Our Lady of Perpetual Help Est. 1955 MASS SCHEDULE Saturday Vigil 5:00 PM Sunday 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:00 noon Holy Day Consult bulletin Weekdays Mon.-Fri. 9:00 AM Sacrament of Reconciliation 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Saturday OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP 342 South Chillicothe Aurora, OH 44202-7814 (330) 562-8519 (330) 562-2529 (fax) www.olphaurora.org OLPH@juno.com PARISH STAFF   Rev. Joseph W. Witmer, Pastor     Rev. Jino Mwaka In Residence   Joseph Pepoy Deacon   Sr. Lu Haidnick, CDP Pastoral Associate   Mrs. Karen Yash Dir. of Religious Education   Barbara Dzurilla Music Director   BRIEF HISTORY When the West was settled, the taverns and saloons opened their doors on Sunday for church services. We, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, have a similar heritage as did the churches when the "Wild West" was settled. In early 1955, there was no Catholic church in Aurora, so of the twelve women from the newly organized Mission Group in Aurora, three of them, Helen Truce Baran, Mary Nelis, and Stella Shaw, went to see Monsignor Lavelle of St. Joseph’s Church in Mantua so that Mass could be offered in Aurora each Sunday. Monsignor Lavelle suggested they contact James Quinn, then owner of the Aurora Inn. He was contacted and arrangements were made so that Mass could be celebrated. A portable altar was set up and confessions were heard before Mass at the bar. A folding screen was set up and parishioners took turns going behind the bar to ask forgiveness of their sins. The mission church celebrated the first Mass at the Inn on March 13, 1955, and Masses continued until August 31, 1955 1955: March 13: First Mass celebrated at the Aurora Inn June 13: Altar and Rosary Society first meeting and election of officers July 8: Purchase of 13 acres for $24,000 with a house and barn. Soon, Mass was celebrated in the house. August 25: check received from St. Edward Mission Club of Youngstown for $1,500 from their Annual Clam Bake 1957: Purchased St. Rita’s church in Solon for $5,000 and moved it to Aurora 1958: January: three-year building fund campaign begun August 31: church dedicated by Bishop Emmet Walsh of Youngstown Dedication of parish to Our Lady of Perpetual Help because of a personal devotion of Msgr. Lavelle. Early Christian art traditionally depicts Mary under this title in a two-dimensional Icon form which is highly symbolic. Mary’s face is quite plain as no one can truly "capture" the face of the Mother of God. The child, Jesus, turns to his Mother for comfort after seeing the two archangels holding the instruments of his crucifixion. 1960: June 24: OLPH raised from mission to parish status by Bishop Walsh Fr. Homer Oliver assigned as "our" first pastor Religious education classes started and teachers sought certification 1971: Bishop James Malone met with the Building Committee to evaluate future needs and planning began for a new church 1974: The present church was completed – contemporary in design with the maximum amount of people close to the altar. The windows are clear glass and the baptismal font is near the entrance of the church. To the left of the baptismal font is a stained-glass window that was removed from the "Old Church" depicting Jesus’ baptism 1982: Bell Tower completed 1993: Architect Richard Fleischman, who built the church, was also commissioned to construct the Parish Center. It was dedicated on March 13 in the middle of a blizzard. Back to Office of Catholic Schools