Kicking off its 60th anniversary, Guardian Angels Parish in Copley welcomed Bishop Edward Malesic at its 11 a.m. Mass on June 23. Bishop Malesic presided and Father Christopher Weber, the parish’s pastor, concelebrated.
At the beginning of the liturgy, Bishop Malesic shared, “A significant parish anniversary like this one is a continued sign of the presence of God. This is a vibrant parish family; doing everything to worship God and serve others.” The bishop said he was delighted to be a part of the 60th anniversary celebration.
In his homily, Bishop Malesic reminded everyone to “never doubt the power of Jesus. It’s important to have a relationship with Jesus and to continue to be a parish that serves the community.”
Father Chris, who has been the pastor since 2019, added, “It’s a blessing to be here at this time for the anniversary celebration. The 60th anniversary is an opportunity for the Guardian Angels Parish community to prepare for a bright future.”
Parish founding member Denise Warner said the anniversary “was a recollection of the memories of her friends.” Warner’s family moved to Copley when she was three years old. They lived close to Guardian Angels and would walk to church.
“I love this church. God is always here. The people here are the best people,” she said.
Warner and her husband raised seven children: five boys and two girls. The boys were all altar servers while growing up at Guardian Angels Parish, and her son Joseph is now pastor at Blessed Trinity Parish in Akron.
Parishioner Rita Kapusinski, whose grandmother was a founding member of the parish, noted that the Mass was special for her because her two sons were serving, as she was the first female server at Guardian Angels Parish years ago. In addition, Kapusinski’s parents met at Guardian Angels Parish while her father was serving a wedding Mass for a bride whose sister would become his future wife.
State Representative Bill Roemer also attended the Mass and congratulated the parish on its 60th anniversary and presented a proclamation to Father Weber.
Guardian Angels parish was established in 1964. More information about the parish can be found here https://copleyangels.org/.