, posed for photos and sampled the food including alligator bites, savory waffles, gumbo, grits and a shrimp sauce.
