Nearly 63 years ago, the Diocese of Cleveland purchased nine acres of land in the growing Summit County community of Copley to establish a new parish, Guardian Angels, which began as a mission of St. Sebastian Parish in Akron.
A church was built in 1963. A year later, the parish and community had grown and Guardian Angels became a stand-alone parish with its own pastor. Today, there are about 650 families in the parish.
“For 60 years you have been here celebrating the Gospel in this area of Copley,” Auxiliary Bishop Michael Woost told parishioners during his Jan. 7 visit. “You’ve grown this community of faith. You as people of the parish are the foundation. Your whole history is a witness. You are a community of faith that continues to witness the Lord.”
(See above for a photo gallery from the Mass and hall blessing.)
He celebrated Mass and blessed the newly renovated parish hall on the feast of the Epiphany.
The bishop said he has known Father Chris Weber, Guardian Angels’ pastor, for more than 20 years. “He was one of my first students when I started teaching at the seminary after I completed graduate school. I am so pleased to see the good work he is doing here.”
Father Weber was assigned as Guardian Angels pastor on July 1, 2019. Since then, he helped the parish navigate the COVID-19 pandemic that suspended the public celebration of Mass for a couple of months in 2020 and encouraged parishioners to return to in-person worship. In February 2022, he and the parish were shocked when a portion of the church foundation and a wall in the kitchen collapsed. Extensive work was needed to shore up the 60-year-old building.
Parishioners pledged $1.2 million in a three-year campaign to pay for renovations to the parish hall and kitchen and to help with the needed foundation work. “I am so pleased with their dedication and commitment,” Father Weber said, noting because of the parishioners’ generosity, there parish has no debt for the hall and kitchen project. Father Weber said the project was done by the Pleasant Valley Corp. of Medina, whose principals are parishioners.
Bishop Woost accepted their invitation to celebrate the end of the renovation project and to bless the space.
The bishop explained that the work epiphany means revelation or manifestation.
“Every time the presence of Christ is revealed, it is an epiphany, a moment of grace. Every time Mass is celebrated at this altar, it is an epiphany and every time you witness the presence of Christ, it is an epiphany. You are an epiphany,” he said.
“Because you have received that light of God you are a light to the world. That is another way of saying you are an epiphany.”
Like the magi in the Gospel, the bishop said the faithful are on a journey of faith and love. “You are building a community to be a faithful presence of Christ in this corner of the world, an epiphany. It is with great joy that I came here today to celebrate with you and to ask you to continue to be an epiphany of the Lord’s presence here in Copley. Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do.”
He said Christ’s presence is made manifest here by through the proclamation of the word and the celebration of the Eucharist, adding the faithful are the manifestation of Christ’s presence and a witness of his love.
“You are an epiphany of the Lord,” he said.
Father Weber invited parishioners to enjoy a catered lunch after Mass a thank you for their support of the renovation project.