Milestones

1923 - Saint Angela Merici parish was founded in May when founding pastor, Father Francis J. Stanton, organized the first group of 80 families for Mass in the Fairview Village Town Hall.

1923 – The school, which included 4 classrooms, opened in October, with three faculty members from the Congregation of St. Joseph and 58 students.

1924 - Dedication of the original frame church and school.

1937 - Fr. Michael Stevenson was appointed as the second Pastor in June.

1940 - Fr. Stevenson blessed the first six classrooms of the new brick schoolhouse and presided over school additions during the next two decades.

1947 - Groundbreaking for the new church building took place in July, with cornerstone ceremonies conducted on February 28, 1948.

1948 - The new church, without the current sanctuary, was dedicated in November. At the point where the original brick is joined with the marble of the sanctuary, a solid brick wall extended the width and height of the structure. Temporary wooden sacristies were constructed on either side of the altar along with a wrought iron communion rail.

1950 – In April, the frame church was moved eastward to become the newly renovated convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph. The convent was formally dedicated in October.

1951 - The Village of Fairview (established 1913) was officially declared the City of Fairview Park in September. In less than 14 years, the parish built a complete plant, with a new school, a new church, a new convent and a new rectory that was first occupied in January of 1953. Over the years, the official boundaries of the parish have expanded to include sections of the City of Rocky River. Beyond the stated boundaries, we are blessed to have parishioners from many of the western suburbs.

1956 - Monsignor Francis J. McGlynn was appointed pastor in June. The parish census that year counted 1,350 families.

1960 - The new sanctuary was dedicated in June, expanding the size of the nave to provide seating for a total of 1,100 worshippers. Fr. James P. Brennan was appointed the fourth pastor in August.

1973 - The parish celebrated their Golden Jubilee in May with the new pastor, Monsignor Robert C. Wolff, who was appointed in October of 1972.

1988 – The former convent is renovated to become our parish offices, known as the Parish Center.

1989 - The sixth pastor, Fr. Richard E. Hudak, was appointed.

1994 - Under the leadership of Fr. Hudak, the parish initiated a capital drive which provided for a new school addition that was dedicated in May. The addition included six classrooms, a library, a computer room, a school cafeteria and the Rini Multi-Purpose Center.

1999 - Fr. Douglas M. Proehl, associate pastor since 1996, became the seventh pastor and remained pastor until November of 2003.

2004 - Our current pastor, Father Michael J. Lanning, was named by Bishop Anthony J. Pilla in January and took his place as pastor on February 15.

2010 – A new crucifix, designed to draw together both the first part of the church building (1947) with the sanctuary (1959) is installed and dedicated.

2011 – St. Angela Merici School earns national recognition as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.

2019 - St. Angela Merici School is designated a STEAM school by the Ohio Department of Education.