The project also adds a new facility to house diocesan archives
NEWS RELEASE
November 19, 2024
Contact: Dennis Biviano, PR & Media Specialist, (330) 744-8451, ext. 320; dbiviano@youngstowndiocese.org
Additional Contact: Joan Lawson, Chancellor & Diocesan Archivist, (330) 744-8541, ext. 290; jlawson@youngstowndiocese.org
YOUNGSTOWN, OH – The Diocese of Youngstown has formally announced plans for an archive facility on the former Saints Cyril and Methodius Church (Former Our Lady of Sorrows Parish) property, 252 East Wood Street in downtown Youngstown. The project was announced during a press conference on Wednesday November 20th. The new campus name is: “All Saints Archival Center.”
Bishop David J. Bonnar has prioritized an archive project for the diocese since 2022. The Saints Cyril and Methodius Church building will be preserved and repurposed as an exhibit and public programming space. A new 4,900 square foot, two story, climate-controlled building for archives will be built adjacent to the church. The new facility will provide for the diligent protection and systematic ordering of records required by church law. The remainder of space includes a public reading room for visitors and researchers and office space for archives staff. The property will have expanded greenspace, energy efficient upgrades, and repurposed woodwork salvaged from the former rectory.
Diocesan Chancellor Joan Lawson says, “The church building will be used as exhibit and public programming space, so that visitors can experience the church interior with its soaring, colorful dome and its walls of beautiful stained glass. Exhibits will tell the story of the people and churches of the Diocese of Youngstown and the building itself will emphasize the leading role of immigrants in that story.”
Lawson says there are several characteristics that make the church building desirable for the diocesan archive:
- Its proximity to the seat of the Bishop
- The church is within the educational, museum & library district of Youngstown’s downtown
- The church building is sound, accessible, beautifully designed, and built with quality materials
- The campus size perfectly meets the needs
- Its history reflects the immigration history of the Church of Youngstown
Diocesan archives from 1943 through 1978 are currently being housed at Kent State University Libraries, containing 150 cubic feet of materials. Records collected after 1978 are housed in the basements of diocesan buildings. All will be moved to the new facility.
Church law states that all documents which regard the diocese and its parishes must be protected. Pope Francis has written, “The lack of historical memory is a serious shortcoming in our society. Knowing and judging past events is the only way to build a meaningful future. Memory is necessary for growth.”
Ss. Cyril and Methodius was the first parish for Slovaks in all of Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. Founded in 1896, the parish immediately established a tradition of generosity and sacrifice. The 1900 church building was closed in 2022.
Construction is expected to begin this winter and be completed in 2025. A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony will be held at a later date. For more details on the project, check out our Catholic Echo Podcast or Diocesan page on YouTube.
Watch the press conference from November 20, 2024:
