The history of Guardian Angels Parish in Canton begins with the St. Joseph community in 1902, when 80 families living on Canton’s west side petitioned Cleveland Bishop Ignatius Horstmann to establish a parish closer to them. Similarly to many parishes of Stark County, the St. Joseph community consisted largely of German and Irish immigrants; however, while earlier communities had formed around the coal mines and railroads, these parishioners had moved to the west side to work in the burgeoning factories and steel mills, providing a tangible picture of Canton’s development.
The first Masses were celebrated in Benskin Hall, but parish enrollment increased rapidly. A temporary chapel was completed in June 1903 and dedicated by Bishop Horstmann. The parish also opened a school in August of the same year, with 151 students taught by three Sisters of St. Joseph from Cleveland. Construction of a permanent church began on April 2, 1921 and took more than 10 years to complete. The school also received a new building in 1957, with a further expansion of two new rooms in 1959. The Sisters of St. Joseph staffed the school until the late 1980s when it was turned over to lay teachers. The school was ultimately closed in 2014.
The St. Joan of Arc community is also part of the Guardian Angels Parish of today. It was formed in 1944 for the Catholic community living between Canton and Massillon. Masses were celebrated by diocesan priests and the Precious Blood Fathers at Mount Marie Academy—the girls’ school which would later become part of Central Catholic High School. A new church and school building opened on September 3, 1952, with 272 students taught by the Ursuline Sisters. Just over a decade later, the community broke ground on a new cruciform-styled church, dedicated on May 3, 1964. The Ursuline Sisters left the parish school in the 1990s, and the school eventually joined the Stark County Catholic School System as a K-8 school.
The communities combined on July 1, 2024, under the patronage of Guardian Angels, reflecting the common theme of angelic visitation shared by both Saint Joseph and Saint Joan of Arc. The two communities maintain their shared commitment to ministry with a Food Cupboard, a homebound visitation ministry and a vibrant music ministry.
Description from The March of the Eucharist, 2nd edition (2025) published by The Catholic Echo
