Our Lady of Angels Church
3644 Rocky River Dr
Cleveland, Ohio 44111
Phone: 216-252-2332       Fax: 216-252-2383
Pastor: John J. Cregan
E-mail: rectory@olangels.org
www.olangels.org

The Parish

 The official document which established Our Lady of Angels as a parish was read to the people on November 26, 1922 by the man who was to become the parish's fist pastor: Father Columban Valentin, O.F.M. On December 3, 1922, Bishop Schrembs officially installed Father Columban as pastor of Our Lady of Angels Parish.

 Apparently, Father Columban was not a man who believed in wasting time, as the first councilmen, or trustees, of the parish were appointed and installed the very same day. Soon after, Father Columban undertook a survey and house visitation of his new parish, discovering that he had 82 families under his care. Father Columban then began to address the spiritual needs of his new flock. In January 1923, the first four of what would become numerous parish organizations were established: the Holy Name Society, the Christian Mothers' Society, the Young Ladies Sodality and the Junior Holy Name Society.

At the time of its formation, Our Lady of Angels took a well established section of the mother parish, St. Patrick's. It was agreed that the new parish would indemnify the mother parish in the amount of $5,000 – at the time, a princely sum! However, this amount was paid almost immediately, thanks to a bazaar which was held in the West Park Town Hall. The proceeds of this bazaar – which was successfully orchestrated by the ladies of the parish, under the chairmanship of Mrs. Lucy Arth – allowed the new parish to satisfy the debt it owed to St. Patrick's.

Father Columban was not a young man when he was appointed as pastor, and the problems and concerns inherent in the birth of a new parish, took their toll on him: he resigned just one year after the establishment of the parish. Though Father Columban was greatly missed, Our Lady of Angels was not left without strong and dynamic leadership.

Enter a man who would come to be affectionately known simply as Father Linus.