St. Martin of Tours Church in Valley City was filled nearly to capacity for the 6 p.m. Mass on Oct. 27, when Bishop Edward Malesic installed Father Bill Thaden as the new pastor. Father Thaden was named pastor on June 30, when Father Dan Reed retired after leading St. Martin’s for seven years.
The parish, with about 1,100 families, was established in 1840, seven years before the Diocese of Cleveland. It has grown consistently over the years. In its early years, the congregation was largely German.
Father Thaden said he is excited about his new ministry in Medina County. Previously, he served as pastor of Sacred Heart Chapel in Lorain for 25½ years.
“It was a wonderful experience,” Father Thaden said of leading the robust congregation at Sacred Heart. “And we had a terrific turnout at the installation Mass (at St. Martin of Tours).” He said many Sacred Heart parishioners traveled to Valley City to participate in the installation, truly making it a multi-cultural gathering.
“There was a lot of life shared there,” he said, referring to his years at Sacred Heart Chapel. “It was wonderful to see them again and to see them enjoy each other’s company.”
Father Thaden said St. Martin parishioners have embraced him and they welcomed the visitors from Sacred Heart. “They came together, gathering as one Church. At the end of the evening, they made many new friends,” he added.
Reflecting on the day’s readings, Father Thaden said the Gospel told the story of a woman who had been crippled for 18 years and was unable to stand erect. Jesus cured her on the Sabbath, which made people angry. But he chastised them for their reaction to the miracle.
“Sometimes, we’re bent over like that woman,” he said, and need the Lord’s help … We are all called to be Church.”
There were several concelebrants at the Mass, including Father Don Oleksiak, diocesan vicar general who assisted at St. Martin’s on weekends, Father Jeff Lindholm, parochial vicar at St. Barnabas Parish in Northfield and Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Macedonia who assisted at Sacred Heart Chapel as a transitional deacon, and Father Norm Douglas, pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Akron. Deacon Bill Perkins of St. Martin of Tours assisted.
A reception in the parish hall followed the installation Mass.
St. Martin of Tours’ current church was dedicated in 2002, and Bishop Malesic presided at the Nov. 8, 2022 Mass after which the mortgage was burned. The parish also has a large cemetery dating to 1850.