Christ the Servant Parish consists of two communities. St. Paul the older of the two, was formally established on January 5, 1907, but the community had its roots in the 1800s, with the arrival of French, German and Irish immigrants in Canton, working on the railroads. The community was formed after Catholics in East Canton petitioned the Diocese of Cleveland’s Bishop Ignatius Horstmann for support in 1906, and within a few weeks they received a pastor.
The community experienced a rocky start thanks to the Wall Street Panic of 1907, but the increased demand for industry at the advent of World War I renewed the economic prospects in the area, allowing for the construction of a permanent church, dedicated October 23, 1921. The former church building received an expansion and was made into a school, staffed by the Humility of Mary Sisters. The school was expanded again in the 1950s but was eventually closed in 1985 due to declining enrollment.
The Our Lady of Peace—the second community that is part of Christ the Servant—was formed on June 27, 1952, to accommodate the rapidly growing population of the post-war “baby boom,” with a church and school both planned from the beginning. Mass was offered at the nearby Sancta Clara Monastery while a permanent church was under construction. The first Mass in the new church was celebrated on December 8, 1954. The parish school opened for the fall semester of 1954 with 186 students in grades 1 to 5, taught by Daughters of Charity Sisters, who were eventually succeeded by the Ursuline Sisters in the late ‘70s.
The two communities were officially merged on November 21, 2010, with the new name of Christ the Servant Parish. The name was chosen to inspire the parishioners to act as a community of Disciples who serve the needs of the people through the love of Jesus Christ.The parish is deeply engaged in charitable ministries, including weekly collections of food, clothing, and other supplies to support Hope Outreach and Catholic Charities, and a ministry to support the children of incarcerated parents. Our Lady of Peace School continues to provide Catholic education for children in grades K-5 as part of the Stark County Catholic Schools.
Description from The March of the Eucharist, 2nd edition (2025) published by The Catholic Echo
